Audio-Technica AT-ART9 phono cartridge

I forgot to mention, my turntable is a Nouvelle Platine Verdier (Auditorium 23 revision) with SME M2-12 tonearm, Naim Superline + Supercap phonostage.

I am using it. I was about to write a review about it but anyway since you have asked, all I can say is go for it! I have owned many cartridges in the last few years. Some carts costing up to $5k, the only cartridge that I felt worth owning was the Audio Technica ART9. It combines some of the best attributes of all the carts I have heard and some. Yes, it sounds better than many $$$ cartridges. It is supremely neutral with a terrific flow to the music. Dynamics are as good or better than my earlier Miyabi 47 cartridge. I have heard the OC9 MK2, it is also nice but it ultimately sounds like a great budget cartridge. There is something that the more expensive cartridges (starting from the Lyra Delos and above) offer especially in the areas of resolution and dynamics which the budget carts only hint but dont quite get there. This "something" just makes for a more complete presentation. Listening to a Lyra Delos or Dynavector XX2 mk2 would be a good introduction to this completeness. However a Delos or an XX2 would very soon also convey their weaknesses. Once the honeymoon is over the weaknesses are easily known and those weaknesses are solved in the higher range cartridges of these very same brands. With an ART9 you will be hard pressed to find any weaknesses! Very rare in our hobby but it happens sometimes. Your appreciation for this cartridge will actually increase with time, in a way the honeymoon period is very very long :-). In every listening session a sense of "wow!" is conveyed.

Anyway I want to keep some things to write in my first ever review :-). IMO, dont waste time if you are looking at an ART9. If it was not a consumable it could potentially have been the last time you shopped for a cartridge

Griffithds, please note, the ART9 needs 150 hours of burn in to settle down completely. Initially it could sound a bit bright or thin. It happened on mine. As it settles down you will be amazed by the combination of liquidity, resolution and dynamics. Another thing, it needs to be very well aligned with correct anti skate, VTA and VTF. All these adjustments may take some time but every little adjustment in the right direction will put a big smile on your face. I finally got mine settled after I had the Mint LP protractor specifically for my tonearm (SME M2-12) and ART9.

Dodgealum, I did some research on ART9 before buying. According to an insider at Audio Technica (Japan) the ART7 is more for classical music because it has better micro layering of soundstage. ART9 on the other hand is a much more of an all rounder because it has a very powerful presentation which suits Jazz, Rock and Pop along with classical. ART7 doesnt have the macrodynamic force that the ART9 has. Moreover ART7 is an extremely low output cart making it a difficult cart for phonostage matching. The ART9 is much more friendly in its output voltage and matches with any decent phonostage. The loading needed for ART9 is between 100-120 ohms.

I do not know what price you are expecting for an ART9, on ebay it is mostly listed for $1 -1.2k. I have never seen it cheaper. In fact Audio Technica has been very silent about these carts. There are no known reviews of it. In Japan though it has received many awards and it was one of the Japanese audiophiles who told me that it is one of the super cartridges out there. While insiders know about ART9, outside Japan it is a mystery.

Dodgealum, both the xx2 mk2 and Delos are relatively coloured in the tone and timbre when compared to a master tape like neutrality of the ART9. The xx2 will also sound veiled compared to the ART9. The Delos is transparent but it is not as fluid. The ART9 reveals more micro details than either, sounds more sparkling and pure than either. I already said that it is one of the most fluid sounding cartridges I have heard. In that regard it is like a Nude SPU which I had for some time. If you compare an xx2 to a Delos, you will find that the Delos has more bass power, goes bit higher in treble but it doesnt sound as integrated as an XX2. These are all weaknesses that is addressed in the Kleos (as per a audiophile friend). The xx2 of course has a more coherent presentation than the Delos which makes it a bit more musical but probably not as much sparkle or dynamic range as the Delos. Going to a higher Dynavector removes the veil that I had mentioned earlier and improves the dynamics over all. These weaknesses are apparent when you live with these cartridges and hence the upgrade path is available. I do not feel an iota of upgraditis when listening to music on an ART9. It just feels like a great balance of all the musical and audiophile attributes we look for.

Tablejockey, the performance/value of ART9 is extremely high. Compared to the OC9 mk2 you will hear a huge leap in dynamics and resolution if your phono and amplifier is up to it. ART7 needs an appropriate SUT, no point even trying it with an active MC phonostage.

Dgarretson, I have not heard the ART7 so I cannot comment on its sound per se. Its heartening to know that it can be amplified without SUT. Here is an email that was sent to a friend of mine by Audio Technica:

Mr. Rodrigo Thomaz from Audio Technica send me follow reply to this question:

Hello,
if you prefer to listen to multiple orchestrate classical music, we
recommend the Non-magnetic Core Moving Coil cartridge AT-ART7.
It can reproduce more sensitive sound of each instrument.
However
if you prefer more dynamic music like jazz/pop music, we recommend you
use the Magnetic Core Moving Coil cartridge AT-ART9. It will deliver
much more presence with rich low mid frequencies.
Hope this can help. Kind Regards, Rodrigo Thomaz

Dodgealum, I have heard the Delos and ART9 in my own system but not the xx2. I had the Dynavector 17D3 in my system but that was no where in comparison.
Regarding review, you probably wont get to read professional reviews of ART9 unless you understand Japanese and can dig out some Japanese audio magazines. The way AT is marketing their top end carts, it is almost like a product that is meant for internal (meaning Japanese) consumption only.

My system is
Nouvelle Platine Verdier turntable
SME M2-12 tonearm
Naim Superline + Supercap phonostage
Lamm LL2 preamp
Wavac EC-300B amplifier
Tannoy Turnberry SE speakers
Cables are a mix of ASI Liveline, Auditorium 23 and Mogami 2803

Oregonpapa, what I meant was the Dynavector 17D3 was not even comparable to the ARt9. It was far behind. By the way 17D3 is not neutral. It has a bit of a rosy midrange and it tries push music to your face. Not very elegant.

Tablejockey, regarding the setup, I just meant that the ART9 is more sensitive to setup than some of the other cartridges I have used (Miyabi, ZYX, Ortofon Kontrapunkt, Denon 103). The ART9 really rewards you when you make an adjustment in the right direction. For example I increased the anti-skate by just 1 slot on my SME tonearm and I heard a much more transparent presentation with clearer and tighter timing of notes. Similarly even a 0.5mm increase in VTA is audible. It is like playing with a high precision microscope.

You can refer to this thread for a detailed discussion on ART-9:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/pani-new-art-9-up-and-running