ZYX R-100 Yatra & SME 3009 MKII Non-Improved

I got that same cartridge in a package deal with a vpi-scout and the first thing I noticed after setting it up was tracking issues.

I added headshell weight of 6gm which should have brought my combination into a reasonable region resonance wise but tracking was still not the best. It could track only the first(12db) bias test track (side 1 track 6) on the Hi-Fi News test record. And to do that took a higher VTF that spec'd by zyx. I also tried it on a Rega P2 and got similar results.

My plan is to set it up again someday and try listening to it more before deciding whether to keep it or not. For now I'm sticking with my Ortofon Jubilee which has excellent tracking and sound.

Bottom line is this cart can have tracking issues for some. I have found other threads about it here on Audiogon. I'm not saying it's not a good cart, that's why I still plan to give it another chance someday. It's very likely I just didn't find the right combination of things to set it up properly. Although I haven't encountered any other carts that required this much effort.

Maybe others will chime in with good experience of it's tracking. I would like to hear what setups have worked well. It might give me a clue for what to try next with it.

Before I get chastised for using test records I just want to mention that I have read the advice here to not pay too much attention to their results. I am willing to take this advice and that is why I am planning to give another try with this cart, this time by listening to music instead.

Jaytea,

Unless I'm mistaken, your SME is a lower mass arm, around 9.5 grams. ZYX's are not well suited to such arms. While it's not the only factor, the arm/cart resonance frequency may be above the normally recommended 8-12Hz range. You could check that with the HFN&RR test record if you like. Resonance frequencies above this range may result in interference from lower pitched notes on the LP.

More generally, the ZYX suspension is simply too stiff for a light arm, which leads to a bit of the tail wagging the dog during dynamic passages. Even if you get it tracking cleanly, speed, dynamics and bass response will be sub-par.

Try adding some headshell mass, like Willamp did. I'd go as much as 8-9g heavier. That may help. An arm that's inherently more massive would help more however. Your listed system includes a Graham Phantom and a Moerch DP-6. The Yatra should perform well on either of those arms (assuming the heaviest armwand for the DP-6).

Willamp,

Whoever packaged a ZYX with a JMW-9 did you a disservice. Would you trust a car dealer who packaged Z-rated racing tires with an off-road SUV or pickup truck? Run, don't walk, to another dealer.

FWIW, the instructions for those four anti-bias tracks are poorly worded but it's worth noting that no one (knowledgeable) has ever suggested that they are "tests" to be "passed". Such an interpretation is not meaningful and adjusting one's setup based on that would be a serious error, as your experiment demonstrated. This common misinterpretation is one reason (among several) that some discourage the use of test records.

***
Properly set up on a suitable tonearm, the Yatra (or any other ZYX) cleanly tracks the most torturous passages on the most impossible LPs in my collection. On the wrong tonearm, it won't. Put a Koetsu or Shelter on a light weight arm and you'll probably get even worse results.