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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
pani
1,219 posts
 
I wonder if there will be a sonic difference between

1. changing the MM input stage to 100k (by adding the 150k in parallel) so that the cartridge sees 250 ohms

2. Keep the MM stage at 300k and add a resistor to the primary of the Step up so that the overall impedance seen by the cartridge is 250 ohms
tablejockey
3,934 posts
 
My ART 9 has hit the 2 year mark, and I STILL have no desire for an upgrade.

Spent a couple of hours at the LA show,Friday. Interesting  stuff, but IMO same ol, same ol unless, you're into digital playback and cans. Seems there's always something new in those catagories.
Will drop in for a few more hours today, Saturday.

The REALLY nice table/cart setups played my LP's with amazing sonics, but the cost difference is significant. 

The ART9 with a decent table and appropriate system really is a "working mans" cartridge. 

I hope AT come out with a VII version in the future, so I will have a reason to buy a another one.


lewm
13,220 posts
 
Pani, Yes, I think there would be a sonic difference between those two alternative strategies.  Ralph (Atma-sphere) posted on the subject of loading the primary side of the SUT, recently on the Analog thread, but I cannot recall where.  In any case, his reasoning would lead one to expect that loading the primary would not be optimal.
snovosel
17 posts
 
Wondering if anyone has experience using the ART9 with a Soundstage MCP2 stage? I have a new unplayed Dyna 17D3 and am looking at alternative carts for comparison purposes. Running a VPI Prime (along with Prima Luna DiaLogue pre and power amps -- with various tube "upgrades" from stock) into the MCP2.  I'm not wed to the MCP but do like its variable loading feature.
avanti1960
1,490 posts
 
mine was sounding a little dull compared to other cartridges so I raised the tonearm tail by 2mm from absolute level.
amazing what a difference it made in clarity, detail and dynamics.  
the ART9 is very sensitive to VTA so if you are not happy with the sound a minor adjustment may be all you need.   
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