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Audio Technica AT33PTG/II

Posted by audio39 (A) on January 24, 2014 at 16:12:42

Recently I've been trying out carts, although I love the sound of my Denon DL-S1 I felt the need to "hear" some other carts. I purchased a table a while back that had a 2M Red on it, so I had that to try out. I was able to borrow a 2M Black, and I purchased an AT OC9/III and an AT33PTG/II (actually I bought 2 of these because ebay and Canadian Club 12 year don't mix well!!!).

I'm not going to bore you with a run through of all the carts, suffice to say that I preferred the MC's and I've garnered a whole new level of appreciation for Audio Technica.

The OC9/III is presently on a friends table, he broke the cart in for me, returned it to me and I ran it for 10 days, and now it's back on his table and he's going to buy it!!!

The OC9/III really took me surprise, I had somewhat expected a cart a little heavy on the top end, not bright necessarily, but maybe leaning that way. Instead I heard a very well balanced presentation with very deep bass and well managed highs. Vocals are rendered a bit bit forward but quite "real". Female voices are nicely rendered with no edge to speak of...even Anne Wilson comes through with no need to duck. And the cart tracks well, that according to the HIFI News test record.

Yep, overall the OC9/III is a very nice cart that stands up pretty well to the DL-S1 even...and that's saying alot.

The AT33PTG/II is presently on my deck, and this cart has got me second guessing everything about price vs performance. Full and rich, lively and exciting, a natural warmth that makes me want to get back to listening each time I have a few spare minutes - am I in love?

I would really like for John Elison to hear this cart, he being the reason I went full steam into the DL-S1 side of life, the AT33PTG/II presents a very DL-S1 like rendering of music...perhaps not as wide a stage, but a "bigger" performance all around. I'm quite taken with the bass, the highs are very sweet and airy, but it's the vocals that are surprising. I've been listening to Led Zeppelin since they first hit the airwaves and this cart puts Plant about 2 feet ahead of my Harbeths and it lets through every raspy high note that Plant can deliver...perfectly. I've seen Billy Joel live, and the AT33PTG/II nails his voice.

If you like ZZ Top you'll love the AT33PTG/II, I haven't personally heard them sound that good since I was about 50 feet away from them live!!!

I wish I had more time with the OC9/III, with the AT33PTG/II impressing me the way it has, I'm wondering what I may have missed from the other cart. Having already agreed to sell it, well I'm not going to see that back again. I'll very likely sell the second the AT33PTG/II I purchased from ebay and order another OC9/III from 2Juki.

Now to the bottom line, I still love my last remaining DL-S1, but this adventure has me wondering how good the AT ART7 is? If I move that way I need a different SUT then that I use for the Denon...so I need to think this through. But in the meantime I get to listen the AT33PTG/II some more!!

If you're in the market for a new MC, don't concern yourself with the cost, this new AT cart punches well above it's price point.

Rick.

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