Hello Rich62 and all,
I would like to add some of my findings using almost exact front end rig as yours.
Besides 9/1000 combination there is Klyne 6 preamp, as well as Rowland Consonance on occasion.
The cartridge used is ZYX Airy 2 Cosmos Crystal, which is nude version of Airy 2.
In short this is one absolute fantastic combination, quite unlike any other cartridge which I used before (Audio Technica ART 1000,
Madrigal Carnegie One, AT -170 ML). The synergy between cartridge and tone arm is awesome, but I would like give you some thougths on the way to improve your sound while tweaking your 9. The detail explanation of all my tweaks can by rather long, but to put it in a few words, the 9 works better if you take of any of necessary part to play the record.
I know that this sound rather strange, but each of these tricks are reversible, without any kind of damage to the 9 itself.
I went on that route because I was taking off the plastic lid the other day in order to mount the cartridge. The music become significantly clearer, but at the same time without any of the nastiness such as the rise of the upper registers. It took me quit some time to realize that all this happened just because of taking the lid off.
After that take off the beautiful maple surround off and there another level of progression in the same direction took place.
I was flabbergasted by the whole new picture which that rig produce. After that, I take off the plastic box which surrounds the motor assembly below the turntable. Jet another (but this time very small) progression. At the end I replace the feet of the table with aluminum spikes (better than wood or brass in this location).
All this is easily reversible and in case that you are not sure in some of your findings you can put back that part and listen again. But you would not, I am sure.
All this leads you to one completely new and rather strange ( very small) 9 which I find beautiful in his new found minimalism, because the whole turntable is now just a little bigger than the record itself.
There are quite a few tricks which you can use in order to further improve your 9 such as outer and inner weights for the record, shims and weight for the tone arm, and you can send me an e-mail if you want, and all will explain you my progress with the 9/1000 combination in details. I can send you some pictures of my creature if you like.
Hope that this helps. All the best,
