I have read conflicting reports- some say no trade in program any longer, some say 30 to 40% discount on the new model. AT sales are very responsive and can be reached: [email protected]" <[email protected]>
Hello Avanti1960, You started this thread about 4 years ago. I would like to know what your thought about the ART9 are today. Is it your favourite cartridge? Or do you recommend something else? I have bought a Technics SL1200G and using a Herron VTPH (2 x 12AX7, 3 x 12AT7) as a phono pre amplifier. I am looking for two cartridges, a stereo and a mono. Do you also have any experience with a good mono cartridge? I prefer that both cartridges are using the same output voltage and load, so that I have to minimize the handling when switching from stereo to mono. I listen to a lot of electronic/rock/psychedelic/krautrock/contemporary folk, almost everything but not a lot of jazz. Thanks and kind regards.
Hi Jenssen, The ART9 remains the class of ~ 1K +/- cartridges in my opinion although there are a few recent developments worth noting. I am currently using an $1900 Ortofon Cadenza Blue that sounds excellent but not that much better than the ART9. The new version just released is the ART9XI and by youtube samples sounds slightly more transparent and is slightly more expensive than the outgoing version. If I needed a new cartridge it would be the one I would purchase. Colorful, highly refined, enormous sound stage, super clean and am excellent tracker, a true high end sounding cartridge. It sounds great on all types of music. Bass is generous and impactful. It is a great match for the G tonearm. I do not use mono cartridges. The handful of mono records I own sound just fine on a stereo cartridge (to me). Peace and good luck. There isn't a cartridge under $1500 that I would rather listen to.
yes, the standard shell works the best because the ART9 and XI are a little shorter than most cartridges and most aftermarket headshells raise the cartridge higher. The stock shell is also lighter than most others and makes it a better match. The new XI has a threaded body which makes it much easier to install FYI.
In my opinion: the standard headshell won't properly give all the energy through as it should be. I tested with some headshells before. My main headshell was a Stax HS-7 with my ART1. I tested some headshells like a Denon one, the standard Technics, this Stax and one from ADC. I thought that the Stax and the Denon where the best. They where solid, no "open" system, to lower the weight of the headshell. Since I bought a AT33PTG/II I wanted a matching headshell. I bought the 11g magnesium AT-MS11 from the 90's. That was a fine upgrade. The headshell is stiff and solid and got all the adjustment properties I want. The azimuth is perfect adjusteble on these AT headshells. With the announcement of the ART9XI and ART9XA with the threaded holes, they announced a 11g AT-LH11. I would propose a stiff headshell like this one.
I go by what I have heard and my ART9 sounded incredibly good on my 1200GR with stock headshell. This is a known quantity if you will. No guess work required.....
Most important is what you hear. No question about that. This was only my thoughts about it. (We don't have any advantage to listen to something other people will like but you necessarily don't). And I would like to share you my AT-MS11 with Jelco lead wires, but we are just a bit too far away from eachother. (Would that be great, to just exchange equipment to listen to hardware at home, to listen what will sound good for your set/room)
I didn't buy one, that's still a bit rich for an unknown quantity ... for me. Just a community service message for those interested. The new OC9XML still sounding great over here at less than half the price, guess my standards have diminished a bit in recent times
I see, I thought the receipt meant a done deal for you, I had an OC9/III and at the time I thought I like it but it lasted so little that now I've got little idea of how it sounds.
The AT-OC9XML is a lot better than the OC9/III in my view, in direct listening comparisons, and as mentioned earlier, but getting off topic for this thread again. No idea how the new ART9XI sounds, hopefully someone will get one soon and report back, maybe even record a little so we can better know the true compliance, but that may be asking too much around here
Good point and I like it but not suitable for some Thorens arms, also some AT headshells and if you ruin the thread there goes the cartridge.
They still have holes through, so if you ruin thread you can still use mounting bolts of smaller size, without of course convenience.
AT service told me that the trade-in price for sending in an ART-9 and receiving an ART9XI back is $650 + shipping
I've asked a similar question for the ART7 to ART9XA trade up. I'll let the thread know what they say. The ART9XA (higher output, lower inductance) might be more of an upgrade from the ART7 than the XI is for the ART9. Although a totally different stylus.
So this is weird. In the US Audio Technica site, they sell the LH13H, LH15H, and LH18H. But *not* the LH11H....
Here is what they said regarding ART7 -> ART9XA: "Yes, we could replace it with a new AT-ART9XA for $650.16 plus Fed Ex shipping."
On my ART7 I do hear that the bass is so natural that it meight almost sound thin on some recordings. And when I read about the Shibata shaped diamonds, I do read a lot that there is often more bass pronounced then other shapes. I guess that they experimented at AT and go for the Shibata for the air-core '9XA (again, only 2,5μH of coil inductance on this cart!!).
I'm waiting on this HS too. It's technically released in Japan but hasn't made its way to many other countries yet. You can buy one from some shops in the UK if you search...
The LH11H is the same dimensions as the LH13H, which we can get easily in the US. From what I can tell from resonance calculators, this 2 gram difference only changes the resonance by about 0.5 Hz. I'm not sure it's worth bothering with, especially given tolerances and slop in compliance numbers.
