Interesting. I've read the "dual y chord" thing works, but isn't "true" mono whatever that means. And my phono pre doesn't have a mono switch. I know I can buy a mono switch but I fancy myself a purist - at least at first, lol. If I were to try a mono cart and not really see much difference between it and a stereo cart with a double-y, then I'll probably just go back to the y-chord option
But dont think its done! Its going to get even better...mark my word....its no where near done changing. Let's just say, you've got a lot of discovery in your future with your misic and with that cart!
What you described is very similar to the difference I heard when switching from a 2M Bronze to the Clearaudio Concept MC. The 2M sounded grainy and harsh after comparing it with the Concept MC. I am thinking I'd like the ART9.
Even though I have enjoyed Audio Technica cartridges in the past, I have all but dismissed them in recent years. Thanks again to HiFi Guy who suggested the ART9.
That's because the 2m Bronze does sound grainy and harsh. I'm a former Bronze owner. No axe to grind, just the way it is. And I've not heard anyone say anything bad about the ART9. Looks like a safe bet. I'm buying one as well.
Ahhh its just like anything else....its fine until something much better comes along. The 2M Bronze is great at the level its at and cant really be expected to have the performance of a cart that cost over twice as much. Lets keep it real.
I am keeping it real. I have an OC9/ii that can be purchased for $429 at LP Gear. It murders the Bronze that everyone overpays for here in the US at $440. (I paid $293 shipped for the Bronze BTW and it's just not a great cartridge- not even at $293.)
Well...my posting and statement "Keep it real" was in reply to your comparison of the 2M bronze to the Art9. That's not in good sound reason....and its obvious as to why. You now have made a totally different argument The 2M Bronze versus the OC9 II saying its not a great cart. Much closer class but I wont argue your opinion of the OC9 II versus the 2M Bronze. We all feel different about sound. But one cart in one system may sound horrible and may sound great in another. But I can tell you......Ortofon sells a lot of those 2M Bronze cart, so lots of people disagree with your opinion. Your statement about overpaying in the US. Hahahahahaha! I've been around this hobby from the 70's. I've seen lots of gear come and go. 2 Things here...(1) With in the last ten years I've not paid retail asking price for any audio gear until last week and that item was sent back to the store. ( 2) And the majority of audio hobbyist know that all things in this hobby are over priced....this stuff is so over priced its not funny. One almost has to find a connection with a dealer who is willing to give a very good discounts. With my dealer, who is retired and sells out of his home and does it because he loves the hobby... I can get any where from 20% to 40% off retail depending on the item. So when you speak of people over paying for said cart.....its not just that cart....all this stuff is over priced...and guess who set the market? One guess. Yeah we love this hobby!
Very Nice! I've opined the 2M Bronze is a very good cart! I paid $340 for mine.....I also have a 2M Red as well as a 2M Black among a few other carts. I've had the Bronze for less than a week. About around Christmas I was at a friends house listening to the new MMF-7.3 that had a 2M Bronze. That was being driven by a Lehmann Black Cube SE II which was being driven through a pair of Bel Canto 600M Mono Blocks and matching Integrated in preamp mode...with a pair of Goldenear Trinton Two Towers. Speaker cable was Analysis Plus Black Mesh Oval 9 and Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Interconnects and Analysis Plus Low Mass phono Cable. The 2M Bronze in that system sounded great!
I'm fairly happy with my bronze... At some point this year, I plan on getting either a Sumiko Blackbird or a Clearaudio Essence, however I plan on keeping my bronze
I keep all my old carts.....thow them in the drawer...you never know when you might need one. And besides...its fun revisiting them later.
I'll agree with the vast majority of your post. I stick by my assessment of the Bronze, and contend that not nearly as many would be sold if people could comparison shop cartridges by listening before laying out the cash. But when it comes to cartridges, we all roll the dice. I'm planning on an ART-9 because people who love the cartridge that I currently own and highly enjoy say the ART-9 is far superior. It should be for the price difference. And my favorite assessment of the ART-9 is from @avanti1960 because it isn't all "I love my shiny new bauble." It's the most thoughtful assessment I've seen. I've also learned he's impatient! Lol. But I get it. I'm breaking in a new phono stage, and I just want to be on the other side of that.
There's a lot into what helps a cart sound good. Its easy to complement it with surrounding gear and cables if the wallet is on par. If not its always valuable to know the sound signature of your gear and buy accordingly. In listening, I've learned over the years....first the tree's then the Forrest. Get what the individual parts are doing first (trees) then how's the entire sound as a unit. (Forrest). Works for me. Also in audio...we want the best we can get for the loot we spend. So I agree with you there... but there is always something that will top this or top that for the same money or in the same ball park. Unfortunately most times we cant afford the luxury of ordering multiple carts to compare as we can't send the losers back. I just cant worry about whats better and I should have ordered this rather than that. But I wouldn't say a Item is trash (not saying you did)as not to offend any one. I try to chose words wisely. But still im not perfect. But I do find consumer reviews very helpful as in avanti1960's review of the Art9. So I do agree with you on this as well. I've pretty much gotten off the merry go round.....If I had the loot I've spent over the decades I'd be a very happy man. I have a few upgrades to do, and I do buy carts, cables, and tubes.... but i'm done buying gear until my retirement. I hold to my opinion the 2M Bronze is an excellent cart. I've it in a second system in my family's home theater room. I've replaced the 2M Red that was in there on a MMF-2.1 TT. Tha'ts going into a Creek OBH-15 MK II phono amp into a Yamaha Aventage 7.1 Home theater receiver in direct 2 channel mode while listening to records. I've about 10 hours on the 2M Bronze and it was sounding decent, but not as transparent and balanced as it should have. I had a pair of Blue Marble interconnects running from the phono amp to the Home theater receiver. Something was missing....wasn't in the traditional Ortofon sound signature. This morning I replaced the Blue Marble interconnects with a nice pair of Synergistic Research CORE Interconnect I had in my stash. Wow! All the Ortofon magic is back. I love what i'm hearing and as you know.... its only going to improve as it runs in. Will the OC9II sound much better? Maybe....maybe not. Can't stress over if I purchased the right cart, but thanks for putting it on the radar in comparing it to the 2M Bronze. Others reading here may take that into consideration in the future. But what i'm hearing now is wonderful. My home theater front speakers are a Pair of Paradigm Monitor 7 v3 floor standers.....the ones they made before they started making them small. They've always gotten a bad rap for having a hot tweeter and rightly so. I've a pair of entry level Analysis Plus Clear Oval speaker cables which complement the metal tweeters perfectly. For my main system in the 2 Channel room, I've planed on purchasing either the Quintet Black or the Art9 in due time. I can get a great deal on the Quintet Black from my dealer, but not the Art9 as he doesn't carry the line. But i'm leaning towards the Art9 because of the outstanding review of avanti1960. I've followed his travels on this board and at another and read what he said and what others have said as well. Seems like a great bang for cartridge. I think that's what we all want...the best bang for buck.
The 2M Bronze was never harsh in my system. And frankly, my Lyra Delos at 5x the cost doesn't 'murder it' either.... nor does my Benz Wood SL. They certainly take LP play up a few more notches but that's it. Maybe it just wasn't a good fit in your system.
just for the record i was comparing the sound of ART9 to my well broken in Ortofon 2M black. all of a sudden the black sounded noisy and filled with fake treble and air by comparison. so much so that i thought i could not listen to it again. this is very complementary to the sound quality of the ART9 and a fair comparison because they aren't that far apart in price- and the 2M black is very well regarded as a giant killer in its own right. i've been playing the heck out of the art9 lately and notice the treble is starting to bloom. clean sweet treble is what makes this one shine.
and mix it with your favorite lp's. Sweetness. Not so shabby doing classical either. Or throw on some Vanessa Fernandez, or Nina Simone and one of my favorite's, Natalie Merchant
avanti...what is fake treble? Now I've heard treble that was way more defined than whats coming out the 2M Black, but its not fake sounding nor is there any noise. The Special line contact isnt that much different than the Nude Shibata. Why the noise? Are you sure when you put it back in y-ou lined it up correctly? Both these styli require clean spotless vinyl.
Well, thanks to you guys as well as those on the Audiogon forum, I pulled the trigger and ordered the ART9 from LP Gear. This will be an upgrade from an Audio Technica AT 33EV. I cant wait!
slippers, i don't know how else to describe it. fake, tipped up, artificial, not natural etc. i became so used to the smoothness of the ART9 that the contrast to the 2m black was too much to take. Yeah, i aligned it perfectly (lots of practice lately!). any music with some treble "air" had a too much swirl and tinge around it. it was really annoying. last night i was playing my new copy pink floyd the final cut reissue, the ART9 must like roger water's voice because like the amused to death LP, the final cut sounded equally awesome. water's seemed to be singing front and center and his voice hovered in the 3D air like an idling drone machine. so smooth, natural and realistic.
So LPGear has this for $929 with free shipping right now. I'm guessing this is in anticipation of the new models starting to roll out but those have aluminum cantilevers, not the boron from the Art9. I'll report back with thoughts once it's broken in. Will compare to Hana EH, Denon DL-103 and AT-150MLX. I just can't pass it up at that price. I am also keenly interested in how my iPhono V2 will handle a .5v low output MC cart.
Jesus Christ... this hobby... #ordered Will one of you technical smarty pants folk verify that this cartridge will be compatible with my Simaudio Moon 110lp phono stage? I'll throw a "like" your way for your troubles. MOON by Simaudio - 110LP MM/MC Phono Preamp ยป
