AT 33SA or OC9 for 1200 mk5


Been trying to narrow down a cart after my 301 mk2 received damage. I extended my budget to include the 33SA, but have been going back and forth with the Shibata and Micro line stylus.

The PTG/2 was at the top of my list until I started hearing more about the 33SA. However I have spoken with a few people about their bias towards the OC9XSL which then gets debated in a few threads over the OC9 with the micro line stylus.

My phonostage is a Phonomena 2, I have the 12g Zupreme headshell but still have the stock headshell if needed, upgrades include the Cardas rewire.

Smooth top end and controlling sibliance is a high priority, seems most AT carts in this range do this while some are better than others.

What started as what I thought was an easy choice has my head in circles..lol.

I'm not well versed on how cart compliance affects the end result if cart choice is not carefully selected.

All input appreciated.
dyl71
Well, i’ve seen some people using even 32g SPU cartridge on Technics tonearm with a custom made superheavy ring added to the counterweight, but in my opinion this is a perversion. It’s like mounting a wagon on top of your sport car.

Technics tonearm designed for MM cartridges, check for the mass of this arm, it's relatively light mass, that was a 500$ turntable back then, if you never re-wired your Tonearm it is a bad idea to use MC cartridges on it. The weak part is some sort of a "motherboard" where the tonearm wires goes to, look here. It’s crazy that there is a weak connection between 5 thin wires from the tonearm and external rca phono cable. You do better get rid of this strange connection, you’d better solder some proper tonearm wires (like Cardas or Discovery) directly to the external phono cable (i like Zu AUdio Mission Phono) on this board, to avoid signal degradation. You have to use cardas soldering with silver.

A low output MC cartridge signal is very sensitive to cables, shielding and everything before the phono stage.

This problem is irrelevant for MM/MI cartridges.

The old Technics SL1200 mk5 is nowhere near the new SL1200GR, the tonearm on the old Techics is not as good as the new one.

For cartridges like ART-9 you definitely need a better tonearm, it is easy to replace the arm on your mk5.

BUT if you want to stick with the stock tonearm try to find some killer MM or MI cartridge like Grace, Victor, Audio-Technica, Grado, SoundSmith, Garrott, ADC TRX II, Stanton/Pickering ... There is nothing to lose for you in your setup between MM and MC.

BTW: Saec SS-300 mat is great for this deck! Isonoe footers are great, you can even buy KAB Fluid Damper for high compliance MM. Along with full rewire you will upgrade your mk5.

It is much better than to buy a LOMC and notice hum and phonostage problems later on.
I did just recently replace the stoxk tonearm wires with Cardas Litz as well as Cardas RCA cables on a new PCB. Also used the Cardas Quad Euctextic silver solder, just haven't had the chance to audition the changes yet.
I have owned both the 33SA and the OC9iii.

The 33SA was a smidge better overall, but with pricing it should be.  I think your arm is a tweener that work with either.   My gut says that the OC9iii might be better with its higher compliance.  I run the Art9 at the moment, but bang for buck in the AT line, is hard to best the OC9iii if you have the arm to match it.

I don't recommend the OC9ii, I don't think it is as balanced sounding as the iii.   If you have  a warm leaning system, maybe it would be a good choice then.
@gibsonian  What are your thoughts of the micro line vs the shibato? Does the ML start to lean away from musical.. but not implying analytical? These 3 carts, the ART9, OC9/iii, and the 33PTG are looking like you need to own all of them...lol.
"I’ve heard that from a couple people... I’m also a believer in "buy once cry once" also so that doesn’t help my budget...lol."
dyk71- I get it. Audio as a hobby, can be a wallet breaker.The great thing about any AT cart, is there is a model for most price points.