NOS Grace F9E question

I have not heard anything in the Grace line other than the F8 and F9 which I find better than the two modern carts I have. I find the F9 quite detailed, a fine overall cart. I'm told that with the right phono pre my F9 can possibly sound better yet.  For those of us just starting out, this is a great place to start. For us beginners, carts like the F9 are winners. 

I'm sure the F14 and Level II series carts are fantastic, probably stellar, but extremely rare too and difficult to find in NOS condition. I'm sure they're on another level compared to the F9 but I'd like to think that the decisions I'm making so far are in the winning category, not the losing category. 

I'm a photographer in my spare time, and I've got some great, epic equipt in my opinion. The Nikon D7100 is a great camera, a real winner BUT is it as good as the D500 or the D850 with 49 megapix which I too own. Hell no! But is it a joke? I don't think so, I consider it quite good, a real winner. 

I rely on Audiogon members for most of my guidance at this point, as I haven't found anyone locally that can provide me with products and information I need. Modern retailers aren't dealing vintage carts from the 70's, 80's and 90's. God I hope my cart collection to this point isn't full of a bunch of jokes. If it is, I need to do more research before my purchases. 

Everyone can find more about rare Grace models here
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/grace-level-ll

F-9 is a good cartridge for sure and we have to be patient when it comes to some uber rare models which can be called ULTIMATE

Anyway F-9 is somewhere in the middle of the route for people who’re looking for ultimate MM from this brand

F-7, F-8, F-9, F-12, F-14, LEVEL II ... and Grace Signature Asakura’s Two is also MM based on F-12 design.

Some people think that F-9 is a winner, but it is only a third step in the evolution of Grace moving magnet cartridges. There are 3-4 more steps up with significant upgrades that Grace designers did with the basic F-9 series which was introduced in the 70’s. But Grace designers in Japan have been working for another 10 years to make their cartridges much better and more competitive with some other top MM cartridges from that era. Some serious cartridges were introduced in the 80’s.

Comparing F-9 to F14 or LEVEL II is like comparing F-7 to F-9, the difference is huge (also price difference) !!!

P.S. Grace also made some killer MC cartridges

Chakster, please tell us what phono stage, amplifier, and speakers you are using to make your unequivocal judgements.

i’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll say again that I don’t think one can pick out all the greatest cartridges simply by noting the elements of their construction. If one could, this hobby would be less vexing and more boring. The F9 and the Ruby are two examples of cartridges that have no right to sound as good as they do, given the materials of which they are made.

Dear @knollbrent @tzh21y : """ the decisions I’m making so far are in the winning category, not the losing category. """

Yes.

Btw, not the OP and certainly you are not asking for something better and yes the F9 is a winner tells other thing makes no-sense and bortding to the stupidity.

I know the Lyra Kleos is a winner ( I own it and listen it in other systems as the top Lyra’s. ) but in that Lyra cartridge series exist four other models that are better: Etna, Etna SL, Atlas and Atlas SL but this in no way means that the Kleos is not a winner because it’s ! !

In those all times when existed a huge competition for the MM market with several manufacturers and even " hundreds " of cartridge model the F9 was the " horse warrior " for Grace over the world. Yes, exist other Grace models that are better or other vintage cartridges that could be better as Acutex but you or the OP are not asking for.
Your F9 can competes easily with the 2MBlack by Ortofon.

Now, this winner you can up grade in significant way through SoundSmith whom developed a stylus replacement for this cartridge and the options there are more than one because you can go from the F9 to the very well regarded Grace Ruby as @lewm mentioned.

Btw, against whom competed Grace in the 80’s: Audio Technica, Technics, Sony, Nagaoka, Acutex, Azden, Elac, ADC, Empire, B&O, Micro Acoustics, Stanton, Signet, Pickering, Nagatron, Pioneer, Sonus, Micro Seiki, Philips, Garrot, Goldring, Grado Astatic, Glanz, Ortofon, JVC, AKG, Sumiko, Fidelity Research, Exel, VDH, etc. etc.

So as you can imagine was a hard/fierce competition and was the F9 the one that grace choosed to be its " horse warrior " not the other Grace models.

R.