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
I'm using an original Well Tempered table with the original WT arm ... with modifications of course. *lol*  

Thanks Oregonpapa,

That doesn't help for a 16g arm though. 

I think Pani said a SME M2-12.  Not sure of the mass, but that would be a bit closer.

Regards,

Fleib,

I have use my ART 9 on both the JVC 7045 and the Graham 2.2.  I will at some point in the future, mount my Lustre GST-801 which is referred to as a heavy arm and give you an additional update using the ART 9.
Performs beautifully with the 2 arms mentioned.  Reminds me of the 
AT 180 ooc but slightly more refined.  The ART 9 is a hell of a cartridge Fleib.  I am tempted to get a ART 7 !
M2-12 has an effective mass of 14 grams. The ART9 performs beautifully on it.