Has anyone changed from the SL to the ML cart, and have the height of the body, either top to bottom body only, or top to bottom stylus point?
Thanks
The ML is a bit taller at 16.3mm vs 15mm for the EL and SL. That’s the body not including stylus
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Very nice cart great choice great VFM👍
Indeed and I wanted to try one. I run a P8 which would need a stack shim to run the ML. I don’t want to do that at the moment. The humble SL will have to suffice for now.
Dam, I have a good buddy that has a ML on a wand tone arm to a sp10. Mate it really does it for me. Fast and a lot of fun.
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So I take your unable to change the tone arm height? Sorry not familiar with the P8.
I can add a shim, but no, not natively.
You could always run the thinner felt mat - I think the white one on the P10 is only 1mm v the 3mm of the P8… that would get closer to the Rega geometry and into the same ball park as the SL…
Its a thought but spending 1k ish not knowing is too much of a punt for me.
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i’m in a similar position - the stylus on my Ania is damaged so I need a replacement and i’m tossing up between an Ania pro and Hana ML… i’ve run my P6 with mats from 2mm to 5mm and non of them made a scrap of difference to the sound so take from that what you will… 
Its not about the sound for me. The SL just clears the vinyl surface. I don’t think the extra 1.5 mm of the ML will clear.
my rega cart only just clears the record too ands thats only 14mm - you could dummy run it by adding the right stack height of washers or make a spacer out of buisness cards between your existing cart and the headshell which would give you an idea on the clearance, could be given the trig involved it won’t make too much difference…
Yes, I could do that. I’m not worried about the trig on 1.5 mm lift. I’m not obsessive about the vta. I do wonder about the rigidity of the arm coupling to deck brace though if I release the bolts and insert a shim of unknown quality. The SL has an outstanding sound through my phono stage and The ML is probably an improvement but by how much? Life is a compromise and I prefer to leave the P8 pretty much as Rega intended for a while as it’s comparatively mew to me. Later I may get the urge to fiddle.
how do you find Hana SL - i’m on the fence on cart choice - I didn’t mind the Ania on my P6 but it wasn’t amazing. As I have no choice but to replace my damaged one I wonder if the SL might be a good lowish cost stopgap - Ideally i’d just suck it up and step up to a P8/Apheta 3 but I’ve already dine my dash on hifi gear this year (Nac202, Totem Hawks and the P6) SHMBO will have kittens if I drop another couple o grand so soon! the SL seems pretty well thought of versus the Anias more mixed reviews.
I’d agree about not shimming the Rega arm though if you can avoid it, Rega have gone to a ton of effort to remove mass it would be a shame to add it back in
I chose the SL after reading multiple reviews and the hifi forums. It came down to ania pro vs the SL for me. In the end I decide on the basis of the SL being described as warm, full bodied and having a particularly good mid range. I haven’t been disappointed. I run it with a Goldnote phono stage and psu.
I would really consider the ML with shim(s). It’s much, much better. And with your 20% trade-in, not much more than the SL
Personally i would not change a cartridge you like on the basis of stylus profile this is mostly a marketing upgrade it will sound very slightly different but it does not follow it is necessarily better, however Nicnaim appears to have had good results but maybe other factors were also an influence.
Note. Do not expect it to sound as good as your SL if you effectively lower the arm height
by 1.3mm as it won’t.
Here are some specifications for you to consider.
SL coil impedance 30ohms Recommended load 400 ohms Compliance 10 Weight 5g.
ML coil impedance 8ohms Recommended load 100 ohms Compliance 10 Weight 9.5g
As you can see these are quite low compliance cartridges and you have doubled your
weight, without looking into it i would be fairly sure the Rega arm is not suitable also
the load requirement is quite different you need a fully adjustable Head Amp.
I think you have done very well to get where you are with the SL managing to avoid
the apparent thin sound Rega is fond of and it seems not to your taste.
ATOC9 XSH SHIBATA. Recommended load 100ohms plus. Compliance 16 Weight 7.6g
suitable for Rega Arm.
Top of Cartridge to Stylus 17.3 mm so Body depth approx 15.3 mm very close to your SL.
These New ATOC9 are the first i have ever seen from Audio Technica with a Flat Response
they do not highlight the upper M/R which previously has all ways been a hallmark of ATOC9 variants.
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