General Asylum: REVIEW: Audio Technica OC9ML/II Phono Cartridge by Brandon Howard

Model:	OC9ML/II
Category:	Phono Cartridge
Suggested Retail Price:	$499.00
Description:	Dual Moving MicroCoilâ„¢ Cartridge
Manufacturer URL:	Audio Technica
Model Picture:	View

Review by Brandon Howard on August 09, 2007 at 13:30:28
IP Address: 70.218.154.73 Add Your Review
for the OC9ML/II

This is my first Moving Coil Cartridge.

I had to unlearn what I have learned about vinyl playback.

Its hard for me to use the correct adjectives since compared to the pros I am a novice.
And they like to go into detail on which recordings sounded what way.
I have been playing everything from Country, Pop, Classical, Metal, to just plain classic rock

The package: it looked like something that a nice watch would be packaged in.
It had a ticker type tape (like an EKG) from the QC test results of the cart..not that I knew what the hell I was looking at but still cool.

Installation: I was sure glad the Technics has a removable head shell since the screws go in upside-down not a lot of fun there but doable.

First listen: Thought to my self, I think I hate it already, but reminded myself that my friend Robert Pincus of Cisco Music (who recommended it) said to be patient with it and give it time to break-in.
Every day after it became more and more revealing.
Last night it totally came to life right before my ears.
I mean whoa, wow, flabbergasting.

I begin to pull more and more records out to see how they sounded then I realized THIS IS HOW A RECORD IS SUPPOSED TO SOUND!
There was a whole new world in those grooves I never knew existed before.

Fast detailed and as close to live as I have ever heard my Speakers produce.
Fact I never thought they were capable of such a detailed reproduction.

I had expected that since the output was only .4 mV that it would require me to turn up the volume to hear it, not true! Fact of the matter far from it.
The details are excellent at a very low volume and at moderate to high I found no distortion at all, and still amazed at the detail and resolution at low listening levels.

The Bass, Mid & Highs are all very strong with the OC9 which makes me wonder why it is not talked (boasted) about in the audiophile world.
If my friend had not recommended it I would not have know about it.

Lets talk about the highs, Some of my brighter records that always sound shrill or thin with the previous setup now sound natural.
The treble coming from the compression horns were suddenly correct, sounding clear, precise with none of the harshness I had always experienced before with those recordings...another WOW

The mids are definitely the the strong suit! The vocals for the first time I could hear the depth of the singers throat never before was this present.
The strings sound great just great.

On to the Bass very tight and defined and I have strong bass in my system.

I am almost done.

With the previous setup I had good sound and good stereo separation but that's where this New setup triumphs.
I had always thought good channel separation was the key. no, no, no, no, not true (I have learned).
As before the system sounded like music was doing just that coming from each speaker,
Now I hear the music in front center stage the speakers blended, yes when the recording master intends to make them separate it is, but when the music is intended to melt away the speakers, they do...their gone.
Surface noise is also very low with this cart so on really quite pressings the TT disappears too.
Its magical.

Thanks go out to Robert Pincus of Cisco Music for recommending this cartridge I can hear why he likes it.

I am so glad I bought a preamp that has MC Phono Stage and now that I have a moving Coil, I wonder why I waited so long.
Well... firstly I did not have a MC phono stage, the MC are usually real expensive, there are so many to choose from, and that the needle is not user removable.
Those were my previous fears, I will never look back.

Honestly I had thought after hooking up the NAD C-162 that the Audio-Technica OC9ML/II would be hard pressed to surpass my KAB Pro S40 for it really came to life with the NAD's MM phono stage.
But the OC9 blew it away with a 12 gauge shotgun.

Product Weakness:	Probably there is something nothing comes to mind and certainly not for the price I paid 289.00
Product Strengths:	Midrange and does not seem to have any added sonic signature of its own.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: 2 X QSC SRA 3622 4800 watts
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): NAD C-162
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Technics SL-1210M5G
Speakers: CUSTOM BUILT PRO-SOUND
Cables/Interconnects: SOUND KING 10 GUAGE/MOGAMI
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Country, Pop, Classical, Metal, to just plain classic rock
Room Size (LxWxH): 25 x 25 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments: NONE
Time Period/Length of Audition: 60 HOURS
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	2 X QSC SRA 3622 4800 watts
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	NAD C-162
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Technics SL-1210M5G
Speakers:	CUSTOM BUILT PRO-SOUND
Cables/Interconnects:	SOUND KING 10 GUAGE/MOGAMI
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Country, Pop, Classical, Metal, to just plain classic rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	25 x 25 x 10
Room Comments/Treatments:	NONE
Time Period/Length of Audition:	60 HOURS
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner