Press & Reviews
The Dohmann Audio Helix One Mk3 is a remarkable turntable that represents the pinnacle of vinyl replay… You are rewarded with a new level of sound quality previously only open to those in the studio control room when recording.
This turntable gives an insight into the recording that’s nothing short of jaw-dropping. It’s a platform that deserves and demands the best arms and cartridges – preferably two of each – and the finest phono stages known to humanity. Still, you are rewarded with a level of sound quality previously only open to those in the studio control room when recording. And that it hints at still more from its vacuum hold-down platter when it arrives must make it a strong contender for the very best in LP replay today. It really is that good!
This turntable exudes complete authority and control, and never leaves you feeling that there’s more to be extracted from the grooves or that anything is being withheld dynamically, spatially, or in terms of detail resolution. It put Monk’s piano right in the room.
Read a review in Italian from the prestigious magazine Suono.
No turntable in my experience comes close to its sonic performance and you are guaranteed to hear your favourite LP’s, indeed all of your LP’s, as you’ve never before heard them – I don’t care what ‘table you use or have heard.
the Helix One reproduced with impressive naturalness, detail and low-end power.
Dohmann Helix One listed in Best of 2018
Helix Two Press & Reviews
I haven’t been this impressed with a turntable since the Dohmann Helix One Mk3! This gets within a whisker of that top performance in all the right ways. Yes, ‘Two’ is smaller and only takes one arm, but it costs about two thirds the price of ‘One’. ‘One’ is slightly better than ‘Two’ but unless you are listening side-by-side, you’ll probably never notice. Yes, there is always that ultimate performance from the ‘One’ that the ‘Two’ might miss under extremely careful listening sessions, but for me at least, the Helix Two Mk3 is the no-fuss sweet-spot.
I haven’t been this impressed with a turntable since the Dohmann Helix One Mk3! This gets within a whisker of that top performance in all the right ways. Yes, ‘Two’ is smaller and only takes one arm, but it costs about two thirds the price of ‘One’. “One’ is slightly better than ‘Two’ but unless you are listening side-by-side, you’ll probably never notice. Yes, there is always that ultimate performance from the “one’ that the ‘Two’ might miss under extremely careful listening sessions, but for me at least, the Helix Two Mk3 is the no-fuss sweet spot.
With roots in the fabled Continuum, it has pedigree to ensure greatness. This turntable redefines LP playback, at a 10th of the cost of the dearest. I am astounded.
After a great review from Hi-Fi Choice titled ‘Vinylista’s Valhalla’, the Dohmann Audio Helix Two Mk3 was recognised as a Hi-Fi Choice Recommended Component.
I’m doing my utmost to resist declaring it ‘the best ever’.
Even though Helix series’ tables have traditionally landed in the higher end of the SRP spectrum in terms of what we lean toward reviewing these days, they are indeed worthy of our aspirational attention as being both performance marvels and, frankly, works of art.
HELIX TWO MK2 IS AWARDED THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK BRUTUS AWARD
The Dohmann Audio Helix Two turntable, along with the Schroder CB-11 tonearm and the Phasemation PP-2000 cartridge were awarded a Positive Feedback Brutus Award in recognition to their contribution to the audio arts in 2022.
Spoiler alert: First off, the Helix Two MK2 Turntable isn’t just “really good” or merely “outstanding”; it’s a remarkable turntable, a global-level, first-class turntable. And it does all that it does in such a compact footprint that I’m hard-pressed to find a comparison. In my experience, there are only a few turntables that do so many things right without turning into some awful bit of audio sprawl. The Helix Two MK2 should fit in just about any audiophile’s system… So the Helix Two climbs to my very short list of first-rank, top o’ the heap turntables with a single, mighty bound. Mark Dohmann and company deserve very high praise for a turntable that is such an intelligent and well-engineered design.
Mark Dohmann, the brilliant designer at Dohmann Audio, has been known to me for a number of years. He was a key driving force behind Continuum, a legendary turntable brand from years ago, now departed. His Caliburn turntable was generally considered one of the very best… if not the best… LP spinners of its generation… Mark’s work is stellar, and is the foundation of the synergy that emerged with this playback chain.
Helix Two is awarded the Soundstage! Australia Product of the Year 2019 Award
The Dohmann Audio Helix Two Mk2 has been selected as the winner of the SoundStage! Australia Products of the Year 2019 Award in the Innovation in Design category. This is an annual award given by the SoundStage! Network which places importance on a product that offers a point of difference in terms of unique features, advanced engineering or innovative design.
The Helix Two will keep you listening to music and re-experiencing its elevating pleasures. Mr Dohmann and his team have created yet another Aussie engineering and artistic marvel, further compounding Australia’s rep for awe-inspiring natural and man-made wonders…
It goes even further than what you thought you could expect from a turntable and the fact that it clearly outperforms anything that we have ever listened to until now is a huge surprise.
As with its bigger brother, the Helix 2 turntable has to be heard to be believed. The wide-open world of sound it releases from a vinyl groove is spine-tinglingly staggering.
…although it’s possible (but not provable) that it’s the best deck I’ve ever heard, it is most certainly, hand on heart, the very best turntable I have ever set up, sold, or had in my home.
Record Clamp Press & Reviews
As it stands right now, I’ve never heard a record weight or clamp make this much of a difference during A/B comparisons. A more apt conclusion can be drawn, however, if you simply live with the Dohmann Audio Helix RC1 Mk.III record weight for an extended period of time. When you take it out of your system, it should make you sad. That’s what happened to me, anyway.
What Our Customers Say
It didn’t take me long to identify the difference the Dohmann clamp makes in my system. On the first side of the 45rpm Analogue Productions UHQR reissue of Kind of Blue, it was as if someone got out a bottle of Windex. With my clamp the record sounded wonderful; with the Dohmann, I realized there had been a background layer of sonic haze that was now gone. I’m pretty sure I heard some things with the Dohmann clamp that had been obscured with the first clamp. Maybe I’m imagining that, but I know for sure that notes emerged from a blacker background and there was no longer any “hash” filling the space between performers/instruments. Like a window cleaned with Windex… That’s the best analogy that comes to mind.
I’ll tell you, there were a few things I played on the 5T/HelixIII/ZYX after you left, that almost had me crap in my pants! One of my calling cards as an audiophile is that because I am a scientist, I love to do single variable experiments. Well, what we just did is exactly that with the MKIII upgrade. The arm, cartridge, tracking weight, and SRA were basically unchanged. Therefore, the only variable that could account for the profound improvement I (we) heard… was the table. The results were definitive and conclusive. The MkIII really is a masterpiece. Congratulations.
I have had a Dohmann Helix one at home now for the last 6 months, originally in mk2 form which has been piece by piece upgraded to an mk3. My latest edition are the mk3 clamp and motor. And frankly I’m astonished. Truly. I have been working in the audio industry for 20 years and selling ultra high end for 10 years. Most of that time I have spent collecting a vast amount of audiophile, test pressing and other superb records. I love the dynamics, naturalness and realism they portray. Something that digital hasn’t been able to capture (at least not in my experience yet). And I thought I knew them well! Ha! How wrong I was! The mk2 player is fantastic. Better than most. However the mk3 player achieved a level of musical reproduction I have always wished for and never thought possible. The main point to take away from this short review is whatever turntable you have, whatever system you have, you need to hear this turntable. If you care about your music you haven’t heard it until you have one of these. The absolute quietness of the background, space and solidity of drums and instruments, naturalness, explosive dynamics. This turntable in mk3 form does what all the absolute best high end does. Gives you more of absolutely everything but in a more natural, more pleasing way. All whilst not changing the character of the music or system. I have played many records now on this player and I have heard new things on every single one, I’ve relived my collection like never before. The emotion of the artist captured absolutely. And I have only talked about the sound! It’s built with the precision of a nuclear submarine. And to add to this Mark’s helpful nature and dedication to his customers. He came personally and did all the upgrades. What a package!! So truly from a music lover who has lived and worked for audio over 2 decades. Never has my music been closer to me. Well done Mark.
During my annual visit at the High End Show in Munich, I always listen as closely as possible to every new Super-Turntable that gets demonstrated to the public. As many of them carry price tags of 200K-500K Euros, it is no surprise that almost all of them sound a lot better than my 7 year old Dohmann Audio Helix One Mk.1. Now, in May 2023, during his attendance at the Munich Show, Mark Doehmann upgraded my Helix One to the current Mk.3 status and I was hoping for a sonic step big enough to significantly lessen my desire for one of those Super-Decks. What I received was the best turntable I’ve ever heard and in every sonic category I can think of. I was shocked! It extracts so much more information, so much more music, from records I thought I knew, it’s unbelievable. Instruments have so much more character, voices sound so much more real, so much more present. The artists musical expression by microscopic variations in their playing is so much clearer now. Even annoyingly bad sounding records are now quite enjoyable, average records now sound like audiophile pressings and the good one’s closer to a live concert than I ever expected to hear in my listening room. I still regularly shake my head in disbelief, whenever I rediscover another record of my collection. And I didn’t have to pay 200K Euros (or more) for it. I didn’t have to buy a new turntable. In fact, I didn’t even have to send my Helix around the Globe and back. This upgrade was the best money I’ve ever spend on my stereo system by far. I cannot thank Mark and his team enough for not only developing and producing this engineering marvel, but for also offering this upgrade to existing customers.
The Helix One Mk3 is not a turntable, it’s a time machine.
Yes! I’m glad it didn’t disappoint. For me it’s about realising all the money and time spent collecting these amazing records and hearing them again like never before. I’ve played maybe 10 so far and every single one has things I’ve never realised were there. Superb! I cannot tell you how pleased I am.
I have been a devotee of this hobby for a decades and I’ve seen it all. I’ve got a very satisfying system and there’s not much that excites me compared to the sound that I have cultivated here. So when friends of mine told me about this Dohmann turntable that they heard at someone’s house, I didn’t pay much attention because people get excited by a lot of new gear but years later you realise it was all a fad. Eventually, I joined them one night and heard it and suffice to say, I was shocked at how it played music. I thought that I had already found my ‘final’ turntable but soon afterwards, I sold it on Audiogon and bought myself a Helix One Mk2. It has re-invigorated my love of vinyl playback and music in general. It is so quiet and revealing that familiar, well known records feel new and interesting, revealing previously unknown detail. Single-handedly the most enjoyable and important component I have ever had in my possession.
I was relatively happy with my sound until I heard a Dohmann Helix Two Mk3. I ordered one and when it took place in my system, it communicated an emotional honesty that I have never heard before or since. A genuine destination product.
When you thought, you already were listening to an absurd level of analog playback Mark Dohmann again surprises you by introducing the HELIX TWO Mk3 upgrades that takes listening to music yet again to a whole new level. The improvements are NOT subtle in literally EVERY analog dimension: space, detail, harmonics, flow, definition, range etc. I instantly noticed the substantially reduced noise floor that teleports you right into the recording in a surreal realistic manner. Mark’s latest tool is the new Mk3 Record Clamp, a highly effective and brilliant piece of engineering that further perfects the new Mk3-package. Mr. Dohmann keeps surprising us and for those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to listen to it yet, please do not be fooled by the little … “Mk3” … as in fact this machine should be called the HELIX THREE or to be biologically correct and maybe even better the DOUBLE HELIX
This is pure music, nothing added, nothing in the way. That’s the biggest compliment that I can give any component.
Hi Dohmann Audio, I was listening to the Analog Productions Clarity Kind of Blue and Black vinyl Dave Brubeck Time Out recently. I could not believe the amount of information your turntable gets off both records. Sat there amazed. Depth and soundstage width/stability is incredible. Speed stability off the charts. Vocals are easier to understand. I could go on, but you know it already. Magnificent achievement. Thanks again.
You answered to my email. I was at a low point due to the lockdowns in my country and the problems with my turntable. Your video showing how to get the lobes to align was incredible. Without your help and patience I would have never got the arm to work. I am sincerely and forever grateful to you for taking the time to help a complete unknown that didn’t even buy the arm from you. God bless you and your family and that your company keeps growing so that you reap the benefits from your work.