AT-OC9ML/II Dual Moving MicroCoil™ Cartridge
A moving coil cartridge with polished elliptical diamond tip, for the best in clarity, transparency, precise stereo imaging, lower distortion and extended vinyl life. A-T Vector-Aligned design, with two moving coils mounted at 90 degrees in place of the two moving magnets.
Reviews
I have used the AT0C9 in both original and ML version, and have to admit I subjectively preferred the sound of the original cartridge. It has been used on both Rega RB300 and Roksan Tabriz arms mounted on a number of different decks, including a Michell Synchro, Rega Planar 3 and Ariston RR80SL. I rate this cartridge very highly. It is detailed, transparent and highly accurate. Some thinness experienced in the bass and a splashy treble is normally down to a lack of synergy between other components in the system. I have replaced my ML version recently with a Sumiko Blue Point Special. This gave me some extra weight, power and control in the bass, at a trade-off against a lack of refinement in the top end and less depth to the sound. A change of speakers (currently Rega ELA) to something a little less forgiving would probably resolve this. Needless to say it is a great cartridge in my opinion. It seems happy at home in far more exotic systems than I have had the pleasure of owning. Robust and durable.
I got mine for free as a compensation for a delayed speaker delivery. High Fidelity-magazine was very excited about the cartridge and I must say that I was too. I used min on a Linn Sondek LP12 with Valhalla-kit and an Ittok LV II-arm, it sounded very good. The retail price in Sweden at the beginning of the 90s was about 2700SEK or 270USD. The other cartridges I tried on the LP12 was no way near the OC9’s sound quality. The one thing I can remember about the OC9 is that I needed to give it some extra weight when it was new. If I would buy a record player today, I would want a similar cartridge like the OC9, specially because you dont get bankrupt when the stylus is no longer in shape.
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