Howdy folks today we are having a look at what is the best high output moving coil cartridge around. It does not matter if you want to rock out with some Fear of the Dark by Iron Maiden or if you are looking for something a bit more modern and indie like Harry’s House by Harry Styles. You want to make sure that you are experiencing your favorite albums in the best quality possible. That is why we are looking at some of the better-quality moving coil cartridges that are on the market right now so you can make the best decision possible when it comes to replacing your broken cartridge or even upgrading just because you want to treat yourself.
The 5 Best High Output Moving Coil Cartridge Reviews
I have handpicked a few moving coil cartridges that I feel have to be taken into consideration!
1: Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL Dual Moving Coil Cartridge
2: Ortofon Hi-Fi MC Quintet Red Moving Coil Cartridge
3: Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge
4: Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI
5: Hana MC Stereo Cartridge with Shibata Tip
Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL Dual Moving Coil Cartridge
First up we have the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL Dual Moving Coil Cartridge which is very expensive as it is currently priced at around 750 bucks. I just love the whole style of this thing, it has a very premium look and feel about it and as soon as I took it out of the packaging, before I had even connected it to my turntable I could see why it is held in such high regard as it looks incredible. Connecting it to my turntable was nice and easy and the first album that I tested it out with was The Best of Depeche Mode Volume One as I was really in the mood to listen to Personal Jesus which is a song I love. The first thing that I noticed was the deep and dirty bass that this thing offered, it truly does kick some serious ass and I was very impressed all around with how good and clear everything that I was hearing sounded.
What truly impressed me though was the vocal clarity that this provided. I was so impressed that I had to try out a live album and the album that did the honors was Guns n Roses, Live in New York City which I will admit is a rather rough sounding recording at the best of times, but the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL Dual Moving Coil Cartridge managed to bring it to life in a way that made me feel like I was in this sweaty club back in the 80s listening to the band! I think that this is the kind of moving coil cartridge that is going to sound incredible no matter what kind of music you are listening to.
If you have the money, the Audio-Technica AT-OC9XSL Dual Moving Coil Cartridge truly is a game changer of a cartridge. The thing is, as impressive as it was, it does cost as much as double the price as some of the other cartridges that we are looking at today and as impressed as I was with it, I am not sure I would be willing to pay that much for this.
Pros:
- I love the style of it
- Live music sounds amazing
- It was very easy to install
- It offers loud and dirty bass!
Cons:
- The asking price is a bit high
- Some may not like the color of it
Ortofon Hi-Fi MC Quintet Red Moving Coil Cartridge
I have tested many Ortofon products over the years and really wanted to include one of them on this list. The one I decide to go for was the Ortofon Hi-Fi MC Quintet Red Moving Coil Cartridge which you can get on eBay for around 300 bucks. I did notice that there is a great seller on eBay that is offering many refurbished Ortofon moving coil cartridges and our quest to find the best high output moving coil cartridge could have been filled with stuff they are offering. I love the red style of this cartridge and think that it would really pop on your turntable so it is great if you want something that is for show as much as it is to sound great. Granted I have not had the pleasure to test this one out myself, but as I said, I am very experienced with Ortofon products.
With this being a moving coil cartridge I am sure if you were listening to something with a rather “special” kind of sound like the Tron Legacy soundtrack, for example, the Ortofon Hi-Fi MC Quintet Red Moving Coil Cartridge would really come into its own. From what I have read online about this moving coil cartridge, people who have it seem to be very impressed by the raw power and clarity that it brings to their music, and at the end of the day, that is all you can ask for in a new cartridge.
While I have not had the pleasure to test this out for myself, I did feel that at the asking price I found it for, this had to be in the conversation. Ortofon are one of the best companies out there when it comes to cartridges so I am pretty sure this one is going to rock and sound fantastic!
Pros:
- I love the red design of this, it really pops
- Ortofon always makes good quality products
- People who have actually used this speak very highly of it
- I think that the asking price is very fair for a cartridge of this quality
Cons:
- As I said, I have not tested this out for myself
- That red may be a tad too bright for some folks
Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge
I have to say that I was really blown away by what I was hearing thanks to the Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge. I have a friend who has this on his Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK and he speaks very highly of it and I have heard it in action many, many times. My buddy is a real classic rock kind of guy and one of his favorite albums is Leftoverture by Kansas and you know the first song he had to put on so I could test this was Carry On Wayward Son! For rock music, this is legit one of the best cartridges I have heard, and granted the one at my buddy’s house has been well and truly broken in and he did say that it sounds far, far better now than it did when he first got it. However, I have to say that I would wager, even right out of the box, this thing is going to sound great and I have a sneaking suspicion I will be talking about the Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge again later on in this best high output moving coil cartridge contest!
Look, I am a rocker ok, but I still like my slow jams and I wanted to see this thing in action with something that has a bit more soul and is more “vocal” based so we put on Legacy by Boyz II Men which is their greatest hits album. To say that this thing really brings out the smooth vocals is a massive understatement. You can go from listening to a rock album to an R&B one and this thing does not skip a beat! I was truly blown away by how everything sounded while we were hanging out listening to music. It also looks really cool and has a very high-quality and high-end style about it which I liked.
I have looked at a great number of moving coil cartridges over the years and right now as of me writing this, if you said you would treat me to a new cartridge. I am pretty sure that the Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge would be the one I go for. I know that 500 bucks is a lot of money, but I do feel that this is one of the best around right now.
Pros:
- This sounds amazing!
- No matter the kind of music you like, you will be impressed
- I like the style of the cartridge
- I feel that the asking price is not out of line
Cons:
- It does take a bit of breaking in
- While not the most expensive on this list, 500 bucks is still a lot of money!
Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI
Ok, so there are going to be some major raised eyebrows over the $1,590 price tag that the Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI has on Amazon right now. However, even though I have not had the chance to test this out for myself, I really wanted to put an Audio Technica product on this list and this is the most premium moving coil cartridge they offer as of writing. It is the style of this that really caught my eye. The black and silver design gives it a real elegance and cool kind of vibe which I do think I like better than some of the brighter moving coil cartridges that you can get on the market right now. I have had the pleasure of using many different Audio Technica products for years so I see no reason to think that this would be a letdown.
Reading and response are two words that Audio Technica loves to throw around when talking about the Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI. I think if you were to listen to something like Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell by Meat Loaf which has a really epic production to pretty much every song. I think that a cartridge like this is what you go for when you want to do more than just listen to your music, you want to feel and truly experience it. Ok, so I do know that sounded pretentious as hell, but that is the best way I can think to describe a cartridge like this. Out of all the products on this list that I have not had the pleasure to test out, this one here would be at the top of my list for begging someone to let me try it.
How can I talk about the Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI so much when I have not actually had my grubby little hands on it? Well, this is a company I know very well and I have looked into this quite a bit and all I have seen is amazing review after amazing review. I know that the asking price of this is kind of insane and it would certainly put it way out of my reach, but man I would love to get the chance to try this out for myself.
Pros:
- This thing looks so cool!
- I have no doubt that the sound this will provide will be epic!
- All you read about this online is positive things
- I have yet to be disappointed with an Audio Technica product!
Cons:
- It costs well over a thousand bucks!
- It may look a bit “ordinary” compared to the more flashier looking cartridges
Hana MC Stereo Cartridge with Shibata Tip
Last, but by no means least we have this very cool Hana MC Stereo Cartridge with Shibata Tip. This is another one that I felt had to be on our best high output moving coil cartridge list as I have some real experience with it. You are looking at around 750 bucks for this and I do have a buddy that has been using this for years and he swears by this. It looks fantastic and has a real sense of style about it, my buddy installed his a couple of years back and has not had to do anything at all with it since! No tightening, fixing, or anything like that. One of his favorite bands is Janes Addiction and he has an original pressing of their debut album that he loves to death. Even though this is an older album, it sounds incredible thanks to the Hana MC Stereo Cartridge with Shibata Tip and the song Jane Says gave me chills man.
What I like about this cartridge is that you get a really balanced and smooth kind of sound. I think that no matter the style of music you are listening to you are going to be very impressed by the way it brings your favorite tunes to life. I wanted to listen to some real metal though and see what kind of power it offers so I fired up some Saint Anger by Metallica and put on the title track and it rocked pretty damn hard! Even with the very high price tag, this one had to make the list as my buddy would probably never have spoken to me again if I snubbed it!
Hana are not a company that I have had the pleasure of using a great deal, but my limited experience with their products has always been immensely positive. I think that this is a damn fine moving coil cartridge and as I said, my friend has been using this for a few years and he has zero complaints about it at all!
Pros:
- It has a pretty cool style about it
- That special Shibata Tip gives you some excellent clarity
- My friend has been using this for years without any problems
- In all, it is a very solid cartridge
Cons:
- The plastic the body is made from could be a bit tougher
- It is going to cost you over 700 bucks
Which Is The Best Moving Coil Cartridge?
I will admit that pretty much all of the cartridges that we have been looking at on this best high output moving coil cartridge list are probably out of my price range, or if I did spend this much money on one, I would also need to hire a divorce lawyer too! With all things considered, I think that I have to give the Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge the win here. It is the cartridge that I personally have used the most and it truly did everything that I would want in a higher-end moving coil cartridge. The clarity, the power, and just the overall design are all things that are fantastic with this. Granted I would love to get my grubby hands on the Audio-Technica AT-ART9XI to see if the price tag is justified, but I am pretty happy giving the Denon DL-103R Moving Coil Cartridge the crown here.
