Get the most accurate irons you can get. Comparing iron numbers to distance is just a "mind game". It does not matter if it says 8 or 9 on the bottom. If you can hit that iron accurately the distance you know it will go you can score well. Bending clubs just creates other issues like turf interaction on the sole (bounce). Get your distance on your driver and fairway woods and go for accuracy with the irons. There will always be someone that hits a 8 iron longer than you hit yours but that doesn't mean you can't beat his socks off by stuffing your shots close to the stick. My thoughts anyway. Have fun out there.

There is a model that is now the Players Distance Irons. The T100+S is 2 degrees less loft but the bounce is the same as the T100 (successor to the AP2). If you hit an 8 iron to 3 feet and the P790 9 iron is 22 feet, ...which one wins? I agree with Dale that the turf interaction with 2 degrees less bounce will matter, especially fora anyone not a pure sweeper.