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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
chakster's avatar
chakster
6,144 posts
 
It would be nice to read some comments from people who tested ART9 against some serious cartridges, not comparing AT with common Denon 103 or Ortofon 2M (even $150 vintage MM cartridges sounds much better than those carts). 

Anyone can post a picture of the ART9 stylus to check how did they mounted the tip on the cantilever? It is probably glued ??? I wonder why nowadays designers use this method instead of the old method (see below)?

If you will take a look at top quality vintage Audio-Technica AT-ML series from the 80s you will see that there is no glue and it's the state of the art techniques to put the tip on Beryllium cantilever (restricted for use nowadays, but probably better than boron). Same techniques has been used on top of the live JVC Victor, look here. On JVC the diamond tip goes through the hollow pipe boron cantilever. Same with the ADC Astrion sapphire cantilever here. Also the same method used by Technics, look here. I took those pics on my macro lens. 
pani
1,218 posts
 
@jollytinker I agree that the ZYX carts especially Airy3 and above have a special 3D halo effect which is quite special. I dont find it studio neutral though. It will be interesting when you go back and forth between the ART-9 and ZYX. Please do post your opinions.

@chakster I totally agree with you that comparing ART-9 with entry level carts is not very exciting to read. I am hoping there will be people who would compare it against the $2k-$5k carts and come up with a serious comment. I have done it and I have mentioned it here couple of times already. I really wonder why this cart does not have any professional reviews yet! Is it because reviewers already know it will upset the big names which is not favourable for their magazines ?
jollytinker
213 posts
 
@chakster  @pani I agree too - comparing the ART9 to higher-end carts would be helpful in the absence of any 'pro' reviews. My guess is that the lack of attention to the cartridge in the US audio press has more to do with the fact that AT hasn't marketed the ART9 cartridge here.

I hope to do a comparison of my own between the ART9 and my Zyx, and I'll post my impressions here. I'm just waiting for a Mint LP to come, so I can be sure that the carts are properly aligned. I'm not a pro at this and I'm not a big fan of "Audio-ese", but I'll do my best. And I'll state up front that i'm slightly (very) biased, because that Zyx cost a crap ton. 

Also I think there's been some clear comparisons here with the $2k Dyna XX2 MkII, in which the ART9 comes out ahead. That's my impression too. 


jollytinker
213 posts
 
oh yeah - I do have some pics of the ART9 stylus that I took with a USB microscope.  I'll try to find a way to put them online.  They're not great but might help. 

and @oregonpapa thanks for the info! 

avanti1960
1,452 posts
 
No pro reviews means that nobody is sensing them any review samples, not some big conspiracy against value products offending the big spenders. 
I have had dialogue with Michael Fremer about cartridge reviews and he will review a given cartridge as long as the distributor sends him one.  
Some distributors have refused to send him some product because of his honesty.    
If someone were to send him an ART9 i am sure he would review it on Analog Planet.  
       I also believe that comparisons to the Ortofon 2M black are valid and significant because it is a highly regarded, high value, universally praised cartridge by critics and consumers alike.  
The fact that the ART9 trounces it is no small feat IMHO.  

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