High End Munich: Audio-Technica AT-OC9X is an update to a classic cartridge

High End Munich: Audio-Technica AT-OC9X is an update to a classic cartridge

Audio-Technica has been manufacturing phono cartridges since 1962, so it knows a thing or two about getting the best possible sound from your vinyl. The OC9 cartridge series is one of the company's most highly-regarded products and after 30 years in production, it's time for a fourth generation model, the Audio-Technica AT-OC9X. 

Launching at High End Munich this week, the new OC9 cartridge arrives with a choice of five stylus types: Bonded Elliptical (AT-OC9XEB, £210/€239); Nude Elliptical (AT-OC9XEN, £300/€339), MicroLine (AT-OC9XML, £480/€549), Shibata (AT-OC9XSH, £570/€649), and Special Line Contact (AT-OC9XSL, £660/€749).

Each new cartridge features a dual moving coil structure, separating the audio signal to the left and right channels with "pinpoint accuracy", in an effort to deliver a precise stereo image and wide frequency response.

The Elliptical and Nude Elliptical models feature an aluminium cantilever, a neodymium magnet and pure iron yoke, which promise increased magnetic energy. The Microlinear, Shibata and Special Line Contact models feature a boron cantilever design, neodymium magnet and a permendur yolk. 

Additionally, Audio-Technica has launched a new range of AT-LH headshells to pair with the new AT-OC9X cartridges. Available in three weights – light, mid-weight and higher weight, and each costing £80/$89 – these aluminium headshells aim to keep vibrations to a minimum.

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Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is the Content Director for What Hi-Fi? and Future’s Product Testing, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for almost 20 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).