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Pani ... New ART-9 up and running ...

The Cartridge arrived and I took it down to Studio City to Acoustic Image to have Eliot Midwood set it up properly. Eliot is the bomb when it comes to setting up the Well Tempered turn tables correctly.

http://www.acousticimage.com/

So, last night I had Mr. Golden Ears over to get his assessment as well. For a brand new cartridge that had zero hours on it ... all I can say is WOW! This is one naturally musical cartridge that doesn't break the bank. Its everything I liked about the OC9-mk III, but it goes far beyond the OC-9 in every respect.

In a previous post, I talked about the many mono records I own and how good the OC-9 was with the monos. Well, the ART-9 is on steroids. Just amazing on mono recordings.

At under $1100.00 from LP Tunes, its a bargain. The ART-9 surpasses all cartridges I've had in the system before. That would include Dynavectors, Benz, Grado Signatures and a Lyra Clavis that I dearly loved. In fact, its more musically correct than the Clavis. The Clavis was the champ at reproducing the piano correctly ... the ART-9 is equally as good in this area.

Sound stage, depth of image, left to right all there. Highs ... crystalline. Mids ... female and male voices are dead on. Transparency ... see through. Dynamics ... Wow! Low noise floor ... black. Mono records ... who needs stereo?

Your assessment that the ART-9 doesn't draw attention to itself is dead on. You just don't think about the cartridge at all. Not what its doing, or what its not doing ... its just beautiful music filling the room.

Thanks again Pani for the recommendation. I'll keep posting here as the cartridge continues to break in.
128x128oregonpapa
tablejockey
3,795 posts
 
Yes OP,the value of everything is skewed beyond humanity.
Not that it matters at this point, but did you consider the ART 7 before getting the 9?
You seem to be a classical fan, and when I picked up the 9, the dealer mentioned the 7 as the choice between the 2. The 7 is completely different(non magnetic core vs magnetic) and supposedly more capable of nuance, required for classical/ acoustic jazz. The 9 has more punch, for rock and such. Choosing either one isn't a wrong decision IMO.
The limiting factor for the 7 is very low output, so if your phono stage isn't up to the task, it won't perform as expected. It's also a couple of bucks cheaper, which makes it VERY ATTRACTIVE.
My collection of Living Stereo/lLiving Prescence, period pressings sound fantastic. I can't imagine what I'm "missing?" The 9 does need to be played thru an equally competent phono stage to be appreciated.
scm
299 posts
 
I`m wondering about the ART 7 and whether it might actually a better cartridge than the 9.
I know that companies will many times price according to demand and logically there would be more buyers for that cartridge as opposed to buyers of a low output cartridge like the ART 7 at only .12mV ??

I`m using a Dyna 17D3 and really like it but I`m seriously considering an ART 7 OR 9 if I`m convinced that`s the way to go.
beatlebum
183 posts
 
I've had my ART 9 since last Tuesday. Obviously not broken in yet as I have probably about 20 hours on it. But I can say with certainty, in my system, my room, my ears. etc., the ART 9 is better than the Dynavector 17D3 already. I'm listening to it thru my Herron VTPH-2 phonstage with "infinite" loading as Keith Herron calls it. As a matter of fact I think it's better than the Lyra Delos too in that the ART 9 seems more balanced top to bottom versus the slight bloominess that the Delos posesses.

The ART 9 is only gonna get better too as it runs in more. I'm a happy camper right now and I cannot wait to compare it to my VDH Colibri XGP (at 3 times the cost) fter I get it back from Mr. VDH.

pani
1,214 posts
 
I had the vdh Condor XGM for sometime. I prefer the ART9 any day.
pani
1,214 posts
 
As per one of the senior designers at Audio Technica, the ART7 aimed for classical music. It is a little more transparent and micro-detailed than ART9 but the ART9 sounds bigger, more powerful with realistic bass which works very well for Jazz, Rock, Blues and Pop.

In any case the ART7 needs a matching step-up transformer to get the right gain. No active phonostage (in my knowledge) will do justice to 0.1mv (even if the specs might suggest otherwise). These very low output carts are designed with SUTs in mind. Take for example the Benz Ebony TR. It is the best Benz cartridge (better than LP-S) but it is not easy to amplify satisfactorily. IMO, the ART9 is a much more rational everyday cartridge which is not below the ART7.
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