HSA-01 is a revolutionary headshell with a built-in head amplifier.
It is well known that replacing the shell reed inside the headshell can greatly change the sound. This means that small parts of the signal level are greatly affected by things such as lead wires. When playing analog records, a tone arm is inserted between the cartridge and the phono equalizer amplifier, and inside the tone arm is a lead wire with a length of 30 to 40 cm, which is much thinner than a shell lead. Therefore, it is thought that the amount of information of the minute signal generated in the MC cartridge will be significantly reduced by the time it reaches the phono equalizer amplifier due to its resistance. As a countermeasure, we have developed a headshell with a built-in head amplifier that significantly amplifies the signal level at the part closest to the cartridge to prevent the loss of information.
HSA-01 has a built-in head amplifier with a 14x amplification factor inside the headshell. The head amplifier section is built into the protrusion at the base of the shell, with only the battery visible from the back. To use it, just install the cartridge, wire it, and turn on the slide switch on the top of the shell.
The amplifier section of the HSA-01 is built into the headshell, making it as compact as possible, and its internal circuit uses carefully selected high-quality components selected through listening tests. Even with such an ultra-compact amplifier, the sound changes greatly depending on the components. Among the main parts, the printed circuit board and battery holder, are uniquely plated with gold to improve sound quality.
Although the amplifier circuit is not disclosed to the public, we have succeeded in obtaining a large output of approximately 0.9V with a limited power supply voltage of 3V by using a simple and high-performance amplifier circuit with an all-analog configuration. Also, since it is a battery-powered amplifier, the usage time is also important. This device uses a CR1632 type lithium-ion coin-type battery, which provides approximately 60 hours of continuous use, and is designed to minimize the hassle of battery replacement.
The frequency characteristics of the HSA-01's head amplifier section are extremely wide-band +0, -1dB from 10Hz to 100kHz, a characteristic that cannot be achieved with any step-up transformer. It faithfully reproduces ultra-low and ultra-high frequency signals that were previously unnoticeable when playing records, so your familiar records may be reborn as something completely different. There have also been reports of cases where the signal level is raised close to the cartridge, which reduces the effect of tone arm resonance that causes howling, and improves howling margin. (Depends on the condition of the room where you listen to the record.)
The main body of the HSA-01 shell is made from extremely hard and dense African ebony wood, which is precisely machined using our own NC processing machine. In order to incorporate a head amplifier, the external size must be as small as possible, and the weight must be as light as possible. We are proud that this is a product that could only have been made possible by our company, which owns our own processing machines. A power switch is placed on the top of this body, and the power can be turned on and off from the top of the shell, and an LED display is also available.
The amplification factor (step-up ratio) of HSA-01 is set to 14 times (23dB), so the output of an MC cartridge with an output of 0.2mV is amplified to 2.8mV, making it compatible with most MC cartridges. The input impedance of the phono equalizer amplifier to be connected is the standard 47kΩ, and the output from the arm should be connected directly to the PHONO input terminal in the MM position.
When using HSA-01, turn off the power switch on the top of the shell, install the cartridge, connect the input pin of HSA-01 to its output terminal, attach it to the arm, adjust the stylus pressure, and switch the power switch. You can use it just by turning it on. When installing the headshell and turning on the power switch, set the preamplifier volume to the minimum setting. The weight is 12.5g, which is the standard weight for a head shell, so it can be used with most arms. When replacing the battery, please refer to the included instruction manual and do so carefully. When installing the cartridge, if the terminal part is likely to come into contact with the battery holder, place the included African ebony spacer between the cartridge and the shell to prevent contact.
specification
HSA-01 standard
●Compatible cartridge: MC cartridge with output voltage 0.1mV-1mV
●Head amplifier section: Gain (boost ratio): 14 times (23dB) ●Maximum output: 0.9V ●Frequency characteristics: 10Hz-100kHz (+0, -1dB)