Hi Scott !
I'd skip the Helikon. I had it for a few years. It is great, don't get me wrong, matches great with your phono stage :), but the Skala just is superior. Adding clarity, transparency and that warmth in right amount. The Helicon was just a little cool for me. The Helikon err's on the cool side just a tad, but wonderful balance, detail, staging.
I have heard the same thing on the Sumiko Celebration. It maybe "the" cartridge in your price range and on your SME table/arm. I have not personally heard it. I suspect a few posters will jump in and comment on it. Ditto stepping up in the Dynavector line.
Honestly, you might be best served keeping your cartridge and stepping up the SME 309 to a SME IV.Vi or SME V. From Stereophile's SME 10 review posted on www.stereophile.com:
"The IV.Vi tonearm raises the Model 10's price to $8250, and it raised the level of performance as well. With the IV.Vi on the 'table, there was a noticeable improvement in low-level resolution, retrieval of inner detail, and, not surprisingly, soundstage depth, with back-of-hall events coming into finer focus. The IV.Vi helped create a bigger, more finely focused, somewhat smoother picture that bettered in every way an already impressive performance. It certainly forced me to reassess my opinion of SME arms in general."
Then getting a Skala, XV-1s, or maybe the Air Tight PC 1 down the road.
Good luck!
I'd skip the Helikon. I had it for a few years. It is great, don't get me wrong, matches great with your phono stage :), but the Skala just is superior. Adding clarity, transparency and that warmth in right amount. The Helicon was just a little cool for me. The Helikon err's on the cool side just a tad, but wonderful balance, detail, staging.
I have heard the same thing on the Sumiko Celebration. It maybe "the" cartridge in your price range and on your SME table/arm. I have not personally heard it. I suspect a few posters will jump in and comment on it. Ditto stepping up in the Dynavector line.
Honestly, you might be best served keeping your cartridge and stepping up the SME 309 to a SME IV.Vi or SME V. From Stereophile's SME 10 review posted on www.stereophile.com:
"The IV.Vi tonearm raises the Model 10's price to $8250, and it raised the level of performance as well. With the IV.Vi on the 'table, there was a noticeable improvement in low-level resolution, retrieval of inner detail, and, not surprisingly, soundstage depth, with back-of-hall events coming into finer focus. The IV.Vi helped create a bigger, more finely focused, somewhat smoother picture that bettered in every way an already impressive performance. It certainly forced me to reassess my opinion of SME arms in general."
Then getting a Skala, XV-1s, or maybe the Air Tight PC 1 down the road.
Good luck!