Phono Cartridge for $1,000.

I stand corrected on air core coil.
Thank you Chakster!

Anybody audition the new AT9xa

"Air core" refers to a coil wound around nothing but air.  So far as I know, the ART7, which I own and like very much, has an "amorphous core" Amorphous metal is an alloy with a non crystalline structure produced by ultra-rapid quenching (about 1 million ℃ per second) of molten alloy.  The penalty for using an amorphous core or an air core coil is reduced efficiency compared to using a coil with the same number of turns of wire around an iron core.  This is why the ART7 has much lower output than does the ART9.  I don't know about these two new models that bear the "ART9" prefix, but it makes sense that the low output version of the new ART9 would be the one with an air core coil.

I use an Ortofon Quintet Red and it's so good I might try a Black when it wears out...there's yer 1000 bucks right there...

what did you end up doing?

i have a hana ml myself and was actually curious about sidegrading over to maestro. they're in the same price range and while the average mc beats the average mm, ive never compared two that are in roughly the same value proposition. i love moving magnets and i would love to hear a truly great one. but i dont want to feel like im downgrading from what i have. :)