Audio-Technica AT-ART9 phono cartridge

Had a listening session with an audiophile friend tonight and the conversation eventually came around to the ART-9.  The consensus was that the ART-9 never draws attention to itself, but just simply disappears.

Right now I am listening to "Tracker" by Mark Knopfler. The cartridge is so well balanced top to bottom with only the slightest dip in midrange execution, but then I am used to a Grado's forward midrange. It keeps getting better with every listening session. During "Basil" the acoustic guitar is sublime. Can't wait for the 150 hour mark. 

Thanks for the recommendation guys!

Not surprising that an ART9 would completely crush a Grado MCZ.  MCZ was noticeably inferior to Grado TLZ and XTZ, 30 years ago, to my ears in my system, of course.  (I don't mean to sound snotty, but maybe I do.  Sorry.)  I still have the TLZ, but my sample seems to have lost "something" after 30 years in storage; I brought it out last year for a trial re-run.  It probably would benefit from some patience, while the suspension loosens up, if it will ever loosen up. I've got an ART7, still in the box.

lewm- have you setup the ART7? Let us know your thoughts, i'm interested in taking the plunge.  BTW here rwe are a few days away from 2018, are folks still thinking the ART7/9 are still best (subjective, i understand) ~$1000 cartridges?  Thanks and Happy New Year!

Yes, I am now running the ART7 into a Manley Steelhead which directly feeds the direct-drive amplifiers of my Beveridge 2SW speakers (and also the outboard woofers that are Transmission Line types driven from a Dahlquist low pass crossover, at ~80 Hz).  I probably have 10 hours on the ART7, at most, so it is premature to make a judgement.  However, it is obviously a very good cartridge.  This system has always previously been driven from an MM or MI cartridge, either the Grace Ruby with SS re-tip or my Acutex LPM320 STRIII.  I want to do a really long term comparison of the ART7 to the Acutex, before I come to any conclusion.  However, it's clear that the two are different flavors, so far.  In my other, completely different, system, I recently installed a ZYX UNIverse (the original UNIverse).  I was able to purchase a very low hours used one from a trusted friend who bought it from Sorasound.  I have more hours on the UNI; THAT is a great cartridge (running into an Atma MP1).  I will have to move the ART7 upstairs in order to do a fair comparison of those two LOMCs.  But they are both, obviously, a bit better than any of my other LOMC cartridges.  (Sorry; I am not making with the usual audiophile adjectives here. I don't even trust myself to use those words yet.)