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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
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
Pani ... I'm running mine at 100 ohms. Sounds best at that setting though the ARC PH-8.

The cartridge is broken in now ... and is simply amazing for the money. It's the best I've had in the system ... and that includes more expensive cartridges. Also, I didn't think the OC-9 MKIII could be topped for reproducing mono recordings at anywhere near it's price, but the ART-9 kills the OC-9 on monos.
fjn04
1,561 posts
 
I've been following this thread with intrigue. Who sells the ART7 and Art9 in the US? Sorry if it has been mentioned already ! Cheers -Don
bill_k
918 posts
 
Don't know about the ART7, but the ART9 is available here: http://www.lpgear.com/product/ATART9.html
fleib
1,124 posts
 
ART 7 is available through Amazon from Japanese sellers. You might have to look in musical instruments or do a general search.

Optimal MC load is preamp specific. The extra capacitance acts as a low pass filter for the RF type noise.
tablejockey
3,926 posts
 
Bill K, EBay list several Japanese vendors, which likely is the only place you're gonna find the ART 7.

Pani & Oregon Papa, I'm finding thru my tubed phono the ART9 isn't sensitive to loading and just leave it at 100, the recommended setting.
Same result when I had the OC9 III.
Perhaps it a system dependant thing, only MM seems to respond to playing with the loading knob on my Fosgate. Fabulous cart!

Nice to see this thread still going strong. I think the only reason I would swap out the 9, is to try the 7. And that isn't going to happen anytime soon since it would require an additional boost in gain(Xformer)I believe there may be subtlety and nuance to be gained going with the 7. Or perhaps I would just get the AT50ANV,just because.
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