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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
tketcham
291 posts
 

Avanti1960,

I haven't heard an Ortofon cartridge but I can say that in comparing the Dynavector 17D3 to the ART9, I found that the tonal balance shifted from a slight emphasis in the lowest bass output (~80Hz and lower)  to a more balanced bass output. I found that with the 17D3 I had to lower the volume levels on my subwoofers to keep the bass in correct balance with the upper bass and mid-range. With the ART9 I increased the volume levels of the subs a bit to have the correct balance. That and I noticed more control of the total range of bass frequencies with the ART9; there was a better rendition of acoustic bass guitar plucks, deep percussion drum thumps, and the full tone of electric bass guitar notes. The 17D3 wasn't quite as articulate.

The differences weren't dramatic, but if you were listening to the bass lines and drum thumps and paying attention to the overall tonal balance, I found the ART9 to be a better cartridge in my system.

My turntable and tonearm combination (Gyro SE/SME 309) has been described as being slightly dark but I think it's a matter of system compatibility/synergy and room acoustics more than a particular component. That said, I really am enjoying the ART9 in my vinyl setup.

Regards,

Tom

chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
@oregonpapa 

^^^ Chakster ... What's the output of the ART-2000?
Thanks ...

hey, you can check all the specs and high quality pictures CLICK HERE

Type: MC, dual moving coil.

Playback frequency range: 10-50,000Hz.

Output voltage: 0.4mV (1kHz and 5cm/sec).

Channel separation: 30dB (1kHz).

Output balance: 1dB (1kHz).

Stylus pressure: 1.6 - 2.0g (1.8g standard) .

Coil impedance: 12 Omega (1kHz).

Direct current resistance: 12 Omega.

Load resistance: Head amplifier: 100 Omega or more.

Trance: 20 Omega or more.

Coil inductance: 50 mu H (1kHz).

Static compliance 35×10 - 6cm/dyne.

Dynamic compliance 9×10 - 6cu/dyne (100Hz).

Needle tip form: 0.1 Angular ML (micro linear) needle.

Vertical tracking angle: 23°

External size: H17.3×W16.8×D25.7mm Mass: 8.0g


oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
Thanks. I sent the specs to a friend. 
melm
1,074 posts
 
Avanti1960,

I use my Art-9 with a 12" VPI 3D arm.  The arm has a 10.5 g. mass.  No problem.  In fact when I tested the resonance with a Shure test record I found no peak resonance at all.  The arithmetic gives a theoretical answer, but the design of the arm may wipe aside any theoretical considerations.  In my case, in any event, the arm seems to provide absolute control over the cartridge.  You haven't, I think, named your arm.  You probably won't know until you try it, unless someone here is using the same arm.
avanti1960
1,473 posts
 
Has anyone experienced a thick midbass sound with the ART9?  I read a Japanese review that complained about too much midbass.  
Thanks.  
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