Audio Technica ART9 MC Cartridge- The Real Deal?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by avanti1960, Dec 26, 2016.

  1. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    congrats! keep the faith, it will sound better as it wears in and you refine the installation. the only time the ART9 sounded bright on my table is when the alignment was slightly off- the cantilever was not parallel to the runway lines at the null point- and when the VTA was too high. VTA likes to be about 1/2mm tail up from level. If you drop it down from there it does get darker- and if you go up from there it becomes very bright.
    Also I have found it likes 100 ohms loading minimum and VTF right on the money at 1.8G. VTA less than that can also sound brighter. peace and good luck.
     
  2. vinyldoneright

    vinyldoneright pbthal

    Location:
    Ca
    Here is the graph..you can see the rise at about 11k and then drops at about 17.5k which is consistent with test tone rips

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    Thank you so much for that! Out of curiosity, what were you using prior to the Art9?
     
  4. Mainaman

    Mainaman Well-Known Member

    Location:
    London
    I have been using mine since the summer and my initial impressions are still valid.It is neutral,clean,resolving and free of sibilance.

    On the downside my previous carts definitively had more tone and colour.I havent tried a new phono stage yet,but maybe i should do it.

    My stage has fixed gain of 65db,maybe that is too much.
     
  5. Strat-Mangler

    Strat-Mangler Personal Survival Daily Record-Breaker

    Location:
    Toronto
    That's what I'm afraid of. Tone and color is what makes music fun!
     
    Seafinch likes this.
  6. vinyldoneright

    vinyldoneright pbthal

    Location:
    Ca
    Hmm lets see..working backwards

    Soundsmith MIMC Star
    Soundsmith MIMC
    Ortofon Quintet Black S
    ART-7
    AT33SA
    AT33PTG/II
    Ortofon MC A90
    Soundsmith Sussorro Paua
    Zyx 4D-X/SB2
    Zyx Airy 3X-SB
    AT33PTG
     
  7. Seafinch

    Seafinch Preferred Patron

    Location:
    United States
    How do you feel like the ART9 compares to the AT33SA? I have one of those now and I really like it.
     
  8. vinyldoneright

    vinyldoneright pbthal

    Location:
    Ca
    It is a very different presentation on my system, I can go back and listen to rips with each cart and hear the differences, the PTG and SA carts seem to try to present slightly unnatural imaging when comparing to the Art-9...to me.on my system. It is all about synergy
     
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  9. WestGrooving

    WestGrooving Forum Resident

    Location:
    California, U.S.A
    Can you post any links to clips of your rips using Art-9? curious to hear the cart and also synergy with your system. if not, no biggie.
     
  10. matthew2600

    matthew2600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Colorado
    ART-9 + Thriller made Christmas come early.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  11. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Holy schmokes that is quite a list! The MIMIC start was originally up for consideration. Can I ask your impressions about that one?
     
  12. vinyldoneright

    vinyldoneright pbthal

    Location:
    Ca
    I'll quote someone after hearing both the ART-9 and the MIMC star...."The Zephyr makes me feel like I'm listening to a record while the ART-9 make me feel like I'm listening to music"
     
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  13. vinyldoneright

    vinyldoneright pbthal

    Location:
    Ca
    Pretty sure I can do this
     
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  14. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    Obviously this is a bit of a tough thing to quantify but I'd say the most "tonally dynamic" cart I've owned was a DV 20x2L. Man, that was a FUN cart to listen to. But, it was a bit too extreme on some material. It had midrange to die for but sometimes to a fault. To contrast it, I had a Lyra Delos which seemed more like a scalpel than a cello. Since I like balance, I wished for a cart that woudl combine the best parts of both.

    I found it in the Art 9. It's extremely sensitive to whatever is upstream. Feed it to a like-minded phono stage and you're in for a treat. I wouldn't call the Art9 clinical, cold, or tonally dull whatsoever.
     
  15. Steven_Glasgow

    Steven_Glasgow Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Glasgow, Scotland
    Just got an ART9 to replace my OC9-2 so will be very interested to hear the improvement that I get as the OC9 is sublime in my system.

    Using a Source t/t, Source 3D PSU and Odyssey RP1-XG2 arm. Phono stage is a Linn Linto
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  16. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    I'd like to hear your thoughts as I quite liked the OC9ML/II.
     
  17. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    definitely some "table"influence differences comparing our experiences with the DV20X2L. loved it at first but it eventually turned into a bass heavy dark sounding monster to the point of drowning out the midrange and treble on lots of recordings. i wished the midrange were more forward! dynamics were great though.
    thanks for the mention of the delos, another potential upgrade contender. sticking with the ART9 for now.
     
  18. vinylkid58

    vinylkid58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Victoria, B.C.
    Great list! I'm still running the one on the bottom.

    jeff
     
  19. MattyW

    MattyW Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brisbane
    If anyone is interested in my rips so far with my ART9 please message me. I'll send you through a link and login information for my NAS. Just make sure you download after 12 at night (Brisbane time) to avoid congestion with the Australian fibre link to the US.
     
  20. vinyldoneright

    vinyldoneright pbthal

    Location:
    Ca
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  21. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    I bought one today for a VPI Prime and will report back. I am replacing an MLX150 which I just love, so I'm not really sure why I'm even bothering but a forum member said it is like the MLX but better all around. And I agree with your totally correct statement...the only thing wrong with the MLX is it is also ridiculously cheap for what you get!
     
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  22. Jrr

    Jrr Forum Resident

    I just ordered one and I have a, perhaps, dumb question. What is "tails up" mean?
     
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  23. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    Tail up refers to the counterweight end being slightly higher than the cartridge end whilst playing. Just a smidge past level. That's how I've set mine and find it to be best for my tastes.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  24. Steven_Glasgow

    Steven_Glasgow Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Glasgow, Scotland
    Well, I’ve been and gone and done it.

    I broke my cartridge mounting damage virginity and somehow managed to end up with a skewed cantilever. The first cartridge I’ve ever managed to damage and no point in getting annoyed.

    Another ordered and awaiting receipt - an expensive lesson.

    However, given the skew was slight and the diamond was perfect under inspection, I decided to re-align my tonearm to compensate for it in the short term for evaluation purposes.

    Wow. Just wow.

    Compared to a perfectly good OC9, this cartridge is stellar and it is nowhere near run-in. Less than a handful of hours on it.

    Big soundstage, great tune, excellent detail and a real dynamism to the presentation.

    All said, I’m pleased to say that the OC9 is staying in it’s box and I can’t wait for the next Art9 to arrive.
     
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  25. joegator81

    joegator81 New Member

    Location:
    Florida
    Anyone compared an Art 9 to an ortofon cadenza bronze or any of the upper tier charisma carts? I really like the idea of a little extra warmth that the ortofon in particular is said to impart.

    Table is notts 294 w/ ace space 12" arm. Phono stage is Musical Surroundings Nova II, so super quiet, infinitely adjustable, and quite neutral.

    Thanks
     

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