Graham Phantom B44 Specs

Agree with Syntax and Raul. The only thing that resonance frequency calculation will do is prevent a gross mismatch. Otherwise it's a mildly interesting waste of time. (Of course, as Raul said, if that's the kind of thing you enjoy, you'll enjoy it!)

Assuming no gross mismatch, that calculation will tell you nothing about how a cartridge and arm will perform together sonically. Experience with the actual combination is the only way to know that, and Syntax apparently has plenty with the Phantom. Further, I'd surmise that the Phantom's damping facility should make it possible to handle the stray energies eminating from many different cartridges, which is what arm-cartridge matching is actually about.

Oh, how to avoid a "gross mismatch"? Simple. Whatever the Phantom's exact effective mass, it's reasonable to call it "medium". The arm is neither a flyweight nor a beast. So just avoid very light or very heavy cartridges and also avoid very compliant or very non-compliant suspensions. That guarantees you won't have a gross mis-match.

Choose your cartridge based on:
1. your budget,
2. the capabilities of your phono stage,
3. the kind of sound you prefer, and
4. the one that makes you smile when you look at it.

Less fuss, more tunes,
Doug

Most of the carts i choose fall into that 8hz to 12 hz frequency.

Sigh, isn't that exactly what I said above? Choose any mid-weight cartridge (most of them) with medium compliance (most of them) and you'll be fine. The Denon is low compliance, which is why it falls outside the range.

Now, is there such a thing that 8hz is better than 12 hz or vice versa ?

Oy! Please read what people have already written.

If you're between 8 and 12 you've avoided a "gross mis-match". You're neither so high that the cartridge is likely to be excited by musical information on the record (which tends to be at 16Hz and above) nor so low that the cartridge is likely to be excited by footfalls or resonances from the floor/stand (which tends to be at 6Hz and below).

As Syntax, Raul and I have suggested, that is ALL this number can teach you. There is no "better" between 8.5 Hz or 10.3 Hz or whatever. Stop obsessing about numbers. Start finding out how different cartridges sound when playing music.