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AudioTechnica ART 9 users - break in, VTF/VTA and loading questions

Just received my new AT ART 9 -- sounds damn good right out of the box... but just thought I would check in with others already using this cart for some time...

- what is break in time you experienced for the sound to ’settle in’?
- what VTF worked well for you? I am at 1.95 grams.
- what VTA works best? I’ve started at usual slight tail-down setting
- what loading does it like best? I am at 1000 ohms

Just for context, my table is VPI Classic 2E with JMW 10.5 CF arm in VTF tower, into an Ayre P5XE.

Initial reaction is very very smooth, sophisticated sound, with a little more life and sparkle up top than the Koetsu Black I have been using previously. Midrange very very sweet and lifelike and bass is strong. Maybe just a touch more groove noise with AT...  

Differences are pretty much what I have been hoping for... Koetsu really lovely, just a little somber/romantic.

Will develop opinions of spatiality/imaging etc etc after more hours running.

Thanks in advance.
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xjjss49
tablejockey
3,950 posts
 
Jjss49-

My time with the ART9 is going on 2 years. Mounted on a VPI Classic 1.
Tail slightly up, 1.8 grams. 100 ohm loading as suggested by AT.
I can't even hear any differences changing loading while playing, so I just leave it.

Replaced a Koetsu Black? Wow! I would think cart swapping days are done with one of those. Were you just looking for some audio excitement?

jjss49's avatar
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jjss49 OP
6,612 posts
 
Paul and TJ

thank you for your responses... will try arm tail up... counter to what most MC’s like

TJ - Koetsu is really lovely just a little romantic, soft/dark lens, think VPI Classic table on that side of spectrum as well ... felt I was missing just a little sparkle and drive,

Recently getting back into analog - having lots of fun and enjoyment with it ... maybe 15 years of listening to (pretty good) digital has me wanting a touch more detail ... analog definitely has a more holistic, organic, denser sound that is just wonderful, so right now I am just playing with different well-regarded ’killer-app’ cartridges to try to 'have my cake and eat it too' :)

ps - have a zyx r100 coming in ... will try that too before long...


avanti1960
1,504 posts
 
Congrats JJ!  I've had my ART9 running for 3 months (~ 150 to 170 hrs) and it just finally exceeded my wildest expectations.  It always sounded good if not great but the treble and transparency finally opened up big time and the sound became much more colorful.  I love the sound of this thing! 
I am running right at the standard VTF of 1.8g and the VTA is ruler flat approximating a 92 deg SRA.  
Loading is right at 100 ohms and gain (important) is 56db.  Too much gain makes it sound less refined.  

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jjss49 OP
6,612 posts
 
thanks avanti

i am experimenting with gain also, using my ayre p5xe at various settings and also a rega aria i just acquired ... also trying a cinemag 1131 xformer into MM stage

what a sweet and transparent sounding unit the art 9 is... hard to imagine it still has improvement left in it
pani
1,219 posts
 
VTF - 1.77 grams
VTA - just slightly tail up
loading - 120 ohms to 150 ohms. 100 ohms sounded a bit too thick in my setup
1000 ohms is super high, try a lower setting.

I use jensen SUT with 1:12 step up into a 37db MM phonostage and the gain is great. 
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