"I have tried (too) many AT carts, including 160ML, 150MLX, AT24, ART7, ART9, and recently found as ML170 beats most, and does sound very transparent and “airy”. "
Not surprised.
My emergency backup cart is the $400 Soundsmith Otello. My ears hear it’s mid/hi performance as "good" my ART9 & Kiseki Blue. The only thing reminding me it’s a $400 cart is its low bass output. SS and reviews remind readers of this. Ledermann isn’t gonna give up the goods without and E ticket.
The archives has plenty of positive threads on ART9. It’s also the original version. The latest incarnation allegedly has a little more of the magic
SQ for any cart-entry OR uber is of course limited by arm/phonostage along the other bits.