2. analog
  3. 153151-6720

Deciding on new TT and either a Zephyr MIMC vs an Audio Technica ART9

I think I decided that my new TT will be a VPI Super Prime Scout from Upscale Audio. If you're not familiar it's a VPI Prime Scout that has been upgraded with a 10.5” JMW-10 aluminum tonearm,  VPI's VTA on-the-fly tonearm base,  the 20-pound platter that's on the Prime and Classic series and VPI's Deluxe Delrin/Stainless steel screw-down record clamp.

They sell that with the Zepher MIMC but I asked them to get back to me with a comparison between that and the ART9.

In the past, based on my musical taste(Blues, Vocals, Rock) and Set-up (Ayre EX-8, Herron VTPH-2A, and Quatro Wood CT), people suggested the ART9.  At the time I was considering the Technics TT, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with this VPI. I'd love some guidance on the cartridge with this tonearm/unit.

Cheers,
Jim
jetson
jetson OP
137 posts
 
Thanks to you all for your input. 
@dodgealum  I'm not sure how to find messages anymore as I'm not an "insider". It may be that I'm just lost, but I can't seem to find PM's anymore.
bajaed
264 posts
 
Please post your opinions here dodgealum. Very interested in the Art9 and would love to hear your comparison. 
lancelock
1,085 posts
 
I love the ART9 and im a Soundsmith fan but to surpass the ART9 I had to buy a 4K Soundsmith Paua IIES
agrippa
160 posts
 
Zero experience with Soundsmith except for their re-tip/rebuild service (which is excellent), but I own an ART9 and love it to bits.

It is anything but " lean hifi sounding" in my system; rather it is full-bodied with excellent resolution and deep and taut bass. For comparison I also own an Allnic Puritas, a VdH Colibri XGP, a Benz Ebony TR and I would have great trouble declaring an outright winner between them. Each of the latter three have strengths not quite equalled by the ART9, but the ART9 is arguably the most homogenous of the bunch.

In a price/performance perspective it reigns supreme among all the cartridges I’ve tried.
lewm
12,461 posts
 
 The notion that the lower moving mass of a moving iron type cartridge inevitably makes it superior to a moving coil type is appealing, but there are no real data to support it. I admit that I too find that I like the sound of most moving iron cartridges that I own over an average moving coil, but I don’t claim to know why. If moving mass were the whole story, then there would be nothing but moving iron cartridges in the marketplace. That doesn’t seem to be the case. I don’t own an art9, but on other threads that cartridge has been the subject of heaps of praise from nearly all of its owners. I do own an ART7, and it is a really great cartridge, maybe the best for the money that I know about. On the other hand I highly respect Sound Smith and all of their products. You probably can’t go wrong with either.
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