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
The ART7 and ART9 have me intrigued. I am using a Reto Andreoli modded EMT cart on a Pete Riggle Woody arm. I love how dynamic, balanced, and musical this cart is. I was leaning towards ART7 because I use Bob's 1131 SUT thru my Pass XP-15. However, I listen mainly to jazz and rock so maybe the ART9 would be preferable? Anyone with experience using an ART9 with a SUT? Maybe dgarretson can chime in with more ART7 thoughts? Cartridge/arm match should not be a problem as I have different headshells and can lower the arm mass.

Also interested in the ART9, currently I`m using a Dynavector 17D3 and have been considering a move up in the line to the Dynavector XX2 MK2.
I wonder how the ART9 would compare to the XX2... Any thoughts ??
IME, the ART9 betters the Dynavector TKR too, so XX2 Mk2 doesnt really come close.
Anyone here som experiences about the ART-9 an heavy arms, like an 12" OL Conqueror with about 19gramms eff. mass?
Ordered from Juki on Friday early morning.  Cartridge arrived yesterday, Wednesday, on East Coast.  Mounted today.   Mounting was a bit of a chore; with supplied hardware screw went in from bottom.  Also, without vertical lines or sides azimuth setting is more difficult than with my Shelter.  But given what you guys wrote about break-in I am very surprised at how good it sounds out of the box.  Looking forward to the 101st hour.