Audio Technica ART9

[plastico]

Well I got 6hrs on this cart so far. It has very similar dimensions to the Dl-301 so instalation was a snap. Oh, I stuck a little dab of blue tack on the nuts and stuck in place on the cart so screwing the screws from the top was a breeze! Oh man, the magnet on this thing could pick up nails from a roofing job! Anyways the first thing I noticed was the soundstage; how huge it is! And the soundstage on the DL-301 is no slouch. The ART9 has better highs, detail and bass than the DL-301. But then again its in a different snack bracket! And everybody kept asking me how much better can it get? It was hard to imagine cause the Denon is a great cart for the price. I just wanted a cart to end my quest for a great table/cart combo; to retire with. I read that it takes up to 100hrs to fully break-in. Oh, the first thing that I noticed when I played a old Nancy Sinatra record was the BLAT from the horns! Just great!
Cheers, Doug

[Audio Al]

Happy Days :)

[Bigman80]

Well I got 6hrs on this cart so far. It has very similar dimensions to the Dl-301 so instalation was a snap. Oh, I stuck a little dab of blue tack on the nuts and stuck in place on the cart so screwing the screws from the top was a breeze! Oh man, the magnet on this thing could pick up nails from a roofing job! Anyways the first thing I noticed was the soundstage; how huge it is! And the soundstage on the DL-301 is no slouch. The ART9 has better highs, detail and bass than the DL-301. But then again its in a different snack bracket! And everybody kept asking me how much better can it get? It was hard to imagine cause the Denon is a great cart for the price. I just wanted a cart to end my quest for a great table/cart combo; to retire with. I read that it takes up to 100hrs to fully break-in. Oh, the first thing that I noticed when I played a old Nancy Sinatra record was the BLAT from the horns! Just great!
Cheers, DougHi Doug,

I'm really interested in your finding as I have an ART7 On the way for a loan. I've heard it a couple of times and felt it had a slightly warmer presentation than the Kontrapunkt b. What's your thoughts on its tonal presentation?

[Bigman80]

Duplicate

[plastico]

Well, coming from a Denon DL-301mk2, its tone is very good. But I think it will come into its own even after a longer break in period. The cart comes across as balanced with very little highlighted. I have read that the ART7 is a little warmer than the ART9.
Cheers, Doug

[Bigman80]

You may be right there. It's actually a really nice cartridge. Keep us updated on your progress
Well, coming from a Denon DL-301mk2, its tone is very good. But I think it will come into its own even after a longer break in period. The cart comes across as balanced with very little highlighted. I have read that the ART7 is a little warmer than the ART9.
Cheers, Doug

[CageyH]

This seems to be the next logical step on the cartridge ladder for me.

Any ideas how it compares with the AT33PTG/II?

[DiveDeepDog]

I have both PTG ii and Art9, as you say its a natural step and along with AT's hierarchy the more you spend the better they get.

They have very similar traits with the 9 having even better articulated bass. On 1st listen it may appear leaner, when in fact its cleaner.

The Art7 is a bit off field with even lower output, I have AT37 with ruby cantilever which is its predecessor and it's noticeably quieter needing a few extra notches on the volume control.

If I were buying new, I'd consider the Shelter 501, also heard good things about Zyx but thats the one brand I've not got my hands on...yet:lol:

[bosa]

Got one on order and extremely excited to hear what all the excitement is about. I wanted something that was a bit more exciting than the Zyx.

[plastico]

This is my first Audio Technica cart, and I am blown away by what I'm hearing so far! My previous carts; Denon 103r/Pulse body, Dyna 10x5, Denon DL-301mk2 and last but not least..Denon DL-S1.
Cheers, Doug

[Bigman80]

This seems to be the next logical step on the cartridge ladder for me.

Any ideas how it compares with the AT33PTG/II?If you like the AT33PTGII, I'd suggest it's a no brained to get the ART-7/9. I haven't heard a 9 but the 7 is a really dynamic cart with bags of impact. It would highlight the slightly soft bass of the AT33PTGII and beat it in dynamics and impact easily. I liked this AT33PTGII but the 7 is a real high end cart, I really like it hence the loan I am having. It's a serious cartridge. The only thing that let it down against the Ortofon Vienna was the width of the soundstage but I felt it had the edge in depth of soundstage. Personally, I think it's a wonderful cartridge at its RRP price. All I'll say is, you rarely see a used one up for sale.

Denon DL S1 owners were selling them on to buy these ART7's a year or so ago. Says a lot IMO. It was all over AudioKarma if I recall correctly.

[Bigman80]

I have both PTG ii and Art9, as you say its a natural step and along with AT's hierarchy the more you spend the better they get.

They have very similar traits with the 9 having even better articulated bass. On 1st listen it may appear leaner, when in fact its cleaner.

The Art7 is a bit off field with even lower output, I have AT37 with ruby cantilever which is its predecessor and it's noticeably quieter needing a few extra notches on the volume control.

If I were buying new, I'd consider the Shelter 501, also heard good things about Zyx but thats the one brand I've not got my hands on...yet[emoji38]No way I'd swap a AT-ART7 for a ZYX. just no way.
Never heard a Shelter Cart.

[DiveDeepDog]

:eyebrows:
No way I'd swap a AT-ART7 for a ZYX. just no way.
Never heard a Shelter Cart.

Last time I looked the Zyx was flavour of the month, I must keep up:eyebrows:

[Bigman80]

:eyebrows:

Last time I looked the Zyx was flavour of the month, I must keep up:eyebrows:Well, out of the the three ive heard in the £0 - £1000 price bracket, I wouldn't have another.

Some folk swear by them but personally, I just think they just don't stand up to the task of retrieving detail. Good if you like partying as the bass retrieval is as good as anything out there but as a means of faithfully reproducing the info in the grooves, nope.

R50, R100, Yatra BTW.

[CageyH]

I have read that the 9 is better for Pop/Rock than the 7. Any thoughts on that?

[Bigman80]

I have read that the 9 is better for Pop/Rock than the 7. Any thoughts on that?Not really, I can't have any as I haven't heard them both first hand. All I can suggest is the 7 has the air core which should have a faster response rate and therefore offer excellent dynamics. I can say that the 7 didn't have any issue performing in dynamics and impact department. Detail retrieval is excellent as one would expect and the timbral quality is equally as good. The only thing that niggles at me was the slightly warmer tone than the Kontrapunkt which isn't to say one is right and the other isn't. It just isn't what I was used to hearing.

[DiveDeepDog]

I have read that the 9 is better for Pop/Rock than the 7. Any thoughts on that?

I'd be more concerned my phono stage can handle 0.1mv of the Art7, needs a bit of gain in the system. The Art 9 is a healthy 0.5mv and easier to match.

[Bigman80]

Yes, whilst it is low there has been no issue reported via any forum and plenty of these have been sold. I do understand the concern though.
I'd be more concerned my phono stage can handle 0.1mv of the Art7, needs a bit of gain in the system. The Art 9 is a healthy 0.5mv and easier to match.

[plastico]

My Art9 is breaking nicely. Got about 13 hrs on it. Had some guys over last night and when I played a older regular pressing of Valdy (Cdn folk singer), one of the guys told me that he has heard him live several times; 5 rows away at one time, and this playback was better! And this cart is still breaking in!
Cheers, Doug

[Audio Al]

:eek:My Art9 is breaking nicely:eek:

[plastico]

:eek:My Art9 is breaking nicely:eek:
OOPS! Thats breaking - in!
Cheers, Doug

[Bigman80]

Yes, the ART7's output voltage does seem to be alarmingly low. It is 12dB lower than the ART9, so into the same mc phonostage you would expect the signal-to-noise ratio to be 12dB worse.
If using a step-up transformer you would need a pretty high turns ratio between about 1:30 and 1:40. If using a headamp you would need about 30dB gain, and a very good-signal-noise ratio.
Personally, I would be more tempted by the ART9. Much easier to work with, as DiveDeepDog says.You'd be missing out on a truly high end cartridge if you discounted it due to its low output. Sure, signal to noise ratio may not be as favourable via your reasonable theory, but if you have a good phonostage, that shouldn't be an issue, should it?

Heres the AT-ART7 I'm going to be playing with.

I'll feedback any noise issues from the low output although my phonostage is very good and very quiet so I am hopeful of no issues. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180614/1a00baedef349562be753091f340ca20.jpg

[Bigman80]

It wouldn't matter how good the phonostage is, it will still be 12dB noisier than with an ART9.

Yes, that would be interesting. Noise theory is one thing, but in practice there may be no problem.Only one way to find out!!

[julesd68]

Only one way to find out!!

Hi Oliver, I heard one of these carts at phonomac's but can't remember which one it was - do you know which one he has now?

[Bigman80]

Yep, it's the one I have here, the ART-7
Hi Oliver, I heard one of these carts at phonomac's but can't remember which one it was - do you know which one he has now?

[Bigman80]

Mounted and sounding superb. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180614/5c2335b419d6165ce3c7697b55964ea6.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180614/df2ce20606c0638e2bd85a5581ee5c19.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180614/e431f564b75a847fc245e9fa0c138bfc.jpg

[plastico]

They sound very good! Great pics by the way.
Cheers, Doug

[Batty]

Any idea how these compare with the AT OC9 /III

[Floyddroid]

Any idea how these compare with the AT OC9 /III

The OC9/MLIII is still one of my favourite cartridges bar none.

[Bigman80]

Any idea how these compare with the AT OC9 /IIIWell, the guy who owns this one, phonomac, was telling me yesterday that he really rated the OC9III. And was planning on getting one if he sells his backup cartridge.

How this compares to that, I don't know. Sorry.

[Bigman80]

They sound very good! Great pics by the way.
Cheers, DougHi Doug,

Thanks! Camera phones are getting better.

[emoji4]

[Bigman80]

Played a few sides last night and had no issue with output/noise etc but I will say that my phonostage has quite high gain so even though it's fine here, it may not be if you have low gain.

I am awaiting a loaner phonostage to check this out. It's just a bog standard, off the shelf type but has average gain etc. Nothing special, so to speak.

I'll do a writeup on a separate thread once ive done all the listening and experimenting.

[phonomac]

Slight correction, OC9/MLII is much better than OC(/MLIII in my view.

Angus

[Bigman80]

Slight correction, OC9/MLII is much better than OC(/MLIII in my view.

AngusAh. Thanks Angus. Any scientific reason why?

[Bigman80]

Quick update,

Played Lynard Skynard, Guns n Roses, Carlos Santana and Metallica this morning and it shows no obvious signs of not being up to the task. Lots of dynamics and aggression where needed and delicacy at other times. Not sure what the marketing men at AT were thinking when they said it was better suited to classical and Jazz, not the case here.

[julesd68]

I suspect it was no more than a marketing ploy to appeal to the huge amount of classical and jazz vinyl collectors in the Far East ...

[Bigman80]

I suspect it was no more than a marketing ploy to appeal to the huge amount of classical and jazz vinyl collectors in the Far East ...Probably, it really doesn't make any mistakes. A really good listen.

[phonomac]

Ah. Thanks Angus. Any scientific reason why?

The OC9/MLII has in my view a better stylus profile and cantilever than the MLIII. In fact I see that AT have renamed the later version to OC9/III, no ML. Don't know when that change occurred but the current III has a line contact stylus with a smaller major radius (40 um compared to 75 um). I think that there was a version called MLIII but don't quote me on it!

Angus

ps I see that the HiFi World review called it an OC9/MLIII but the accompanying picture shows a cartridge with OC9/III clearly written on the side.

[Bigman80]

The OC9/MLII has in my view a better stylus profile and cantilever than the MLIII. In fact I see that AT have renamed the later version to OC9/III, no ML. Don't know when that change occurred but the current III has a line contact stylus with a smaller major radius (40 um compared to 75 um). I think that there was a version called MLIII but don't quote me on it!

AngusAh, ok. Makes sense.

[bosa]

Art 9 received today and installed in SME IV. Right from the start the soundstage is more forward than the Zyx and it is more dynamic which is what I was after. I am looking forward to the improvements during the breaking in period but am already impressed.