Phono Cartridge for $1,000.

Recently purchased the AT ART9 from Upscale Audio. Best sounding cartridge I’ve had so far, and have had 3 pricier ones. Strengths are detail, bass, imaging and timbral accuracy. It just sounds live.
Also have a low end Hana EL, also from Upscale. The Hana has excellent SQ for the price, so I can only imagine the improvement with an SL or ML.

Just received my Sumiko Blackbird from Upscale. Sounds fantastic. Had Clearaudio Virtuoso V2. The difference in the moving coil from the moving magnet is huge. Linda Ronstadt my favorite. She sounded good on the Virtuoso but really sounds fantastic on the Blackbird.

The Blackbird is a great cartridge, as long as your system leans on the warm side. I used one years ago.

Enjoy it. The Bird can get a little hot on the upper end-system dependent.

Be mindful not to have a unbuttoned long sleeve shirts or have a rag anywhere near the cartridge. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

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

Anybody audition the new AT9xa