Ooops, I’m an idjit! Sorry, I meant to say 66 dB of gain. I’m using the unbalanced outputs. Capacitive loading is zero. I’m using the RIAA setting.
It's getting to that point where I'm in need of a new cartridge. I've loved the warmth and fullness that my ART9 exhibits, and needless to say, its departure will leave me a little sad, but I'm forced to move on. Along the way, I've contemplated either the XA or XI, but I probably don't have gain the to push the XA (66 dB) and am a little nervous about more top end with the XI. The Delos is also in sight, but curious to whether it's a too much cartridge for my 1210GR with stock arm (plan to upgrade my phono amp but not TT). Any experiences here to share or thoughts on which direction to go?
AT doesn't retip, but they have a good MC exchange program, used to be really good but now more average.
I've just recently swapped out a XI for the XA (I'm a biased fan of the Shibata stylus) and I too was initially concerned about whether my preamp could adequately transcribe the .2 mV of the XA, which is why I initially went with the XI (and I wanted to hear the SLC stylus). The XI is a superb cartridge. It's beautiful, full of extension across the entire spectrum, with immaculate imaging and spaciousness. I've only just begun to listen to the XA this weekend so I'll refrain from trying to analyze it. I will say the robustness I appreciate about the Shibata sound is alive and well and that the XA seems to have an even quieter background than the XI, which has surprised me. Looking at specs for your Mofi StudioPhono it lists input specs for LOMC as .3 mV - 1 mV, so it seems that the .2 mV XA may not pair well. Talking to others about gain they've felt necessary with the XA seems largely dependent on the preamp itself. I've heard of success w/ 64 dB and then 70 dB not being enough, go figure. 68 dB of gain has the XA sounding mighty fine in this house. Your GR is certainly worthy of a nice cartridge. It's a solid turntable capable of displaying subtle and dramatic differences between cartridges and downstream components. If you went w/ a Delos you wouldn't be the first to put one on a GR, reportedly w/ excellent results. I do think you're right to be considering a nicer preamp to properly decipher more premium cartridges and get even more from those LP's. Best of luck, have fun!
I have had an XI for about a year now. I have a 1200MK2 and decent preamp (Musical Surroundings Nova II) that has enough quiet gain for the cart. I run it at 60db I believe? Kept pushing it higher more and more. The sound is just effortless, refined, smooth, detailed without being etched. I don’t find the top end too much at all. I did find it sensitive to VTA and at first found it dull… turns out my VTA was just too low. For me, I’ve stopped looking for “the next thing” with this cart. It has great synergy with my system and might with yours too!
Know what you mean. I had tried multiple carts, including a few ATs, but the moment the ART9 touched vinyl, I knew my search was over. It brought out everything I wanted to hear in a record, even if it sacrifices a bit of detail for color. I do have an AT120 running on another TT, and that little booger can kick some serious butt for what it is. Anyway, I'm leaning toward the XI and need to check in with AT on the current trade-in program. I have both the ART9 and PTG/II with low hours to trade so maybe they'll take both. In the meantime, if anyone has compared the XI to Delos, please share your thoughts.
I have the Delos on my 'GR and can assure you it is not too much cartridge for the table. The tonearm has precise VTA adjustment, is a good compliance match, the platter / motor has precise speed and the plinth is solidly immune from feedback and vibration. In short it can do justice to any cartridge as long as the tonearm resonance isn't a miss-match. BTW the Delos is the best sounding cartridge that I have used by far including the Ortofon Cadenza blue, Soundsmith MIMC star ES, ART9 and ART9 XA. Go for it if you can because it will sound better. In the mean time ship the ART9 to soundsmith for a retip and you have a quality spare.
I second the vote for the Delos, though I haven’t heard the ART9 lineup. I don’t think it will be too much cart for your arm, but should you ever upgrade the table and/or arm, the Delos will scale up quite nicely.
See before. Originally 9XA but noted on here the difficulty find a pre-pre or SUT it was comfortable with. went through 4 or 5 items before ending up with EAR MC3 which is a quality SUT. But could never eliminate low level hum. More recent was used 9XI. This works straight into my Conrad Johnson EV1 Phono pre amp. Gain is only 49db but works well. But I do slightly prefer the sound of the XA.
The non-magnetic core of the XA brings a whole other level of magic to the sound. It's amazing how clean and clear it is.
Thanks everyone…I’m thoroughly confused lol. Plenty of gain on tap, Rogue Perseus Phono preamp Have AT33SA Unipivot Nema arm Should I go for original ART9, ART9 XI, ART9 XA? I’d like an improvement in bass and I’m a soundstage junkie who wants more romance and haunting mids. Rock, Jazz, Folk Tell me quick so I can cancel my order on the XI
I don't think you will find the original ART9 readily available, it's been out of production for quite a while now. The low output air core ART7 is still available at a few hundred $ less than it's successor in the new ART9XA, albeit with Shibata tip on the XA instead of the SLC on the ART7, and the new XA has a little higher output too. The XI is the higher output iron core version with SLC tip. Hard to say which one you may like best, there are big fans of them all here. The best pricing I've seen for US buyers is at Thakker, the XA and XI are readily available for €1,132.77 ($1194), while the ART7 is €923.53 ($974), though you can usually get better deals from Japan, sometimes on ebay, but they collect US sales tax too.
I went from the AT33PTGII to the SA and it was “more” of all that.. now I want more “more” of all that. The AT33PTGII was a great cart.. in fact I went through two of them. The SA was better. That’s why I’m confident the ART9 will be even better.. but which one…
@Funky54 I’ve had both the XI and the XA in my system before. I would suggest the XA would be most happy with 70db of gain, but is my favorite for its natural tonality airy airy soundstage. The XI is a much more in your face lively presentation, lots of slam, and still a very good soundstage, but to me lacked the finesse of the XA.
What's the effective mass of your tonearm? I'm guessing is a fairly light arm, and would work best with a higher compliance version of the ART9? jeff
I think he has the Roksan NIMA tonearm, which is specified with 15.3g effective mass, so well into the medium range. The XI is the relatively high compliance version, the XA has much lower compliance according to resonance tests done by our friend @junkculture here ... The Technics SL-1200 GAE/G/GR general questions thread
I’m not sure how to interpret what you shared. Seems to me the medium mass arm would be ok with either cart?
The tests in the link were done with a Technics SL-1200GR with what most assume is the same effective mass as the older models, so around 12g. Your arm is about 3 grams more, so resonant frequency should be about 0.5Hz lower than the values junkculture measured, so not too much different. It was just informational, not intended to tell you which cartridge is best for you, only that the XA seems to have quite a bit lower compliance than the XA
I was loving the AT33Sa before I got the ART9XI, and the XI blew my mind w/ it's incredible tonal balance. It's such a balanced, beautiful, and brilliant presentation. However, I was missing the mid-band plumpness I've come to love about a Shibata stylus, so I got the XA and it's now my daily driver. I've never heard such realistic vocals in my house as I have from the XA and the width of it's stereo soundscape is quite impressive. The XA brought back the gusto and swagger that I appreciate about Shibata styli as well as an intoxicating amount of texture. If your preamp is comfortable w/ the .2 mV output of the XA, and you're already accustomed to an AT Shibata LOMC, I certainly recommend the XA. You won't be sorry w/ the XI, but it might leave you wondering about the XA... at least that's how it played out for this Shibata fan. If both my XI and XA were to bite the bullet and need replacing, I'd be ordering another XA. Good luck! Curious to hear how it plays out for you.
So after just over 2 years finaly sold my ART9XA - someone got a bargain as little used. Decided to stick with ART9XI. As anyone put out up an ideal setup for art9xi on a technics sl1200 (G) ie overhang adjustment used and arm angle / VTA ?
Why not use the appropriate 52 mm Technics overhang? VTA will be dependant on the thickness of the mat you're using and the height of your headshell.
i used the mint best tractor. technics alignment but much more accurate than the technics diving boad. the 9 deserves accuracy and rewards you for doing so.
