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Compliance & Efffective Mass Question

Hi Folks:
I've a ZYX Universe S-SB cartridge that I'm running on a budget Airtech tonearm (http://airtech.atspace.com/), and a Teres 255 turntable. Phono Stage is my Supratek Syrah full function preamp.

I've never paid much attention to anything about 'compliance' or 'effective mass', and am not sure how to even calculate such things. Is there some guidance that someone could offer me on how to measure the above, what an appropriate relationship/ratio should be, and if my setup is 'off', what steps I might take to better optimize my setup?

Thanks in advance for any advice or tips! I'm keen to get the best out of what should be a great vinyl rig - I do like the sound a lot, but there is the odd track or passage that seems to produce some sibilance or distortion, and I've always wonderered whether there is something awry with my setup that might be remedied by some alteration.
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Showing 1 response by nsgarch

nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Your UNI is a med to med-low compliance (15) cartridge and would be happiest in a tonearm of med to high effective mass (Graham, SME V, TriPlanar), which I think your MG Airtech is not. You've added the silver ZYX plate but that may not be enough. I see you can get a damping trough for that tonearm, and that might help, but I'm always suspicious of what they can do to the sonics of some cartridges.

If you're happy with your tonearm, then you should ask Lin what the effective mass of his tonearm is and plug the numbers into the interactive compliance matching chart at:
www.cartridgedb.com

I suppose he could make you an armwand with higher mass if necessary.
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