After a lot of searching, reading and listening, I too have decided on the ART9. My table is a VPI Classic and the preamp is a Pass Xono. My first ART9 is headed back to the person I bought it from as the cantilever was not straight. But even in the short time I had it (and in it's new, un-broken in and imperfect state) I was able to tell that this gentlemen, is a very, very fine cartridge. I've been through two OC9/ii's and a 33EV. Then I stepped into the wild world of used exotics like a Transfiguration Temper Supreme and a Spectral MCR Signature (both of which are very special indeed).
But it was time for a new cartridge as you never know with a used one what kind of life it had and whether its best days are behind it. And here is where the story gets interesting....
I looked all around to find this cartridge and of course you can find it on the usual auction site if you want to forego the AT warranty and order from Japan or Europe. So I looked into a local AT dealer near me (you know -give the local guy the business for long term support) and guess what he told me ? AT is ONLY authorizing lptunes.com to sell these in the US. That's it! No other reselllers are allowed to carry it.
WTF AT ? What kind of nonsense is this ? I can't use a local dealer to buy the killer cartridge I've spent years working up your product line to obtain ?
So, I ordered from lptunes....will post some more listening impressions once I get it....
anotherjblnut |
I don't think my throwing one more set of subjective opinions into this mix would do anyone any good, least of all the OP. However, Chakster, because you've got a ZYX 4D, do not assume you know how a UNIverse sounds. I don't own and have not heard the UNI II or the newest iteration, the UNI Premium (I think), but I do own a plain Jane original UNIverse, and it's a truly great, exceptional cartridge. This is coming from a guy who mostly loves MM and MI types, too. Here is why: It does piano better than any MC I have owned. While accurately re-creating the believable timbre and decay of a piano, it also separates out instruments in space; there is no congealing of the violin section, for example. And bass definition is better than with other MCs I have mounted in the same tonearm now sporting the UNI. (10.5-inch Reed 2A on Technics SP10 Mk3 in 100-lb plinth.) I also have a new ART7, which I intend to compare to the UNI, next.
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Audiolabrinth, I have no personal experience with the EAR phono stages. I started off with the Grado phono stage. When I purchased the Heed Quasar, I combed thru the forums for a ps that was quiet, good tonality (tube-like, if possible) and affordable (for me). The EARs kept popping up as being top shelf, though not for the money. The reviews confirmed the quality, but never were they considered good bang for your hard earned dollar. That's when I came across the Heed. The same distributor that brings in Cardas, Sonus Faber, Opera, and Unison Research suggested that I take a listen to the Quasar. I got a new (demo) unit from Blackbird Audio in California. Dead quiet, tube like (though a SS unit) sound, and super easy to use. I only moved on to the Rogue Ares I have now because I found a screaming deal. I don't think you'd go wrong with an EAR, I do suspect you can find something as good for less money or something better for the same. My audiophile mentor convinced me of one thing...invest in a good phono stage, you'll never regret it. Goodluck in your search.
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You have to try JLTi phono stage, it’s absolutely amazing for any MC or MM cartridges. The best feature is RCA plug load resistors of any kind, so it is fully flexible in terms of R load, you can try whatever resistor you want to find the best for your mc or mm. Only a few phono stages will give you so much flexibility. it’s a solid state devide build around Diamond Transistor. Here is the old version. And you can simply google the latest version available from Australia. |
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I have 55 hrs on the cart now with no major changes since the 40 hr mark. I was about to write a post here saying that the ART9 failed the piano test as @lewm put it about the Zyx. I had picked up a really clean Japanese pressing of Keith Jarrett's Koln concert, something I hadn't heard since I was a kid, but the piano sounded kind of funky. The percussive dynamics were there and it sounded like a real instrument in a real space, but the timbre was all wrong. The mid range and bass were sucked out and lifeless, as if it wasn't a very good piano.
I did some googling before I posted and I'm glad I did. Turns out - as I'm sure many here know already - that Jarrett requested a Bosendorfer concert grand that evening and got a baby grand practice piano instead, due to an error by the promoter. He said it sounded like a 'modified electric harpsichord'. His adjustment to that piano apparently accounts for the freshness of his playing that night, at least in part. So the ART9 not only did piano well, but it captured the idiosyncrasies of that instrument so effectively that I blamed it on the cartridge. ART9 1, jollytinker 0.
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^^^ Nice report Jollytinker .... I've had Keith Jarrett's Koln concert in the collection a few times. The album has really good sound and the vinyl is usually silent too. BUT, Jarrett's humming and moaning throughout the recording is way too intrusive and distracting for me. His playing is great of course, but as a friend said one evening ... "if only they would stuff a rag in his mouth!" I was wondering ... have you, or anyone else posting to this thread ever picked up on a pianist named Claude Williamson? I've loved his playing since I was a kid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSJl3VtXxJA&list=PLxsLOAF2UJILZdcPLyBInhQDhvx58xF15 |
Everyone who has experience with this cartridge reports how "great" it sounds, how "dynamic" and that it portrays musical performances as "real" and "live". Also mentioning comparisons and that it sounds as good or better than cartridges costing up to 5X as much.
While listening to it for the past few weeks I agree that it sounds "great" but was struggling to equate what I was hearing to "why" it sounds so great. I believe I have found the answer.
This cartridge is extremely clean sounding. No excessive edges, noises, or strident harshness. The effects while listening would seem subtle, kind of like drinking purified water- you notice nothing out of the ordinary. But try a drink of some bad tap or well water and you immediately notice the difference and it reflects in the quality of the purified water.
I swapped in my well broken in Ortofon 2M black for a bit and was literally shocked at how noisy and edgy it sounded in comparison to the ART9. I used to love the sound of that cartridge but what once was extended treble and air instantly became excessive noise and edginess. I literally could not tolerate it knowing how clean the ART9 sounds.
While the tonality and transparency of the ART9 may or may not be fully developed after ~ 20 hrs and seems a little soft, less than my ideal, i could live with this as a small price to pay for the clean, pure sound that it produces. I haven't heard vinyl sound any cleaner. |
Avanti ...
In addition to why the ART-9 doesn't call attention to itself, I think you've also hit on the reason mono records sound so good when played using the ART-9. It just seems to extract more information from deep inside those mono grooves. When it comes to mono playback, the AT OC-9 MKIII was great, but the the ART-9 is on steroids.
As things progress with the system, I keep wondering how much more information we can extract from vinyl grooves and digital bytes. For someone so technically ignorant as myself ... (I'm still amazed that airplanes can fly without propellers), I continue to shake my head in amazement.
Kudos to the engineers and tinkerers who make this possible. |
@avanti1960 I swapped in my well broken in Ortofon 2M black for a bit and was literally shocked at how noisy and edgy it sounded in comparison to the ART9. You are comparing apples and oranges. Try to test AT’s own top of the line MM design from the golden era (AT-ML180 or AT-ML170) against your new ART9 and then you can make a decision what it the best (MM or MC). The ortofon 2m is not in the same caregory ar all, personally i think it’s a rip-off compared to top vintage mm carts available nos for half of the price of ortofon 2m. |
@avanti1960 I know that the ART-9 will sound more tonally saturated after some more breakin but still here are few things I would point out:
1. Comparing MM and MC, in many cases MM can sound richer and smoother in frequency response. Apart from the fact that MC carts can have a rising HF and such, the phono stage also plays an important role. Most phonostages sound more graceful and colorful with MM carts due to lesser gain stages.
2. I have used the Lehmann blackcube SE. It is a very good phonostage for the price. The only area which I was not very excited was about tone colors. It sounded a bit grey. Otherwise it sets a very high benchmark for other phono stages under $1k.
3. Dynavector has a bit of that rosy tint in its tones till one gets to the level of Tae katora rua.
All this is not be taken as an excuse for what the ART-9 sounds like but more like an fyi which you may use to understand the system balance. After all every system is designed around some associated components in the chain. When a new gear is introduced to that system and that too something of a higher degree of performance, it may need some extra level of involvement in terms of matching it to the rest of the system. I hope you the ART-9 allows to remain excited about it through this process |
To get the best from MM cartridge we have to take care not only aboput phono Cable Capacitance, but also about Load Resistance. Try to load MM cartridge higher than standard 47k ohm, using Naked Foil Vishay 100k ohms audio resistors (from Texas Components). Most of the MM cartridges sounds much better at 100k ohm. This upgrade cost nothing (about $36 for Vishay resistors + soldering), but it will give you the best upgrade for the money you have ever tried for MM cartridges. Vintage MM cartridges are much better anyway. This is where they become competitive with most of the MCs imo. So i will second that JLTi phono stage (under $800 now) is the best for experiments with load resistors as you can simply soldeging them in RCA plugs and easily change (plug-in or plug-out) by going higher from 47k or even lower. Same with LOMC cartridges (end a bunch of R of different values) as the JLTi is a high gain stage designed to work with 0,02 mv MCs and higher. |
@chakster - shhh, it's hard enough finding vintage styli these days. :) |
@pani
thanks for the info. i have the black cube se ii, the next version from the se. that said i would be interested in recommendations for another phono stage that would sound more colorful. thank you. |
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There are many, many other phono stages (besides the JLTi) that also allow the user to tweak the resistive loading by one method or another. In my opinion, this is an essential feature of any "high end" phono. If one only wants to convert from a 47K load to 100K for MM cartridges (which I agree mostly do sound best with 100K), then the more purist approach is to de-solder the 47K load resistors where they are mounted and replace them with 100K (nude Vishays, of course). Other very neutral resistors for this purpose are the Caddock TF020 (available from M Percy) and the tantalum types, if you're reluctant to pay for the Vishays.
So what about the ART9? Are you running it also with a 47K or 100K load? In my fully balanced Atma-sphere MP1, I am finding that MCs can sound excellent with a 47K load. (I am not going to say they sound best this way, because that would be a subjective judgement, but I do think they sound a tad more open at the top end than they do with the more classic 100R to 1000R resistive loads. Like someone else said, the load R is really a load on the phono section, rather than on the cartridge.)
Pani, I am unfamiliar with the guts of the JLTi. If you have no resistor plugged into the aux phono inputs, is there then no load at all in place? In other words, is it designed such that one MUST plug some resistance into those inputs? |
@lewm even I have not heard the JLTI phonostage. I think it is @chakster who has used it and recommended it along with MM carts. |
@avanti1960 without knowing your budget I will just suggest the phono stages that I like a lot in the mid-budget range.
1. Naim Stageline (current model) with Hicap PSU
2. Pro-ject phono box RS with its battery PSU
3. Graham Slee Revelation
4. Plinius Koru
Tube phono stages:
Luxman E200/250
Rogue Audio Ares |
Dear Pani, My apologies. I knew full well that it is Chakster using the JLTi. That was just a bit of brain fade. Perhaps Chakster will respond to my question: What happens if you don't plug anything into the load jacks on the JLTi? Does it present no load or some standard value?
Pani, I did wonder what resistive load you are using with the ART9. Mainly because I have found with my Atma-sphere MP1 that 47K works well with several of my MC cartridges, giving a slightly more open top end, and a "bigger" sound, compared to using the more typical LOMC loads, e.g. 100R to 1000R. Perhaps the overall tonal balance is better, as well.
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@lewm I am unfamiliar with the guts of the JLTi. If you have no resistor plugged into the aux phono inputs, is there then no load at all in place? In other words, is it designed such that one MUST plug some resistance into those inputs? By default JLTi phono sage comes with 47k ohms internal resistors for MM and a pair of 100 ohms RCA plug resistors if you want to switch to high gain MC position. But my custom made JLTi comes with 500k ohms internal resistors (Dlalolum used the same configuration), so i can plug-in whatever resistor using a pair of RCAs for MM or MC cartridges. All i need is just to switch gain for high or low position. Some people prefers JLTi over Southerland and many other (up to $3500 in price) phono stages. it’s easy to find audiogoner’s comments or Fremer review. Personally i like it so much, now it’s even cheaper (under $800 for Australian made version) than previous luxury Swiss made version ($1795) designed by Allen Wright. From the manufacturer website: "The name denotes that this is a Solid State device using something that is called Diamond Transistor Theory, rarely used on High-End Audio products. The most simple and linear audio voltage amplification device is a Vacuum Triode which consists of three electrodes only. They are the Grid (input), Cathode (grounding) and Anode (output). On the other hand, the Solid State Transistor is a current device but is nowhere near as linear as the Triode. It consists of Base (input), Emitter (grounding) and Collector (output). The idea behind a Diamond Transistor is actually a composite circuit that emulates the near perfect and linear Transistor as a current device with the same three electrodes in the circuit then becomes the equivalent of the Base, Emitter and Collector followed by a Unity Gain Buffer.Our Diamond Transistor eschews feedback completely and uses Passive EQ" READ MORE |
Installed the ART9 on Saturday, a threaded body would be helpful, but once the screws and round(?) nut were installed it was the easiest cart I have installed, due to the flat bottomed clear protector. I was able to do most of the alignment with the protector on, when I took it off to check it out it and dropped it on the jig, it was perfect. I hate moving the cart around on the metal jig but this lets you move it with no issues. Played the first record, brite, etched high end, pinched mids, and bloated tubby bass (it sounded like Levon Helm had a nose plug on). As the side played we could hear it changing quickly, my girl looks at me and says " is it changing this fast, is that what I'm hearing?" and it was. By the end of the first record brightness diminishes, mids open up and bass becomes tight. As I keep playing records, the changes come more slowly and subtly,but it keeps revealing itself. Ten hours in it is a totally different sound, open, clear and deep, amazing! I was researching this cart when I found this thread, glad I did. The experience of the skewed cantilever might have put me off enough to give up on the ART9, so glad I kept with it. Gain is no issue with the ARC PH-6, a very nice pre that I got for $1700 new in the box (for the posters looking for a pre) Thanks to all for the support!!! Especially Pani and Frank! |
One thing I noticed, the documentation indicates a VTA of 23 degrees, is that Celsius? ;-) |
Chakster, Thanks for the response. The circuit looks very simple, which is good. I have no idea why they call it a "Diamond" transistor, but that's marketing-speak anyway.
I wonder a little bit how they achieve two different gain profiles (one for MM and one for MC) in such a simple circuit. |
Just read @chakster 's link to JLTI. One point I found curious.
"Optimizing Moving Magnet cartridges can go as low as 2K Ohm...The rule is simple, the lower the Load Value, the higher the damping. Most cartridges are listened to under-damped and you can benefit from listening to optimised damping."
If I understand, this suggests that with MM carts you will want to experiment with going from 47k down to 2k or somewhere along that range. The GIANT thread here on MM implies that consensus view on changing away from 47k is in the other direction up to 100k or even more.
So as Keenan Thompson would sing, "What's Up With That?, What's Up With That?" Cheers,
Spencer |
I found this thread very useful when I contemplated a new cartridge and landed on the ART-9. A plea then to get back on topic so that it may prove useful to others thinking about cartridges.
There are plenty of other venues to discuss electronic units, or a new thread can be started.
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@sbank
If I understand, this suggests that with MM carts you will want to experiment with going from 47k down to 2k or somewhere along that range. The GIANT thread here on MM implies that consensus view on changing away from 47k is in the other direction up to 100k or even more.
Right, for MM cartridges the 100k is universal and in most cases much better than standard 47k. All my MM cartridges sounds better at 100k. As for the MC and MM/MI: In conversation with Joe Rasmussen of the JLTi i've learned this: "Do not be afraid to do the opposite, for example, find the resistance of the cartridge's coil, it is usually in the specs. Now multiply that with about 1.6x and find the resistor value near that. Rather than unloading by going high, this in fact causes the coil to produce more current and hence this introduces electromechanical damping - the output will be lower, so keep that in mind, and explore the final value, deciding by listening. For example, my Benz MC is 38 Ohm (38R) and I am using 68R load resistors. Yet a friend used nominal 47K and never tried my recommendation, so don't be afraid to try 'electromechanical damping' as it too can be tuned and you may like it also, even possibly better. A friend with a Grado Platinum MI cartridge ended up using 2K2 resistors (2K1 when in parallel with 47K). I think the DC resistance is 600R. He said it was like getting a more expensive cartridge. With an Ortofon Jubilee with 6R coil, we gradually went lower and lower until 10R and the owner went Wow!" P.S. It was a pleassure to deal with Joe Rassmussen, i ended up with a bunch of resistors he gave me (and RCAs) to experiment with different cartridges and a custom JLTi phono stage which is reasonably priced! I'm sure Joe can answer all the questions by email. |
I have a great deal of respect for Joe Rasmussen and for Allen Wright before him. It is ironic to note that Allen espoused the idea of using a 47K load on LOMC cartridges (which I too have found go be worth trying). Now here we have Joe espousing a much different sort of heresy, in fact a more controversial one. Frankly, it is a physical fact that using a 2K load on most MM cartridges, which typically have about 1000X more inductance than a typical MC, would result in a high frequency roll-off well within the normal range of human hearing and well below 20kHz. So, if your MM cartridge has some really annoying hf characteristic that you would like to "damp" or tame, then maybe you'd like a 2K load. Otherwise....NOT. And where the heck did he get "1.6" as the multiplier in his little formula for selecting a load resistor for an MM? Since I know JR knows more about this stuff than I do, I have to wonder how he justifies his advice. It is not sufficient to talk about "damping".
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j_damon ...
Thanks for the kudos, but all of the credit goes to Pani who originally recommended the ART-9.
So happy you are experiencing the attributes of the ART-9. As it breaks in, you will appreciate it even more. Last night I was playing a Stanley Black album ... yes, Stanley Black. The highs were so sweet and extended that I, and my audiophile guest Robert were totally taken aback. The highs go on forever.
Frank. |
That's great news @j_damon. Which turntable and tonearm do you use ?
@avanti1960 please consider ARC phonostages too for the ART-9. I totally forgot about it. |
@pani
thank you for the phono preamp recommendations. i may consider one at a later date but the Black Cube SE II is getting the job done for me- for now my tube integrated amplifier adds all the color I need.
i did try loading the ART9 with 47Kohm. It sounded slightly more midrange biased but I prefer the sound overall at the 100ohm setting.
as another "break through" the treble truly is starting to come alive on this cartridge. I was really doubtful that it would happen. not quite there yet but showing some great progress. definitely the best it has sounded yet and still sounds much better than the Ortofon 2M black- which I used to really like. the sweetness and cleanliness of the treble is what makes this one great (so far). |
@pani VPI super scoutmaster ref, JWM 10.5i with Valhalla wiring ARC PH-6, 100 ohm load McIntosh 2200 pre, Raymond Lumley Megavox 75's monoblocks Focal 1028 Be, mostly Audioquest cabling |
@j_damon thats a very nice system you have. I am sure the ART-9 will play very well. Keep us updated on how it breaks-in. |
Earlier we were discussing the rising top end in some the the high end MC cartridges. My friend Robert was kind enough to do some research to see what he could find on the frequency responses of some of the more popular cartridges. Robert writes a column on good records for Audio Beat and has done a lot of recording work and sales of audiophile recordings for both Cisco Music and Impex. Check it out: From Robert ... "Atlas: BTW, that's 8DB up at 20K! However, that really doesn't matter, but what does is the fact that 's up 5DB at 9K!!! Great for old Verves and RCA country records that droop in that region, but you'd better disconnect your tweeters if you wan't play the Beatles of Jascha Heifetz. http://s1164.photobucket.com/user/s33kw47h/media/LyraAtlas.jpg.htmlThe Dorian is even worse, so I guess that's why you pay more for the Atlas. You can do better than both for a lot less. http://www.tnt-audio.com/gif/lyradorian_freq.gifFor comparison, here's the far cheaper Dynavector 17D. I'll take the truth over that audiophile foolery. http://www.dynavector.com/products/images/17d3_f_response.gifHere's why the Denon 103s have such nice sound on brass and strings. No hype! http://gallery.audioasylum.com/cgi/gi.mpl?u=3771&f=DL-103R.JPGThe OC9 graph is instructive. It has a obvious rise in the audible region, but but between 10-20K it's flat. I'm pretty sure the ART 9 has a similar rise, but I'm sure starts at a high frequency, hence a bit smoother sound. Nothing to get too concerned over, but I hear a slight one. http://www.dartmouth.tv/audio/images/AT-OC9ML-II.jpgBenz LP The only Benz I ever tried was the LO Glider. It stank in my system, but the Benz carts are certainly smooth on top, and I like that. http://digilander.libero.it/agostino.manzato/audio/reportage/mysonic/benz_lp.jpgFor work related reasons I'll be sticking with Dynavector or Denon. Of course, response graphs don't give you the whole story, or we'd all have Shure V15-Vs, but they aren't BS either." |
Oregonpapa, Can you say how "Robert" is making those measurements? What equipment, what test LPs, what load resistance, etc? I am not necessarily a big fan of Lyra, but those reported deviations from flat response seem oddly extreme. Also, Raul is a fan of Lyra, and it hardly seems likely that he could tolerate such "distortions" without noticing the problem.
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Also, it seems based on the appearance of the various graphs that in the case of the Lyra cartridges vs the Dynavector Karat 17D3, you are comparing measurements done at least two different ways; the Karat graph looks exactly like the package insert that comes in the box with some cartridges, i.e., a straight line from 20 to 20kHz. The evaluation of the Lyra cartridges cannot have been done in the same way using exactly the same methods. So, at least those 3 graphs (Atlas, Dorian, Karat) are not scientifically comparable. I have not looked at the rest of the data, but I am betting that the same caveat applies.
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lewm ...
Thank you. I'm glad you stepped in to comment. I'll share your comments with Robert to get his feedback and get back to you.
Robert researched through the Internet using Google Search and did a cut & paste on his findings. However, the rising top ends of many of the MC's have been an ongoing conversation between the two of us for years. He's made the claim throughout that the 17D, with its flat response, is the best cartridge for evaluating what's on the record for reissue purposes. Perhaps not the most spectacular ... just the most accurate and truthful according to Robert. He and I both love what the ART-9 does by the way.
Frank |
Frank, very interesting stuff from Robert.
It's funny in one sense as the 17D...17D3 all have a reputation for a more tipped up treble than the rest of the Dyna family. Does that imply that the others further up the line are too reticent on treble? I wouldn't think so based on my own listening to DV-X1s, XX2s, etc.
Wonder what Robert would say about the VDH Colibris that I used to own, as I'd suspect they are tipped up a bit too? Cheers,
Spencer |
@sbank @oregonpapa I have absolutely no doubt about the rising top end of the Lyra and vdh cartridges. I have not heard the Atlas and Titan though. On the other hand the Dynavectors are smooth. Benz to my ears are "voiced" to sound comfortable. I don't find them natural. In that regards I have a lot of respect for Ortofon. Would love to know frequency response of a Cadenza Black or Windfield
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I agree with sbank that the 17D to D3 series (I own a D3) has or did have a reputation for being a bit "clinical" sounding, which usually indicates a "rising top end". But I think we all have to be careful how we use the term I put in quotes. Almost none of us has a hope of hearing a rising response in the range above 15KHz; so none of us could hear the gradual rise in amplitude above 15kHz shown on the graph that Oregonpapa referenced. In fact, there are not even any common musical instruments that can produce a primary tone in that region, only harmonics. If we really hear a rising top end, it would likely mean we are hearing a deviation from flat response in the 2kHz to 5kHz region. |
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@nandric Dear chakster, Despite my assumption that your intention is to praise your own ART 2000 I agree with you arguments and wll try to provide some more. There is this ’’tuning wonder’’ of which only grand masters are capable. But this imply that they are also clairvoyant. I.e. that they know how their cart will sound , say, 100 hour after those are sold. To put this otherwise. What is the sense of ’’tuning’ if the cart is supposed to sound ’’totally different’’ later on?
Totally agree, but the ART2000 has been sold recently :) I'm on MM/MI/MF side in general. |
"MM/MI/MF side in general." Is that Moving Magnet/ Moving Iron / Michael Fremer side in general? Cheers,
Spencer |
@sbank
haha, not really.
MF is "Moving Flux" generator patented by Mitachi Corporation (Japan) If you are not familiar with Glanz MF or Astatic MF cartridges. The best in Glanz series is mega rare MF61 which goes for 1500 pounds (luckily i have one). The rarest in Astatic series is MF 2500 acording to Raul's info (i don't have it). Both made by Mitachi in Japan. |
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update...
I've finally hit 100 hours on the ART9. No major news - no "oohs and aahs" as others have mentioned, and no big changes to the sound in the last 30 hours or so. That said, the cartridge is extremely enjoyable, and I have no desire to take it out and put something else in. I've played around with a couple of other cartridges in the meantime - a Denon 103 and an Azden YMP50 - but it's always a relief to come back to the ART9. It just gets out of the way of the music. I know it's an illusion, but that sensation is more or less the aim of my whole system, and with that in mind the ART9 feels right at home.
Speaking of phono stages, I'm using a Doshi Alaap 2.1 that's just now broken in. Works beautifully with the ART9. the Doshi has an expansive, 3D quality to it. The spaciousness of the ART9 mates well with it so the two of them create a natural, believable sound. The Doshi can be very revealing of any faults in the front end but the ART9 gives up nothing under the bright lights. For those looking for more reasonably priced phono stages, I also had good results with an Audion Premier MM phono stage paired with an Auditorium 23 standard transformer. The Audion is a good bargain used and lets you play around with head amps and transformers if that's your cup of tea.
Any caveats? Maybe the ART9 is a bit careful, a bit too conservative, and missing the extra halo of realism that I hear in the Zyx. I'm just working from memory there, so I'll put a big parentheses around that statement until I have time to compare the two. I'm waiting on a Mint LP protractor at the moment, so hopefully I can get everything working at its best before I do any comparisons. till then the Zyx is on vacation in the gadget drawer.
@oregonpapa thanks for the tip on claude williamson - hadn't heard of him before but I'll give a listen. |
jollytinker ... Glad you're enjoying the ART-9. Claude Williamson was the pianist for Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars back in the 50's. I spent many nights with a friend on school nights at the Lighthouse. The owner let us sit and listen as long as we were spending money. We drank coffee after coffee --- at twenty-five cent per cup. It was expensive for us at the time because that was the time in the country before inflation got so bad. Gasoline was twenty-five cents per gallon ... and we were drinking coffee at two bits a cup. When it comes to West Coast Jazz its hard to beat this combination: Howard Rumsey - Bass Claude Williamson - Piano Conti Candoli - Trumpet Bob Cooper - Tenor sax. (Bob Cooper was married to June Christy) Bud Shank - Alto sax. Frank Rosolino - Trombone Howard Rumsey - Drums Check these albums out ... Most of them are in the collection here. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xhoward%20rumse... |
It would be nice to read some comments from people who tested ART9 against some serious cartridges, not comparing AT with common Denon 103 or Ortofon 2M (even $150 vintage MM cartridges sounds much better than those carts). Anyone can post a picture of the ART9 stylus to check how did they mounted the tip on the cantilever? It is probably glued ??? I wonder why nowadays designers use this method instead of the old method (see below)? If you will take a look at top quality vintage Audio-Technica AT-ML series from the 80s you will see that there is no glue and it's the state of the art techniques to put the tip on Beryllium cantilever (restricted for use nowadays, but probably better than boron). Same techniques has been used on top of the live JVC Victor, look here. On JVC the diamond tip goes through the hollow pipe boron cantilever. Same with the ADC Astrion sapphire cantilever here. Also the same method used by Technics, look here. I took those pics on my macro lens. |
@jollytinker I agree that the ZYX carts especially Airy3 and above have a special 3D halo effect which is quite special. I dont find it studio neutral though. It will be interesting when you go back and forth between the ART-9 and ZYX. Please do post your opinions.
@chakster I totally agree with you that comparing ART-9 with entry level carts is not very exciting to read. I am hoping there will be people who would compare it against the $2k-$5k carts and come up with a serious comment. I have done it and I have mentioned it here couple of times already. I really wonder why this cart does not have any professional reviews yet! Is it because reviewers already know it will upset the big names which is not favourable for their magazines ?
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@chakster @pani I agree too - comparing the ART9 to higher-end carts would be helpful in the absence of any 'pro' reviews. My guess is that the lack of attention to the cartridge in the US audio press has more to do with the fact that AT hasn't marketed the ART9 cartridge here.
I hope to do a comparison of my own between the ART9 and my Zyx, and I'll post my impressions here. I'm just waiting for a Mint LP to come, so I can be sure that the carts are properly aligned. I'm not a pro at this and I'm not a big fan of "Audio-ese", but I'll do my best. And I'll state up front that i'm slightly (very) biased, because that Zyx cost a crap ton.
Also I think there's been some clear comparisons here with the $2k Dyna XX2 MkII, in which the ART9 comes out ahead. That's my impression too.
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oh yeah - I do have some pics of the ART9 stylus that I took with a USB microscope. I'll try to find a way to put them online. They're not great but might help.
and @oregonpapa thanks for the info!
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