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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
avanti1960
1,496 posts
 
Last night I removed the ART9 from my turntable and swapped my Dynavector DV20X2L with Soundsmith ruby cantilever and new line contact stylus.  Honestly I never gave that one a chance for some reason.

The ART9 sounds great on the best recordings but after I played more of my collection I noticed that it had tendencies that were leaning toward the dull / dark side of things.  Possibly a system synergy issue but the ART9 seemed to be breaking in in the opposite direction I was expecting.  Even though it has ~ 20 hrs of use I do not have the patience / confidence that it will truly open up to the extent I prefer.     The midrange is recessed and the treble falling off a cliff.  

The Dynavector / Sound Smith sounds fantastic and just what I was hoping for and will stay put for now.  
oregonpapa's avatar
oregonpapa OP
4,867 posts
 
^^^  Now that's interesting, avanti. I believe your experience is due to the fact that you admittedly do not have the patients/confidence (what ever that means) to wait until the cartridge is fully broken in. 20 hours is not even breaking the surface on what the ART-9 will do when fully broken in.

You're passing judgement way too soon.  I don't believe you are experiencing a "system synergy" problem either.  What you are hearing on your "best recordings" is the promise the ART-9 holds once broken in.

In all of the years in this hobby, I have yet to hear a cartridge that does everything to my satisfaction with less than 50 hours of break-in time ... the ART-9 included. Most new cartridges I've had take all of those 50 hours and some much more.
 
I'd say put the ART-9 back into the system, run it for 100 hours, then take out some of the recordings that you are really familiar with and play them again. You may be surprised. 


tablejockey
3,935 posts
 
I'm happy to report my 1 1/2 year old ART 9 just got a long overdue stylus cleaning with the magic eraser.

 The entire cantilever had built up gunk and the once clean diamond was lost in the crud.

A couple of dips, brush away the stray micro fibers, the cart looks new! 

If I ever wear the ART 9 out, I will buy another one. No need to spend more UNLESS I have a significantly upgraded table and system. Then, I would just get the ART 1000!
jollytinker
213 posts
 
@avanti1960 I would agree with Frank on this - you need to give it more time. I noticed a real change in the sound right around 40 hours. Things open up and get clearer and airier.  If you've come this far I'd give it even just 20 to 30 hours more before you send it to the cartridge drawer. 
rantzmar
30 posts
 
Avanti...Slippers-on here.

Don't think it's a strange thing happening to the ART9. As I said over on the other forum...Your carts sound will continue to change untill it reaches its top performance. It's no where come into its own. Some times the sound will be awful. Some times splendid. Once it's getting in the 70℅ range it will normalize. Have patience....It will be worth it.
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