Compliance (static)
Static compliance describes how far a cartridge’s stylus suspension yields under a steady force. It is given in micrometres per millinewton (µm/mN): movement per unit of force.
Comparing static figures measured under the same conditions, a higher number means a softer suspension. It does not mean better sound.
Compliance (static) — Cartridge
Dynamic compliance describes movement under a varying force at a stated test frequency. A figure measured at 100 Hz is therefore a dynamic measurement, not a static one. Keep the labels and test frequency with the figures.
For tonearm matching, obtain suitable dynamic compliance data and the arm/cartridge system’s effective mass, which describes how strongly it resists motion. Together they help assess resonance, the system’s natural rate of oscillation. Use the manufacturer’s matching guidance; do not substitute static compliance in a dynamic-compliance calculation or assume a fixed conversion multiplier.
Sources
- Cartridge suspension and compliance — Audio-Technica
- Static and dynamic compliance: mechanical definitions — Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory / UNT Digital Library
- VM cartridge static and dynamic specifications — Audio-Technica
- Cartridge and tonearm matching — Ortofon