AT-OC9XMLvs AT-OC9XSH

@johnss 

Which one and why?  

You would be moving from a 5th Gen moving coil to more modest, albeit impeccably executed design. Still, I can't imagine you'd be happy with the results. A-T carts aren't really known for the two characteristics you mention - dynamics and soundstage. If the replacement cost is the issue, then I'd consider a Hana ML. In my personal experience, and in every review I've read, Hana carts are extreme overachievers, easily comparable to anything 3X-5X their price.

"Still, I can't imagine you'd be happy with the results"

The OP was  previosly satisfied with the OC9.

The ART9 has extensive positive user threads here, and other forums.

Cart choice like many things audio, is just personal ear preference.

@bpoletti  -

I have most of the AT carts plus quite a few others. The ART 9 is a nice pathway into the ART series. Pretty musical cart, nice soundstage. 

The ART 1000 is in another league. the dynamics, soundstage depth, instrument placement in the sound stage better every other LOMC I have tried. Its one heck of a hot rod LOMC cart.  

When you guys recommend ART9, which one are you talking about, the original ART9, the 9Xi, or the 9Xa?  Because if it is the original ART9, assuming one can still find it NOS, then let me put in a plug for the ART7, the low output (0.12mV) version.  Although it probably would be as hard or harder to find an NOS ART7 as to find an ART9. The ART9Xa is the low output counterpart to the 9Xi and therefore replaced the ART7. I do note that AT nearly doubled the retail prices of the 9Xa and 9Xi, compared to the original prices of the ART9 and ART7.  I bet the new models are not twice as good as their respective forebears,