Audio Technica ART9 MC Cartridge- The Real Deal?

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

  1. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    Looks you can have 60 dB of gain (user selectable) which should be plenty for the Art 9. You're only loading option is 100 ohm which would be OK but I believe Avanti settled on 1k ohm loading...
     
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  2. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    Your iPhono 2 is going to have no issues. I Iove mine.
     
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  3. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    congrats todd!
    the iphono should be fine as far as gain is concerned- i'm using 56db and it is perfect and even the 66db setting does not sound overdriven.
    the iphono @ 60db should do it justice although no offense a stage with a large outboard power supply will improve dynamics,
     
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  4. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    back to 100 ohm.
    60db should do it.
     
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  5. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    yeah 929 kicks my butt ! i paid 1069 on 12/23 and the price was 929 on 12/26! no problem though, LP gear gave me credit for the difference and I ordered a bunch of vinyl accessories.
     
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  6. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    That's awesome of them to do! And I agree with your point on the phono stage. I do at least have the upgraded PSU for the iFi gear but eventually I need to invest in a true, high end phono stage. I'll get there but I seriously need to ground myself from spending money. Last night was a fluke but I just couldn't pass it up for under a grand. Can't wait to compare it to the Hana from both a musical and tracking perspective.
     
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  7. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    I think you'll be shocked how good the iPhono 2 is.
     
  8. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Ok...fair enough.
     
  9. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    I'm already more than thrilled with it on MM and HOMC. LOMC is a little different ballgame though and will test its true noise floor (which has been shockingly quiet on the former styles). I don't have doubts but proceed with cautious optimism :)
     
  10. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    I'm using it with a LOMC (.4 mV) and you'll be thrilled.
     
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  11. Catcher10

    Catcher10 I like records, and Prog...duh

    100ohm is one of your options which is what AT suggests, but I found all my AT MC carts preferred 121ohms and gain of about 58dB, so you'll need to play with the gain some. Above all you need to make sure you align that cart perfectly, especially azimuth or your gonna leave a lot of money on the table, you won't hear what you paid for.
     
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  12. cadeallaw

    cadeallaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dayton, OH
  13. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    If I may, what setting are you using, 60 dB? That's where I have the Art9 so far and I feel like I could use a touch more volume, but the jump to 72 seems too much. Hmmm.

    Got it set up at 1.8g, VTA is level if not ever so slightly tail-down, and dialed in darn near perfect on the Fozgo. I've only listened to 3 songs so far and it's no doubt this thing is special. And @HiFi Guy aside from the aforementioned level issue, the iPhono V2 is still dead quiet even at the 60 dB range.

    I'm hearing extreme clarity in the upper bass and midrange, with, even so far, a relaxed yet palpable topend. Not "shimmery" by any means. Tracks amazingly as well, as expected. Missing some lowend grunt but I assume that'll kick up as it breaks in.

    Fun times ahead, methinks
     
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  14. HiFi Guy

    HiFi Guy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lakeland, FL
    I'm using 60 dB. You could try 72 and see what you think.

    My new arm has been shipped. I just need to find a Garrard 301/401 and have it restored. A plinth and an ART9 and I'm done.
     
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  15. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    I kicked it up to 72 for all of about 30 seconds. 60 will work, I'll just lean into the volume a little more than normal which is fine, I have room to spare.
     
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  16. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    tracking has
    Congrats Todd! I'm using 56db of gain and it sounds perfect and that is the optimum gain for the output. Don't worry about the volume control setting.
     
  17. Chupacabra

    Chupacabra Active Member

    Location:
    Philadelphia
    Yeah, I'm sure you are.
     
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  18. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    I'm getting some serious Lyra Delos flashbacks with this thing. Again, too early to tell but it reminds me of the effortless clarity and detail of the Delos. The Delos, for me, ended up losing out to my fav at the time, a DV 20X2L which just seemed to be a match made in heaven with the Budgie SUT and phono pre I had at the time. With that said, the Art9 almost offers MORE detail which I have already, on three different tracks so far, almost found creepy to a degree. In that, I'm not just hearing something I didn't hear before (like a wonderful piano section in Iron Maiden - Prowler that I just never noticed before) but it's so obvious I'm going... how have I never noticed that before? And that's the problem with aural memory. Maybe I have but it has never stood out like this before. I'm still well-away from the breakin period even starting so I'm trying not to be effusive in my praise but dang, this thing sounds really good.

    I am hearing more of the noise floor on the iFi now but if I'm being honest, I will probably pony up for another Budgie SUT at some point. I absolutely loved that thing and it takes all the guesswork out of phono stages for MCs IMO.

    It took me about a month to figure out that while I knew the Delos was a "better" cart than my DV, I just had a preference for the DV re: my goals for the system. So, it's way too early to tell. And the Hana EH that the Art9 replaces really is an incredible value. It sounds great. The Art9 certainly sounds in a different class so far, however.

    I also think the transparency of the Super12 is really starting to shine here. I've had three carts on it so far - 150MLX, Hana EH, and Art9 now. It has absolutely no issue letting each cart strut its stuff. I cannot say enough good things about this table and now that I have this combo plus the iPhono V2 - I'm not really sure where one goes from here. I'm ok with that.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  19. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    Slight update - the noise floor on the iPhono V2 is fine. The last LP I had on must have just had a bit of a tape hiss issue or something. Spinning Rumours 45 RPM now and it's quiet as a field mouse.
     
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  20. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    Congrats on the new Cart! How about a little audio porn? can we have a shot of the entire system?
     
  21. Slippers-on

    Slippers-on Forum Resident

    Location:
    St.Louis Mo.
    I've iFI DSD DAC and USB Power 3.0 and will be getting the new iTube and the iFi headphone amp as well. It very good stuff! Makes a very nice headphone system for me and the DSD DAC is excellent when I connect it to my main system so I know the ifI iphono is excellent as well. But if you decide to go another direction the Musical Surrounding Phonomena II+ will have all the loading youd ever need,,,,sounds fantasic and can be had for under $1000
     
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  22. toddrhodes

    toddrhodes Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Bend, IN
    @Slippers-on - sure!
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The best "head on" view I can manage:
    [​IMG]

    The first upgraded phono stage I had was an MS Phonomena 1 but it did not have the ease of loading changes of the V2 nor did it have anything but a wall wart powering it. I honestly can't find anything the iFi does that isn't honest and incredibly accurate for the money spent. Like you mentioned, a few more loading and gain options might be nice but frankly, the juice isn't worth the squeeze in that regard.
     
  23. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Todd,

    Are you noticing how clean this cartridge sounds? Any sibilance?
     
  24. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    None!, so far.
    [​IMG]
     
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  25. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    nice!
    that is what blows me away about this cartridge- absolutely zero sibilance or edginess, it's incredibly natural. "S" sounds sound like someone singing, no added air or embellishment.
     
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