Phono Stage upgrade to complement Dohmann Helix One Mk 2

@mijostyn 

Ah, so that makes more sense:  you're not looking to necessarily change the effective mass of the tonearm, just its tracking ability, by decreasing its inertia.  

What type of terst record do you use to measure the resonance frequency of your set up?  (I don't think that the AnalogMagik does a good job at determining resonance frequencties, as every reading I've gotten from that portion of the software is way off the charts, in which case it says that the result is worthless.)

@drbond , The Hi Fi News Analog Test Record. You will know when you hit the resonance frequency because the tone will warble. You might even see the tonearm shake.

Off topic a bit. I have been using ESLs since 1979. I now have 8 foot 645's. Roger West calls them 645-8s. ESLs HATE making bass. They will do it in a very lumpy fashion but it adds significant distortion to everything else. You get away with it only if you listen to less aggressive music at lower volumes, less than 80 dB. However Pink Floyd at 95 dB, forget it. You really need to get 4 subwoofers. It is a PITA and you have to make some other changes but I would NEVER use ESLs without them. It is like putting turbos in a 911. 

Back on topic. You really need to look into the Channel D Seta L 20 Phono stage. It is an insane piece of gear. It has the lowest signal to noise ratio of any phono stage on the market, a lot lower. It will run any cartridge made in either Voltage, Current or MM mode. It will use digital RIAA correction and you can record anyones special records to a hard drive in 24/192. Everyone I have run an AB between the vinyl and it's recording can not tell the difference. I have The Seta L Plus the L20's little brother. Just because I am running very low impedance cartridges in current mode, it is the best sounding phono stage I have ever heard in my system. The L20 is 12 dB quieter!! That is just a stunning figure. I have trouble running the MC diamond running into noticeable noise at higher volumes. I hope to get myself an L20 in the future. Channel D will give you 80% of the price on trade in. The L20 is $50,000. My problem is getting it by the wife. I will have to give her a detached garage, new windows and a new paver driveway first. My Atma-Sphere MA2 amplifiers cost me a hot tub with landscaping. Being married is very expensive. Being alone is worse. 

From Channel d website:

Seta L20 mk2 MSRP $63,000.00 / Factory direct price $42,000.00

@mijostyn those new windows for the wife are now almost free! 😉

@mijostyn 

Just to clarify:  the LP test record has a track with various frequencies, and when the frequency that is played causes the stylus warble, that's the resonance frequency?  (and each change in frequency is annoted on the LP?)

I personally only listen to acoustic/classical/jazz music, and the bass provided by the SoundLabs is just perfectly realistic:  just enough vibration from the tympani, double bass, etc.  (I also prefer a naturally aspirated 911 to a turbo!)

Yes, as you know I purchased the CH Precision P1/X1.  Just out of curiosity, it would be interesting to compare the CH Precision to the Channel D, but I don't know that it would be any better.  Once you get your new driveway and Channel D, let me know, and we'll have to find a way to compare them!  

Mijo wrote, "A given cartridge is going to require an arm of a given effective mass." My only point was and is that the cartridge and the mounting hardware ARE part of the effective mass of a functioning tonearm, their mass must be included if you use the equation for resonant frequency.  An atypically heavy cartridge, like some of the Benz cartridges and others, can add ~10g and more to effective mass, turn the 17g Schroeder into a 27g effective mass, because of course the mass of the cartridge is directly on top of the cantilever/stylus. (That's assuming that Schroeder makes no allowance for the cartridge weight when they state the EM of the CB tonearm at 17g.)