Yamamoto Sound Crafts HSA-01 Headshell with built-in head amp
Product code:Yamamoto Sound Crafts HSA-01 Headshell with built-in head amp
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Innovative headshell with built-in head amp
Built-in head amp that greatly amplifies the signal level at the part closest to the cartridge
During analog record playback, a tone arm is inserted between the cartridge and the phono equalizer amplifier, and inside the arm is a 30-40 cm long lead wire that is much thinner than the shell lead. Therefore, it is thought that the minute signals generated by the MC cartridge are greatly reduced in information content by the time they reach the phono amplifier due to its resistance and other factors. As a countermeasure,
HSA-01 was developed as a headshell with a built-in head amplifier that greatly amplifies the signal level at the part closest to the cartridge to prevent the loss of information.
The HSA-01 has a head amp with an amplification factor of 14 times inside the headshell. The head amp is built into the convex part at the base of the shell, and only the battery is visible from the back.
The simple yet high-performance amplifier circuit with an all-analog configuration has succeeded in obtaining a large output of about 0.9V with a limited power supply voltage of 3V.
This unit uses a CR1632-type lithium-ion coin-type battery, which provides approximately 60 hours of continuous use, minimizing the need for troublesome battery replacement.
To use the unit, simply install the cartridge, wire it up, and turn on the slide switch on the top of the shell, and it is ready to use.
The amplifier section of the HSA-01 has been miniaturized to the utmost limit in order to incorporate it into the head shell, and its internal circuitry has been carefully designed and tested to ensure that it can be used in a wide range of applications.
The internal circuits are made of carefully selected high-quality sound components. Even in such an ultra-compact amplifier, the sound varies greatly depending on the components. The printed circuit board and battery holder of the main components are gold-plated for sound quality.
The frequency response of the HSA-01 is extremely wideband, +0, -1dB from 10Hz to 100kHz. It faithfully reproduces signals in the ultra-low and ultra-high frequency range that have not been noticed in record reproduction until now, so that a familiar record can be reborn as something else. In addition, since the signal level is raised close to the cartridge, the effect of resonance in the tone arm, which causes feedback, is reduced, and the feedback margin may be improved.
The shell body part of the HSA-01 is made of extremely hard and dense African ebony, precisely machined by Yamamoto's NC machine. In order to incorporate a head amp, the outer shape must be as small as possible and the weight must be as light as possible. This product could not have been realized without Yamamoto's ownership of the machining center. The power switch is located on the top surface of the body, and the power is turned on and off on the top surface of the shell.
The amplification ratio (boost ratio) of the HSA-01 is set at 14 times (23dB), so the output of an MC cartridge with an output of 0.2mV is amplified to 2.8mV, making it suitable for most MC cartridges. The input impedance of the phono equalizer amplifier to be connected should be 47kΩ, which is considered standard, and in the MM position, connect the output from the arm directly to the PHONO input terminal.
When using the HSA-01, with the power switch on top of the shell in the OFF position, simply turn the power switch ON after the normal cartridge and shell replacement process. When the power switch is turned ON when the headshell is installed, the volume of the preamplifier should be set to minimum. The dead weight is 12.5g, which is standard weight for a headshell, so it can be used with most arms.
| Compatible Cartridge | MC cartridge with output voltage of 0.1mV-1mV |
|---|---|
| Head Amplifier | Gain (boost ratio): 14x (23dB) |
| Maximum output | 0.9V |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz-100kHz(+0, -1dB) |
| Batteries used | CR1632 type, lithium-ion, coin cell (3V) 1 pc included (not included in products for overseas due to export restrictions) |
| Head shell Material | Body: African ebony, precision-machined (finished with clear eco-friendly paint) |
| Finger rest | Brass (non-magnetic gold plating finish) |
| Dimensions | 18(W) x 50(L) x 21(H)mm (excluding mounting and finger-hanging parts) |
| Weight | 12.5g (including lead wire, not including mounting screw) |
I can say that the sound is extremely fresh.The MC cartridge used this time was a middle-class Jasmine Audio Forest (0.34mV), which not only demonstrated the cartridge's performance well, but also sounded very clear with a more direct feel and high resolution. The presence and atmosphere of the live sound source, such as the instruments and the murmurs of the performers, are clearly conveyed.
Thin Lines and Various Contact PointsThe sound quality of the sound is not degraded by the use of expensive MC transformers or head amplifiers to amplify the weak sound signals that finally reach the listener through the thin wires and various contact points, but is instead amplified at the very front end where the purity is not degraded.The weakest sound signal isAmplifying the weak sound signal at the very front of the line, where the purity is not affected by external influences, provides a high quality sound with a high degree of freshness. Moreover, since the amplified signal is delivered, the MM phono equalizer side also has a considerable margin of gain, making it an excellent product with excellent cost performance.
