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

Showing 18 responses by dodgealum

Thanks, Oregon, for sharing your initial impressions. I have been sitting on the fence waiting for more information about the ART 9 (and saving some scratch) before taking the plunge. My OC9MLII/JMW9/Scout has been a very rewarding combination and I have been trying to find a cartridge similar, but more refined, than the OC9MLII that I can afford--unfortunately, to no avail. The ART 9 sounds like it may be the ticket. Please, as you listen more and share your views following break in, provide us with some sense of how the ART 9 exceeds the performance of the OC9MLII--you are probably one of the few people out there that has taken an upgrade path that would be the same as my own. Best to you and enjoy the ride.
Gents: Using an OC9MLII but am very much considering an ART9. For those who have taken the plunge....any regrets? There are a lot of cartridges out there for $1K why should I be getting the ART9?
Well, it felt a little like an impulse buy (no professional reviews and no chance to audition) but I've gone ahead and ordered an ART 9. I'm grateful to those who have posted about their experience with this cartridge and am very curious as to how it will sound in my system. I'm a big fan of Audio Technica having used one of their MM designs many years ago and my experience with the OC9MLII has been fantastic. When the OC9 came out I was just getting into audio--wow, that was a while ago! Sam Tellig fell in love with the original design which has since become a classic among relatively affordable MC cartridges. Given what you all have written here it seems as though the ART 9 may become the heir to that legacy. I'll return to post some impressions if people are interested once I have put some hours on mine.
Arrived and will mount this weekend. I'll let you all know what happens.....

What VTF are you guys using?
Got it dialed in on Saturday but only had time to listen to a few LPs. So far....Wow. Looking forward to how this evolves!
Got some time to listen this weekend and really heard the break in process unfold. Not sure if this has happened to anyone else before but this is the second time for me (the first was with my current speakers)--while listening (i.e. in the middle of an album) you could actually hear things open up, relax and become more spacious and dimensional. Very cool. For anyone who has ever had doubts about whether break in is a "thing" to experience this will really open your eyes. Still less that 25 hours on the ART 9 so I'll wait to comment further until I get more miles on the cartridge.
I'm nearing the 50 hour mark and can echo what has been posted by other folks--this is an exceptional cartridge and far superior to anything else I have tried in my VPI Scout. I am amazed at how even-handed, coherent and musically correct everything sounds. While the cartridge is certainly more revealing than the OC9MLII it replaced (more ambient information, inner detail, texture and vibrancy) it manages to present this more Technicolor soundscape without a hint of etch, grain or excessive sibilance. Over the weekend I cued up Linda Ronstadt's "Sentimental Reasons" with Nelson Riddle. I've heard this record dozens of times. When she lets go on "When You Wish Upon a Star"--specifically her phrasing of "Who you are......" it literally knocked me out of my chair. The dynamic expression, the ability to reveal the texture and subtle nuances of her voice as she projects it outward, was astonishing. It scared me, it thrilled me. Yesterday I listened to Beck's "Sea Change" on MFSL. The scale of the soundstage was mind blowing, as were the dramatic tonal colors that infuse this work--his best IMHO. I could go on but won't--I don't think this thing is even broken in yet, as it just keeps getting better every time I cue up my system. I've always been looking for a truly world class cartridge to run in my Scout which had the right performance/price ratio--for some reason I just could not get to the point where I was comfortable spending $2500 on a cartridge for an $1800 dollar turntable. The ART 9 solves this dilemma--it has perfect synergy with the JMW-9 (as did the OC9MLII before it--why more people don't choose the OC9 rather than the Dynas or Soundsmiths I don't know) and, at $1100, represents a "reasonable" amount of money to throw at a table like the Scout. This is what I love about the A'gon community--I would have never known about this treasure if Pani and the others hadn't brought it to my attention--many thanks! I'll try to do a full review once I get past 100 hours and am sure I have taken the full measure of this awesome cartridge.
No coloration. None. That is what I am experiencing. Listened to some mono recordings recently--wow. The ART 9 seems to give you exactly what is in the grooves. Really enjoying this pickup.......
Still breaking in....listened to MFSL "Teaser and the Firecat" recently. In the room with spooky body, texture and articulation. Nothing jumps out at you just supple, real and organic. My OC9MLII had a lot going for it but the ART 9 is just in a whole other league in terms of connecting you to the performance. Absolutely stunning....still breaking in.......
I'm using the Herron VTPH-2 with "infinite loading". Keith can send me loading plugs of nearly any value and I thought I might play around with this after the ART 9 breaks in...what should I request from Keith--100ohms?
butch: I can't quite answer your questions but will offer this...I ran a Dyna XX2MKII in my Scout with a Whest 3.0 stage and then swapped that setup for the Herron VTPH-2 with an AT OC9MLII. It was an interesting move that showed me the importance of the stage and the degree to which Keith's VTPH-2 really deserves all the kudos it routinely gets in the press and elsewhere. The VTPH-2/OC9 combo was considerably better across the board, easily besting a very well regarded solid state stage (the Whest) and what is likely a superior cartridge (the Dyna). My recent swap of the OC9 with the ART 9 has moved things to an entirely different level altogether. The number of variables here are such that I would not be able to testify to the relative performance of the Dyna XX2MKII and the ART 9 but if I were a betting man I'd say (in the right arm) it is better by a pretty good margin.
I think my holiday listening binge has put me on the other side of the break in process. I am hard pressed to find words to express the sheer joy this cartridge brings to my listening experience. I listened to Analogue Productions reissue of Sonny Rollins "Way Out West" the other night--just incredible! Just real performers in the room with all the dynamic swings, tonal realism and playful musicianship one would hear at a live performance in a really good room. I've heard this record dozens of times but never REALLY heard it or appreciated the talent of these musicians. What is really strange is the ART 9 has such extraordinary PRAT that it makes it seem as though my table was running off speed or with some kind of speed irregularity before the ART 9 was installed. The groove and the timing are so compelling with this cartridge. Following the bass lines is such a treat--I'm hearing notes that I've NEVER heard before that really reveal such mastery of the instrument. I also listened to Michael Hedges "Breakfast in the Field" last night. Just off the charts in terms of capturing the tone of the guitar as well as the dynamic energy of his playing style. And the detail--just out of this world but not at all thrown in your face or tipped up in any way. I've heard some pretty fine vinyl front ends over the years but have to believe that the ART 9 mounted in my humble Scout is getting me pretty darn close to what I've heard in much more expensive rigs. I cannot recommend this cartridge highly enough for folks with VPI's that are looking for something transcendent at a real world price.
Not at all to my ears in my system. I'd love to read the review--can you post a link?

Not sure how much can be gleaned from this review. First, the clarity of the evaluation and review conclusions is compromised by the translation. Second, the reviewer highlights the "weakness of TD 240 - 2... which makes the exquisite sound using the "sound" of the record player's arm or the casing, the "sound of the player = loose" (Especially the bass side) to spoil, its ability is hard to be demonstrated straight. Please note that there is some doubt about how accurately the sound of AT - ART 9 can be evaluated for that reason".  I'd be more inclined to give weight to the opinions expressed here by fellow audiophiles, who are using the ART 9 in a wide range of arm/table combinations and particularly those with the same table/arm or similar system preferences as your own. 


Since there were no "professional" reviews of this cartridge I had to set my skepticism aside and take a leap of faith based on several positive reports posted here. While the A'gon can often be an instrument of hype, in this case the reverse was true. My impressions of the ART 9 line up with the early adopters...I am exceedingly pleased. I'm at around 75 hours now and it continues to improve, however slightly, with each passing groove. I think mine is nearly broken in and the sound is perfectly balanced and sublime. The line contact profile means careful attention to set up is more important than other cartridges and break in does seem to require some miles so be patient. Mine sounded good out of the box but pretty ordinary until I got to around 50 hours. Thanks again to Pani and Oregon for bringing this bargain to our attention.
I think the whole topic of equipment break in is over cooked. In my experience the essential characteristics of ANY piece of gear are discernible within the first five hours of playback. Yes, subtle improvements do occur over time--more so with equipment that has mechanical properties like speakers and cartridges. But the idea that the ART 9 or any other quality piece of gear sounds terrible at first and transforms itself to a "giant killer" after hours and hours of play does not square with my experience. Avanti1960 I don't think you have done yourself any favors by switching the cartridge in and out of your system. The differences you are hearing are most likely more attributable to changes in set up rather than hours on the cartridge. I'm not sure you really know what the ART 9 sounds like at this point, nor do I think you are really able to make reliable comparisons with the other cartridges you mention. I'm not here to sing the praises of the cartridge--do I think it is great? Yes. But of course others may be looking for a different sound given their preferences and associated equipment. My point is that there is far too much emphasis in this discussion (and others) on the relevance of break in. Like most cartridges, if you set up the ART 9 properly and don't like the way the sounds after a few hours you probably are not going to like it after 100 hours either. 
FWIW I ran the ART 9 on the standard JWM9 that came with my Scout and it sounded great. However, a recent upgrade to the 3D-10 made a tremendous difference and really helped me to get the most out of this excellent cartridge. There is a tonal purity and utter lack of distortion that comes with the 3D arm. Highly recommended!
On the issue of turntable matching with the ART 9...just saw a $25K Artisan Fidelity Garrard 301 come on this site with an ART 9 mounted to a Schroeder arm.

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/turntables-artisan-fidelity-garrard-301-statement-dual-arm-1-year-...

Suggests the sky is the limit with this cartridge......
Hey guys for anyone interested I just posted a review of two cartridges that I ran in my system against the ART 9:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/3-cartridges-reviewed

I hope it furthers the discussion......