New Audio Technica ART9XA Up and Running.....

@pindac,
You may want to contact the OP (avanti1960) directly.  He is the one who brought the Cadenza Blue into the thread, and he may not be checking this any longer.

I will give it a few days an contact Keegiam.

The link is to a Page on the forum, I posted a review by a Person whom I trust with a assessment.
In this case it is about the XA. 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/at-art9xi-cartridge-reduced-compliance/post?postid=2027362#20...

@pindac
 

Oh yes, I remember that post now. That was on a thread I started way back when I was trying to decide whether to go with the older ART9 or the new ART9XI. In fact, that was one of the posts that began pushing me toward the XA and getting my preamp’s MC gain bumped up to be able to handle the XA’s .2mv output.

It was one of Avanti1960’s posts on this thread that finally drove me to the XA. On 11/28/20 he said:

“15 hours in and it sounds better than the ortofon cadenza blue !  

64db of gain and a 8 to 13 gram arm and you're going to be in vinyl bliss with the XA.

i am mesmerized by how good this cartridge sounds. explosive but delicate, refined yet very detailed, zero groove noise, huge separation and sound stage, all frequencies sound impressive and a golden smoothness that is incredible.”

Since he mentioned the Cadenza Blue, I thought you might want to check in with him directly.

Thank you for your sharing further info on the C' Blue vs XA,
and I'm Glad the report posted from the German forum on the XA proved to be useful.

@pindac   
the cadenza blue has a slightly larger soundstage and is a very good cartridge.  
the ART9XA sounds better overall mainly because of how clean and refined it sounds.  it also has a better centered image, better bass and more upper end extension.  cymbals sound stunning.  it also has a touch of warmth vs the cadenza dead neutral.  
where the cadenza can sound occasionally slightly but noticeably strained and distorted, the 9XA never does this.  
with the cadenza you would not notice it and think it was on the recording, blue note jazz for example, but once you hear the same music on the 9XA you realize it is more refined.  this is similar to the original ART9, the refinement was the key element that made it a keeper but it does everything well.