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Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC

Cartridge

Relative price

below typical

Among the 89 cartridges in the catalogue, this one is below typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

Flagship of OC9X series. Dual-MC with reverse-V coil alignment.

Neodymium magnet + permendur yoke for high magnetic energy.

Pre-threaded body — easy mounting with 2 screws.

Competition record

Assessed against 17 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 60 head-to-heads.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • bass control ×35
  • quietness at rest ×27
  • low-level clarity ×15
  • rhythmic grip ×5

Who it comes up against

van den Hul The Frog

17 lost · Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Characterful brief, the van den Hul The Frog keeps the slot decisively.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024

van den Hul The Crimson

14 lost · BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Characterful brief, the van den Hul The Crimson keeps the slot decisively.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024

Goldring Eroica HX MC

4 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Goldring Eroica HX MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the Whest Audio 60Se Pro, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Sumiko Blue Point No.3 Low MC

4 lost · Artisan, Cavity-Native, PRaT, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the Sumiko Blue Point No.3 Low MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO) gives up bass control under the Artisan weighting.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024

van den Hul The Colibri

3 lost · Artisan, Reference

Against the Artisan brief, the van den Hul The Colibri keeps the slot decisively.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024

Hana EL MC

3 lost · Characterful, Intimate, Romantic

Against the Characterful brief, the Hana EL MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024

Linn Kendo MC

2 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Linn Kendo MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Etsuro Urushi Gold MC

2 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Gold MC keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC

2 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Etsuro Urushi Cobalt Blue MC keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

van den Hul MC One Special

2 lost · Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Romantic brief, the van den Hul MC One Special keeps the slot decisively.

With the Technics S-shape magnesium tonearm (SL-1200G), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024
almost total lack of groove noise and distortionSoundStage! (Lyle) 2001

Koetsu Azule Platinum MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Azule Platinum MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Koetsu Onyx Platinum MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Goldring Eroica LX MC

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring Eroica LX MC keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Goldring 1042 MM

1 lost · Twin Arms

Against the Twin Arms brief, the Goldring 1042 MM keeps the slot decisively.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the way it sits with the rest of this system under the Twin Arms weighting.

Ortofon MC Quintet Black S

1 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Ortofon MC Quintet Black S keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

Rega Nd3 MM

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Rega Nd3 MM keeps the slot decisively.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on quietness at rest.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the weaker cartridge for that brief.

It sits well above the share of the budget this brief aims at the cartridge position.

Linn Koil MC

1 lost · BBC Sound

Against the BBC Sound brief, the Linn Koil MC keeps the slot decisively.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

With the Rega Aria Mk3 MM/MC, the pairing gives up most on low-level clarity.

On its own merits the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL MC is the stronger cartridge — but it loses here on fit: the pairing with the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO) gives up bass control under the BBC Sound weighting.

bass round to the point of woollyHiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024

What the reviewers said

Special line-contact stylus + boron cantilever AT OC9X family reviews (Stereophile RC + What HiFi)· Harmonic texture
Special line contact stylus extracts micro-detail AT positioning + dealer reviews· Micro-dynamic resolution
instruments at different layers and depths HiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024· Spatial resolution
almost hyper-detailed yet refined HiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024· Presence & articulation
bass round to the point of woolly HiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024· Bass control
textures less distinct... more artificial HiFi-Advice (Punter) 2024· Harmonic texture
28dB channel separation at 1kHz SPEC: channel separation 28dB @1kHz (manufacturer)· Spatial naturalness

How it scores

Clarity

  • Spatial resolution 76 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Presence & articulation 76 from listening evidence
  • Harmonic texture 68 from listening evidence
  • Spatial naturalness 72 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Micro-dynamic resolution 71 from listening evidence

Specifications

cartridge typeMC
output mv0.4
internal impedance ohm12.0
recommended load ohm100
tracking force g1.8/2.2
compliance dynamic um per mn30.6
weight g7.6
stylus profileSpecial Line Contact
cantilever materialboron
body materialaluminium
frequency response hz20/50000
channel separation db28.0
channel balance db0.5
notes