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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
melm
1,085 posts
 
Paul,

Wm. Thakker is selling the Art-9 for 861 Euros x-VAT.  At today's exchange rates, that is close to the Japanese price in the $ advertisements. 

The UK price you give (Stone Audio?), I think, includes 20% VAT so its x-VAT price is 683 pounds, which is about $970.

There's something unusual going on in the US as the availability seems limited to one retailer.  
pani
1,219 posts
 
Enjoy the ART9 Al. Stories like these makes everyone of us happy. As the cartridge breaks in, you will hear more effortlessness, deeper bass notes and overall a sense of dissappearing act that is hard to come by. Which tonearm are you using with the ART9 ?
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
Thanks very much, Pani.  I'm using the ART9 with a Magnepan Unitrac tonearm, which is a generally well regarded vintage arm from the 1980s that is suitable for use with cartridges having light to medium weight and medium to high compliance.

Best regards,
-- Al
 
lewm
13,351 posts
 
I heard from one Grace Ruby user who is also apparently a dealer that he has come to the opinion that the CL re-tip is to be preferred over the OCL re-tip, when it comes to SS re-tip choices.  His opinion was based on an N=3 of samples, his own Ruby plus those of two customers (or two friends; I'm not sure which). My OCL re-tipped Ruby is coming around, in terms of a decrease in edginess and a subjective increase in mid-bass response, to be a favorite of mine.  Albeit, like I said, I would not want it to go the other way and become more "clinical" sounding.  I also think I read that the original spec for the Ruby recommended adding a fair amount of capacitance, at least 300pF if not more. This was a factory recommendation in parallel with 47K ohms. I don't know if such recommendations apply after a re-tip.

You say that the Herron gives "near infinite" input resistance if no resistor is in the jumper position.  Is there no resistor between the gate of the FET and ground, in such a case?

Re load resistance:  Ever since I accidentally listened to my Ortofon MC2000 with a 47K load, I am routinely using 47K with it and most other MC cartridges.  (This is into my Atma MP1 balanced differential phono section.) The MC2000 sounds about as good at 1000R but loses something at 100R, which by usual practice would be the "correct" choice.  We've been brainwashed.
bpoletti
1,556 posts
 
Al,

That can be a very nice arm.  I never used a MC cartridge on that arm that didn't benefit by adding weight (mass) at the headshell.  Seemed to bring the MCs alive.   YMMV.

Good listening,

Bill
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