What a bizzarre thread - we go through all of this and end up with everyone agreeing a sub 10" APO would be best- when the original problem was 16" being not enough aperture ?
Perhaps if we keep discussing we can come to the conclusion that the Earth is actually flat ?
Refractors are not immune to the laws of physical optics - a 9" scope can never be any more than a quality 9" 'scope. I have seen a stock commercial 10" Newt trounce a 7" Starfire refractor on Jupiter as any good 10" scope should .