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Cartridge upgrade?

Hi I’m considering either upgrading to the Kelisi Purple Heart or to the Hana Umami. Currently running the Hana SL. I’ve been listening to the SL for a year now. It’s great, I really like it but would like to upgrade soon. I listen to a pretty big range of music. Folk, rock, jazz, electronic, some classical but not much. My question is which one, and am I going overkill with a $3-4k cartridge given my tone arm/tt? I’m pretty happy with the sound I’m getting currently but want to stay away from a cartridge that’s too forward sounding. I love the high end detail I’m getting from the diamond tweeters of my B&W 805d3’s but feel it can get a little bright at times. 
Here’s the rest of my set up:

Cartridge: Hana SL
Turntable: Clearaudio Concept w/ magnetic bering tone arm
Rogue Cronus Magnum II integrated
Herron Audio VTPH-2A phono stage
B&W 805D3 speakers
REL S/510 & T/5i subs 
Kimber speaker cables and interconnects

Thanks! This place is great!

paulgardner
dover
2,291 posts
 
am I going overkill with a $3-4k cartridge given my tone arm/tt?

Possibly

I’m pretty happy with the sound I’m getting currently but want to stay away from a cartridge that’s too forward sounding. I love the high end detail I’m getting from the diamond tweeters of my B&W 805d3’s but feel it can get a little bright at times.

The Kiseki is much smoother than the Hana cartridges, but from my personal experience they are not particularly resolving given the price.

I would have a look at the Soundsmith range - the Soundsmith MI cartridges are incredibly smooth and resolving - they should be a good match for the B&W's with the Diamond tweeters. You can select output and compliance to suit your arm and phono stage. Anything from US$2k should be an upgrade over the Hana.

paulgardner OP
183 posts
 
@big_greg Yeah I’ve been considering upgrading my turntable too. I really like the Concept but it is very difficult to isolate with the magnetic bearing arm. I like the aesthetic of Clearaudio tt’s. I have my eye on the Wood w/ Satisfy arm. Or maybe the Dr. Feickert Woodpecker. Damn that’s a good looking tt!
tablejockey
3,994 posts
 
You have a solid setup.

Consider putting the Audio Technica ART9 on your radar.
There are enough archived threads to give you an impression it has characteristics of the uber cart$.

Like big_greg, I have used the Kiseki Blue and it’s a wonderful cart, but it’s $2k+ and I used the ART9 before that. The ART9 is on level playing ground with the Blue for half the price-subjectively, of course.

Your phonostage will handle the lower output .2mv ART9,which may have a smidge more refinement over the .5mv model.
paulgardner OP
183 posts
 
@dover Thanks. Yeah I’ll look into Soundsmith too
paulgardner OP
183 posts
 
@tablejockey cool. Thanks, I’ll look at the blue and the ART9
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