Audio Technica MC advice

[graham67]

Thanks for the advice guys, I think the ART9 is going to be the one I go for, I noticed that someone who has a room at the WAM show is running one so I'm going to make a bee line for their room and have a listen

i thought the wam show system (I think it was spiders?) running the art 9 was impeccably balanced. Plenty of detail without being analytical. it had body and was nimble.

I would love to try this cart one day.

Graham

[DiveDeepDog]

i thought the wam show system (I think it was spiders?) running the art 9 was impeccably balanced. Plenty of detail without being analytical. it had body and was nimble.

I would love to try this cart one day.

Graham

Art 9 on the 301 was mine, we had 2 rooms as a consortium .Everybody remembers Spider
IMG_5197 by mark leatherland, on Flickr

and at home;

IMG_5149 by mark leatherland, on Flickr

[Jac Hawk]

Sounds great, plenty of bass without the need for any shims which I wasn’t expecting and a very very big soundstage, I’ll write a more once I’ve had time to listen to a few LP’s so for now some cartridge porn

[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[Bigman80]

Lovely. Well done!

[p147]

Very Nice.
Can you tell me I am sure I read somewhere that it had tapped/threaded lugs thereby doing away with the nuts, can you please confirm.
Thanks

[Jac Hawk]

Very Nice.
Can you tell me I am sure I read somewhere that it had tapped/threaded lugs thereby doing away with the nuts, can you please confirm.
Thanks

Unfortunately and annoyingly Audio Technica don’t thread the mounting lugs and for the life of me I can’t imagine why cos they are a real pain in the backside to attach to the head shell especially a fix one like mine

[graham67]

Lovely jac ��
Agree with your comments about the mounting, I try to minimise changing AT carts on my fixed headshell too....

[carruthersesq]

Looks terrific Mike. Will be waiting for full review when you’ve had chance to get some serious listening completed.

[Jac Hawk]

The story so far................
So initially I asked for advice between 2 Audio Technica cartridges the Art 7 & the Art 9 as I was looking to step into the MC arena and I could get any AT cart at a discounted price. So after some valuable advice and then listening to an Art 9 at Kegworth I ordered the Art 9 as I thought it would best fit into my system and the music I favor.

It arrived Friday and I must tell you what a pain in the arse it was to fit, I mean AT really £950 list price and you don't thread the mounting lugs but instead supply a little bag with nuts and bolts, this really needs addressing. Aside from that it was relatively easy to set up and within an hour or so it was pumpin out the toonz.

My initial observation was that my Ortofon VMS30 MK2 is a really good cart, as the Art 9 was only marginally better, but as the weekend has moved along the Art 9 has definitely started to stretch its legs, to start with wow what a soundstage, instruments are literally coming from all directions, better definition so that each instrument can be picked out of the huge soundstage, the bass wow it goes all the way down but still remains clear and doesn't swamp things and the mid range and top end draw you in, I've literally heard instruments that I couldn't hear through the VMS30.
Here's a list of my evaluation material :

Elton John Captain fantastic and the brown dirt cowboy
Dave Brubeck Time out
Womack & Womack Love Wars
Galactic Ya ka may
ZZ Top Eliminator
Howard Jones Cross that Line
Roxy Music Siren
Phil Collins Face Value

So up to now am I happy, most definitely

[carruthersesq]

Great news Mike, looks like you have made a good choice.