Audio Technica AT-OC9XEB MC cartridge

Audio Technica's OC-9 series has been operating with undiminished success for over thirty years. After many years, it is still a reference for several music lovers, professionals and journalists across the world!

Motivated by the analogue come back, the Japanese manufacturer launches the 4th generation of the OC-9 series, represented by 5 low output MC cartridges.

The Audio Technica AT-OC9XEB cartridge is the first model of the range.

AUDIO TECHNICA AT-OC9XEB: BODY AND COILS

The body of the phono cartridge is cut into very strong aluminium that reduces unwanted resonances.

The AT-OC9X cartridges are all composed around a generator equipped with a high quality double coil made of copper (PCOCC). This very pure copper ensures a signal without distortion and little coloration.

The structure of the moving coils offers a large frequency response as well as an excellent left/right channel separation, which enables excellent stereo image.

The neodymium magnets provide an important magnetic field of excellent quality.

AUDIO TECHNICA AT-OC9XEB: STYLUS

The AT-OC9XEB is equipped with a stuck elliptical stylus, associated to an aluminium cantilever.

An elliptical stylus follows the modulation of the groove with higher precision than a conical or spherical stylus. Like that, it offers a better frequency response, while reducing distortion and surface noise.

AUDIO TECHNICA AT-OC9XEB: ASSEMBLY AND COMPATIBILITY

To facilitate the assembly on the headshell, the AT-OC9XEB has a body equipped with threaded inserts. This has a true mechanical advantage, but it makes this cartridge incompatible with bottom-mount headshells, such as the old Thorens or Lenco turntables.

Its weight and its rather high compliance make this Audio Technica AT-OC9XEB adapted for medium and low weight tonearms.

AUDIO TECHNICA AT-OC9XEB: TEST AND LISTENING

The restitution is into the pure tradition of OC9 cartridges from the Japanese manufacturer. Here, we find their transparency and detail.

The treble is certainly one of the most successful among this category in terms of accuracy and precision

This Audio Technica cartridge offers an open reproduction, detailed and with a nice transparency. It tends more towards analysis than romance. But it is not a “cold” cartridge!

In addition, the dynamic is good and with no excess in projection or exaggeration. The bass are deeper, clear and continuous.

The sound scene is reproduced with realism and in 3 dimensions.

Of course, this Audio Technica AT-OC9XEB MC cartridge does not everything and cannot be perfect... Extra qualities have to be left for the 4 superior models!

However, at this price, it does not have serious competitor! A low output MC cartridge less than 250€, with such a quality, it is a “consecrated bread!”.