Audio-Technica AT-ART9 phono cartridge

You can refer to this thread for a detailed discussion on ART-9:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/pani-new-art-9-up-and-running

" I see them on eBay for $950 from Japan & HK. Any experience with those vendors?"
No personal experience, but 2juki in HK has been praised by many in the Asylum. Do a search there. I’m thinking of getting an Art-9 and would buy from him.

@melm I think your only issue with buying from them is you have no US support for warranty, meaning AT US will not honor any warranty.

@catcher10

1. As for a warranty on a cartridge, I think if it looks right and sounds right from the get-go you’re good to go for the duration. Given proper treatment I’ve never seen a cartridge fail. Have you?

2. The last cartridge that I bought from Japan directly had a defect that was visible. I found the Japanese merchant (EIFL) extremely helpful and an exchange was effected very quickly. Ebay offers additional confidence, as does purchase by credit card.  I have bought other, non-audio, items directly from Japan and find their business ethics quite high.

3. If you look at the AT USA site you will not find the Art-9. That suggests to me that the model is not distributed in the US except as a grey market item. If I am correct, AT USA is free not to honor the warranty even though purchased from a US dealer. If presented to AT USA they could either fix it, fix it for a fee or not fix it. It can always be sent to Japan for repair--not such a big deal these days.

4. In any event, if anything goes very wrong, and for retipping, you still have Soundsmith.

FWIW, I had a good experience purchasing an ART7 from 2juki and an AT33MONO from a Japanese Amazon seller.  In the latter instance I didn't go for rock bottom price, but rather chose a vendor with good Amazon ratings.