AT MC choice

[Bluebeat13]

Evening all,

I have enjoyed my AT MM carts (440MLa and 150MLX) so I'm going to give one of their MCs a go. The new OC9/III and 33PTG/II seem to have similar specs and go for a similar price. Does anybody have experience with both? What would the sonic differences be? I'm looking for a good bit of detail, don't mind a bit of treble lift but would definitely like weighty bass.

TIA

Tom

[Jason P]

The 33PTG has, IMHO, a more refined presentation than the OC9, which is a bit more 'fizzy' - not in a bad way, just more up front. Both have a sweet treble and track like demons - I prefer the 33 to the OC but it's a close run thing. I'd be happy with either.

[bob4333]

Hi Tom, I cannot fully answer your question but maybe I can get close, having both an OC9/II and a 33PTG/II in my collection.

I'll try to keep this short. Both are instantly recognisable as being of the same family and if you like this sort of presentation I doubt you'll go far wrong with either.

I found the OC9 to be a bit choosy in it's partnering equipment. If you can match it with a "warm sounding" system you'll get the best from it. A valve preamp worked much better for me than solid state - it was the difference between selling it on and keeping it (I've had it now for about 7 years and it owes me nothing).

I suspect the same applies to the 33PTG, but this is a more recent acquisition and only tried with my current set up. The 33 seems to take the finer qualities of the OC9 and pushes the dynamic range a bit more in the lower registers. A bit more grunt, a bit more urge. Both have a sweetish treble, but will sound forced and perhaps a little hard at higher volumes if used with speakers that are prone to brightness. Soundstaging seems about the same with both.

I've had (for me) some expensive cartridges in between (Shelter 5000, Benz Micro Wood SL) and the 33 is the one I've kept, but I suspect this is all system dependant. Don't underestimate the break in period for these AT carts. For the first 30 hours you'll wonder what you've spent your money on and only as the hours accumulate will they blossom. Why so long? Don't know but it's what I found - others seem not to take so long.

You may already have a good source of supply but 33PTG's are on 2juki's US ebay site at a good price and he's a sound man to deal with.

But if you want a giant killer of a cart look up the SAE 1000 LT's. Sadly not made anymore but can still be found as NOS. A High Output MC, but there's a cartridge that gets down and dirty. And cheaper than the AT's. I've just bought a second before they disappear. But like everyone else - I'm still looking for the perfect choice...................

[vacdac]

[QUOTE="BrewersDroop"]Amazing quite a lot of great facts!|
Nicely put, Many thanks. -

Spamming numpty, prolly needs all the help he can get!

[DSJR]

Hope I'm still correct here, but Japanese vinyl seems to need a 'trebly' cartridge to perform best. European and US vinyl doesn't - and this is why so many Japanese cartridges seem to have a hf peak almost built in deliberately.

I remember once comparing the OC30 with an OC9 and finding the 30 gave a rather ballsier presentation which I liked a lot. Apparently the MC33 series are similar, the EV maybe being the kindest to a wider variety of LP's? The PTG has an excellent reputation though and it's my view that the MK2 only came along so the price could go up (it's almost doubled in the last few years and I'm sure exchange rates don't tell it all...).

Good luck with your choice. AT's seem to last well but keep a bottle of 607 stylus cleaner to hand. I have what I thought was a worn out 'Stilton' OC9 which came into its own again with a damned good clean (it is worn, but still tracks well and only one LP I have defeats it due to overly-shallow grooves).

[Marco]

Hope I'm still correct here, but Japanese vinyl seems to need a 'trebly' cartridge to perform best. European and US vinyl doesn't - and this is why so many Japanese cartridges seem to have a hf peak almost built in deliberately.


Jeezuz... I don't know how to respond to that, as it's so diametrically opposed to my (pretty extensive) experience in that respect, that I'm lost for words!! :doh: :uhho:

:whistle: :whistle: :door:

Marco.

[DSJR]

I've read it a few times, both in reviews and comments elsewhere. NOT made up by myself Marco. Jap vinyl records are reported to be thinner and well, softer, then Western stuff and admittedly of top quality pure stuff, but with a more 'subtle' sonic than ours. Since you would appear to have loads of far eastern vinyl and feel I'm obviously wrong, then fine. I'm sorry I commented...

[Marco]

Ah, we have a slight misunderstanding... By "Japanese vinyl" I thought you meant Jap remastered vinyl: the audiophile pressings you can buy on-line of 'classic' albums (which sound nothing like you described)! Apologies :)

However, not all Jap cartridges have an inherent treble emphasis, which ATs are afflicted with. Denons, Koetsus and Nagaokas, for example, are all blissfully free from that type of sonic signature ;)

Marco.

[DSJR]

Ah ok :) Dynavector and possibly AT cater for both as well I think (DV20 vs. DV17D for example?).

I only have one Japanese cut and pressed album to my knowledge, and that's The Wall, a present from a manager who visited the country on a dealer-jolly back in 1980 or thereabouts, which has an audible and very visual 'ripple' at the end of one side, which rather spoiled it for me - too far to take it back for exchange ;) the TML cuts (on all sides on first issue pressings) always sounded best to me at the time.

[Marco]

Ah ok :) Dynavector and possibly AT cater for both as well I think (DV20 vs. DV17D for example?).


Yup... Not to mention Supex and various other vintage Jap designs :)

Marco.

[Darren]

[QUOTE=victor;635827]Amazing quite a lot of great facts!|
Nicely put, Many thanks. -
Amusing. These guys often work from India and go around random Internet forums linking to websites for pay. This improves the website's standing in google. An ex business partner of mine employed the tactic for his, now largely defunct, ink cartridges website.

[bob4333]

Spamming numpty, prolly needs all the help he can get!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8huXkSaL7o&list=RDg8huXkSaL7o&index=1

Sorry for the frivolity, someone had to. :)

And now back to the cartridge question.

[doom2112]

Buy a Dynavector DV20x2 loded around 100 ohm.
Or a Benz ACE L loaded over 470 ohm.
These two are better than the AT-MC carts.
At least to my ears.