Dear Pani: I agree with Dougdeacon: tonearm is critical to judge any cartridge and not only about its effective mass but its kind of signature resonances/distortions and damping on it.
In the other side as Doug posted the phono stage is way important too, as better PS as better cartridge quality performance level. I prefer high gain active PS over SUTs but has the " disadvantage " that a a good active high gain PS are expensive.
I never heard a ZYX through a SME but I heard Lyras and I think works really fine with.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
In the other side as Doug posted the phono stage is way important too, as better PS as better cartridge quality performance level. I prefer high gain active PS over SUTs but has the " disadvantage " that a a good active high gain PS are expensive.
I never heard a ZYX through a SME but I heard Lyras and I think works really fine with.
Regards and enjoy the music,
R.