AT-ART9XI Cartridge - Reduced Compliance

BTW, a difference in compliance of 18 vs 15 would hardly make anything but a very tiny difference in the resonant frequency (Fres) calculation.  Fres varies inversely as the square root of the product of M*C, where C = compliance.  The square root of 18 is ~4.2; the square root of 15 is 3.9.

Dear @keegiam : Your V is a good match for the ARts, maybe you can ask SME if the tonearm internal wiring of your sample is similar to today Vs and if not then some one coukld re-wire for you with top internal wires.

In the other side and if I was you my choice will be the ART9 XA over the old one for two things: 

first the new ART 9 models are not an ART 9 with different cantilever or whatever you can think because Audio Technica as any other cartridge manufacturers and specially in its top models they make a lot of internal changes with out showed in its ads or specs is exactly what companies as Lyra does when after 2-3 years yo need are-tip of your Etna cartridge where Lyra does not return your Etna only re-tipped but the cartridge come back to you with all the internal up-dates Lyra made it through those 3 years even that does not says it.

Second the XA is a different design than the X1 because the XA has a non-magnetic core and comes with lower output level that always means per sé a true better quality performance levels and different stylus shape.
It's not free/random that the XA is what @hondo prefers.

So there are facts true reasons for what will be my choice: XA.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

Agree with Raul.

Thank you all.  The wisdom shared here is invaluable.

I started subscribing to The Absolute Sound at Vol. 6 (mid 70s?) because, having grown up in school orchestras and knowing how instruments sounded, I recognized the writers' abilities to express the sound of musical performances they were hearing through the gear.

It's reassuring to know you folks are out there, having logged millions of hours listening - and more importantly - hearing.

I don’t know about the x1 or x2 because I have not heard them, but I do own the original ART9. I purchased it from Music Direct while wanting for a Sound Smith re-tip. I liked it so much on my VPI Classic 3 with a JMW-10.5 arm, I didn’t really miss the koetsu for the entire 6 month wait!