Shelter 501Mk2 or ZYX R100-02H

What's the actual compliance of the ZYX R100? More like 22-30cu?

Sirlordcomic,

I don't know where you got that information but it doesn't match ZYX's specs or my experience.

I've used over a dozen ZYX models in the last ten years (Bloom, R100, Airy 2, Airy 3, 4D, UNIverse, Omega, UNIverse2... in all three coil materials... in both high and low output versions).

They all measured/behaved like 12-15cu cartridges, as specified.

Ok, I thought the ZYX were measured at 100hz so recommended to multiply stated compliance by 1.5-2x.

Cartridges of 22-30cu compliance tend to perform best on fairly low mass tonearms. That is not the case with a ZYX. On a low mass arm (say < 10g eff. mass) a ZYX tends to sound lifeless and bass shy. Instead of the arm stabilizing the cartridge, the (relatively stiff) suspension wags the arm.

ZYX's sound best on mid-weight tonearms, roughly 11-20 grams or so. Optimal performance (fullest bass and dynamics without overdriving the cantilever) seems to occur on arms in the 15-18gm range.

FWIW, resonance tests using the HFN&RR test record and my TriPlanar (~11g eff. mass) put a ZYX's vertical and horizontal compliance in the "desirable" 10-11Hz range - as expected. A 22-30cu cartridge on this arm resonates at higher frequencies.

Note: all this is with ZYX's that had the optional "SB" weight. A ZYX without that weight would only be optimal on a fairly massy tonearm, say 20gm or above.

Moerch recommends their heaviest armwand (the Blue, effective mass of 14g) with the ZYX carts.

As an aside, my do I love the Moerch's feature of swappable armwands of different mass (from 4-14g!).