Turntable upgrade recommendations: SME vs AMG vs Technics vs other

I received a Dohmann Helix One Mk 2 last week, and got it set up with 2 Schroder CB 11 tonearms, one with a Koetsu Urushi Black and the other with a Lyra Atlas cartridge.  

The sonic improvement over the Rega P8 is unbelievable! 

As well it should be given the huge price difference.😉

That's an awesome turntable setup you have there - congrats.

I think SME has lost the styling plot with the model 60 looks kind of generic and boring - though no doubt precisely engineered. Looks wise the Dohmann Helix blows the SME away. 

Compared to the Helix One - the SME tech seems lacking too. Rubber bands vs a fully integrated MinusK vibration isolation system - Hmmm which would I rather have?

I put the link up in another thread recently, this device seems to sahre a very similar role as the MinusK.

Yes it does. Would likely perform well under a turntable. Dohmann claim the MinusK devices in their turntables are specially modified for the application - not sure how.

BTW I was tongue in cheek calling the SME suspension 'rubber bands' - I realise their suspended tables are highly engineered and have very effective isolation.

Worth noting that, according to HFN review measurements, SME achieve lower rumble figures with their superbly made 'conventional' bearing than the air bearing in the TechDas Airforce III. Also, according to HFN measurements, Technics get within 1dB of the SME 30/12 rumble figure with their SL1000R - so Technics engineering can't discounted either. So funny when people here criticise Technics DD for being noisy when they measure amongst the lowest noise in the industry - not to mention their SOTA speed consistency. 🤣

@drbond 

Maybe you should consider yourself lucky that you ended up with the Model 30.

Err, did he? Thought he went with the Dohmann Helix?