audio-technica AT-OC9/III

Again, I hear ya

Maybe that's why these damn things cost so much! The salesman factor. Take a look at my edit on the post that you quoted about stylus protectors.

Now my At150Mlx has a great flip down protector...works perfect...why cant they all? :yes:
 
Arcorob: Well, if you are moving to an AT33EV, then that should compensate a little bit. I'll be interested to hear your impressions once you get it going, esp in how it compares to the OC9's. The AT33EV has a very good stylus protector, I think, so there is that.
 
Me too...

Arcorob: Well, if you are moving to an AT33EV, then that should compensate a little bit. I'll be interested to hear your impressions once you get it going, esp in how it compares to the OC9's. The AT33EV has a very good stylus protector, I think, so there is that.

I am kind of hoping it IS a clone of the AT33PTG from Japan. I really liked the sound and soundstage of that one...just couldn't seem to make it LAST (long story)

I am hoping I did the right thing. I could have gone with another OC9..but I figured what the hey..

I'll report back. :D
 
Actually there is a cartridge retipper in Seattle you can take the OC9 III to. Website is phonocartridgeretipping.com Andy repaired a coil and retipped a Clear Audio Signature cartridge for me, which another retipper declined to attempt. Andy will get all of my retipping business when practical. Its worth a shot for you, believe he is in Bellvue.

Regards
Mister Pig


I had an OC9/III..beautiful...Yes, people know how I raved about the OC9/III...Loved it ...umm...till yesterday...please sit down for this...feel free to cry if needed...

Yes I HAD and OC9/III until yesterday when I was mounting it on my brand new ClearAudio Concept table...and snapped the stylus off...

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrffffffffffff F- ME !!! :tears::tears::tears:

Appropriate time to play Another One Bites the Dust.

In the interim, I mounted my AT150Mlx. and ordered an AT33EV. Why ? Because that sucker is the same as the AT33PTG/II which started this whole mess months ago..long story..
 
I am kind of hoping it IS a clone of the AT33PTG from Japan. I really liked the sound and soundstage of that one...just couldn't seem to make it LAST (long story)

I am hoping I did the right thing. I could have gone with another OC9..but I figured what the hey..

I'll report back. :D

People I know who have had the PTG and the EV felt that the EV was a step-down. A few have reported it can have tracking issues that the PTG didn't. This is all second-hand info so take it for what it's worth. By all accounts, though, it's still a phenomenal cart. Very sorry for your loss on the OC9
 
the OC9/MLIII is a better cart then the 33EV. It tracks much better, is more detailed, less prone to rfi and quieter in the groove.
 
I had an OC9/III..beautiful...Yes, people know how I raved about the OC9/III...Loved it ...umm...till yesterday...please sit down for this...feel free to cry if needed...

Yes I HAD and OC9/III until yesterday when I was mounting it on my brand new ClearAudio Concept table...and snapped the stylus off...

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrffffffffffff F- ME !!! :tears::tears::tears:

Appropriate time to play Another One Bites the Dust.

In the interim, I mounted my AT150Mlx. and ordered an AT33EV. Why ? Because that sucker is the same as the AT33PTG/II which started this whole mess months ago..long story..
That sux big-time, like the time I destroyed a new O'fon MC-3 setting it up. With the OC9MLa/II in the Mitz LT and a DL-110 in the mod'ed PL-L1000 I'll likely never miss it other than the lost potential playing time on a nice stone.
AFAIK the '33EV has a nude elliptical stone on a tapered alu tube, nice enuff but the PTG a nude ML tip on a gold plated Boron cant. Pretty significant step up.
 
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Hmmm.maybe I did not read close enough

And zigged when I should have zagged...crap...second guess time...sigh...
 
Mister Pig ...

actually there is a cartridge retipper in seattle you can take the oc9 iii to. Website is phonocartridgeretipping.com andy repaired a coil and retipped a clear audio signature cartridge for me, which another retipper declined to attempt. Andy will get all of my retipping business when practical. Its worth a shot for you, believe he is in bellvue.

Regards
mister pig

thank you !!!!
 
I haven't had the OC9 or the PTG, but I can say with certainty that there are no tracking issues with the 33EV -- not sure exactly what that means, actually, but it faithfully plays what's in the groove, and handles warps better than any cart I've owned. It's also the quietest cart I've ever had in terms of surface noise.

In some literature from Japan/AT, they referred to 33EV stylus as a MicroLine Elliptical. In other words, there are ellipticals and there are ellipticals. For example, a Grado Gold claims to be an elliptical, but I am certain it is nowhere near the cut of the 33EV. Also, some people who have had both said the 33EV is more forgiving of less than perfect vinyl than the PTG.

The comprehensive review I read on the 33EV that convinced me to get it over the OC9-III said it was a substantial step up over the OC9 in every way. People hear "aluminum cantilever" and think it must be a step down from a boron, but it is not just any hollow tube. A very small, hardened, tapered aluminum cantilever can achieve the same design goals as a more exotic material. In short, the 33EV is a very fine cart, and I believe you will enjoy it immensely. And based on your experience trying to get a PTG, I can understand you not wanting to go down that road again.
 
I agree...

I haven't had the OC9 or the PTG, but I can say with certainty that there are no tracking issues with the 33EV -- not sure exactly what that means, actually, but it faithfully plays what's in the groove, and handles warps better than any cart I've owned. It's also the quietest cart I've ever had in terms of surface noise.

In some literature from Japan/AT, they referred to 33EV stylus as a MicroLine Elliptical. In other words, there are ellipticals and there are ellipticals. For example, a Grado Gold claims to be an elliptical, but I am certain it is nowhere near the cut of the 33EV. Also, some people who have had both said the 33EV is more forgiving of less than perfect vinyl than the PTG.

The comprehensive review I read on the 33EV that convinced me to get it over the OC9-III said it was a substantial step up over the OC9 in every way. People hear "aluminum cantilever" and think it must be a step down from a boron, but it is not just any hollow tube. A very small, hardened, tapered aluminum cantilever can achieve the same design goals as a more exotic material. In short, the 33EV is a very fine cart, and I believe you will enjoy it immensely. And based on your experience trying to get a PTG, I can understand you not wanting to go down that road again.

I did some research and I believe the AT33EV was their way of bringing the Japan only AT33PTG to the US and UK.

I really like the PTG ..slightly better than the OC9. Loved the OC9 so you can imagine. Its funny, some sites say the EV is a ML, others an elliptical. AT says elliptical.

In terms of who is on top, they say the OC9/III is their flagship...2nd'ed by the 33EV. I'll see..if I don't like it, I can return it and get an OC9.

Or

A Shelter 501...LOL

http://www.needledoctor.com/Shelter-501-Phono-Cartridge

Small EDIT: I wonder, if the OC9 is the flagship, why does the 33EV cost more ? Hmmm...
 
A Shelter 501...LOL

Small EDIT: I wonder, if the OC9 is the flagship, why does the 33EV cost more ? Hmmm...

New Audio Technica cartridges:

AT-ART7

Model Air-core MC type
Playback frequency range 15 ~ 50,000 Hz
Output voltage 0.12mV (1kHz, 5cm/sec.)
Channel separation 30dB (1kHz)
Output Balance 0.5dB (1kHz)
Needle pressure 1.6 ~ 2.0g (1.8g standard)
Coil impedance 12Ω (1kHz)
DC resistance 12Ω
Load resistance 100Ω or more (head amplifier is connected)
Coil inductance 8μH (1kHz)
A static compliance 35 × 10-6cm/dyne
Dynamic compliance 10 × 10-6cm/dyne (100Hz)
Needle tip shape Special line contact
Cantilever φ0.26mm solid boron
Vertical tracking angle 23 °
External dimensions H17.3 × W17.0 × D25.6mm
Mass 8.5g

Released: November 16, 2012
http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/atj/show_model.php?modelId=2260

AT-OC9/IIILTD

Model MC type
Playback frequency range 15 ~ 50,000 Hz
Output voltage 0.4mV (1kHz, 5cm/sec.)
Channel separation 30dB (1kHz)
Output Balance 0.5dB (1kHz)
Needle pressure 1.8 ~ 2.2g (2.0g standard)
Coil impedance 12Ω (1kHz)
DC resistance 12Ω
Load resistance 100Ω or more (head amplifier is connected)
Coil inductance 25μH (1kHz)
A static compliance 35 × 10-6cm/dyne
Dynamic compliance 18 × 10-6cm/dyne (100Hz)
Needle tip shape (40 × 7μm tip radius of curvature) line contact needle
Cantilever φ0.26 solid boron
Vertical tracking angle 23 °
External dimensions H17.3 × W16.8 × D25.7mm
Mass 10.5g

Released : June 15,2012
http://www.audio-technica.co.jp/atj/show_model.php?modelId=2220


:music:
 
I haven't had the OC9 or the PTG, but I can say with certainty that there are no tracking issues with the 33EV -- not sure exactly what that means, actually, but it faithfully plays what's in the groove, and handles warps better than any cart I've owned. It's also the quietest cart I've ever had in terms of surface noise.

In some literature from Japan/AT, they referred to 33EV stylus as a MicroLine Elliptical. In other words, there are ellipticals and there are ellipticals. For example, a Grado Gold claims to be an elliptical, but I am certain it is nowhere near the cut of the 33EV. Also, some people who have had both said the 33EV is more forgiving of less than perfect vinyl than the PTG.

The comprehensive review I read on the 33EV that convinced me to get it over the OC9-III said it was a substantial step up over the OC9 in every way. People hear "aluminum cantilever" and think it must be a step down from a boron, but it is not just any hollow tube. A very small, hardened, tapered aluminum cantilever can achieve the same design goals as a more exotic material. In short, the 33EV is a very fine cart, and I believe you will enjoy it immensely. And based on your experience trying to get a PTG, I can understand you not wanting to go down that road again.

I did some research for possible upgrading and the relative ranking of the two MCs seemed mixed depending on the reviewer, deeply-discounted price of the discontinued OC9/II ultimately drove my decision as an irresistible price-for-result bargain. This cart's gold plated Boron cant' may be responsible for it's natural and well-proportioned upper-end response lacking the usually-expected MC top-end 'sparkle'.
 
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I had an OC9/III..beautiful...Yes, people know how I raved about the OC9/III...Loved it ...umm...till yesterday...please sit down for this...feel free to cry if needed...

Yes I HAD and OC9/III until yesterday when I was mounting it on my brand new ClearAudio Concept table...and snapped the stylus off...

arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrffffffffffff F- ME !!! :tears::tears::tears:

Appropriate time to play Another One Bites the Dust.

In the interim, I mounted my AT150Mlx. and ordered an AT33EV. Why ? Because that sucker is the same as the AT33PTG/II which started this whole mess months ago..long story..

I had a bad dream about my OC9 II just last night....that the stylus snapped off. Of course this was a result of my mishap yesterday when I was showing off my speakers and in a moment of stupidity hand cued the track at the end of the record and the arm slipped off my finger and bounced about 3 times...like a dance it was! Nice suspension on these cartridges though...so it survived.
 
You had a bad dream ?

I had a bad dream about my OC9 II just last night....that the stylus snapped off. Of course this was a result of my mishap yesterday when I was showing off my speakers and in a moment of stupidity hand cued the track at the end of the record and the arm slipped off my finger and bounced about 3 times...like a dance it was! Nice suspension on these cartridges though...so it survived.

You mean a nightmare, right ? LOL

In looking at my cart, I think the cantilever is POPPED out, not sheared so its going out for repair ...glad your cart danced and didn't BREAK A LEG
 
I'm pretty sure the suspension on these carts (and most carts like it) is a hair-thin piece of wire. You'd think Soundsmith could repair it, since you would think it's part of every cantilever they replace(?).

On another topic, what is the advantage of gold-plating a cantilever? I thought the most desirable characteristics of a cantilever is lightness and stiffness -- gold is neither, being soft and heavy. Just wondering. I'm sure they have their reasons.
 
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Man, did you catch the prices on those new AT carts? One of them was twice the OC9/III/AT33EV/PTG, which are all very close in price. The ART7 has a list of $1200 (120,000 yen). Maybe that means we'll be seeing it over here for $500 soon?
 
I'm pretty sure the suspension on these carts (and most carts like it) is a hair-thin piece of wire. You'd think Soundsmith could repair it, since you would think it's part of every cantilever they replace(?).

On another topic, what is the advantage of gold-plating a cantilever? I thought the most desirable characteristics of a cantilever is lightness and stiffness -- gold is neither, being soft and heavy. Just wondering. I'm sure they have their reasons.

Gold is infinitely malleable (does not work-harden) and has high weight-to-mass ratio. A thin coating effectively damps bending/wave resonance modes on/in the already-quite-rigid Boron cant'.
 
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