Compliance (dynamic)
Dynamic compliance describes how far a cartridge’s stylus suspension moves per unit of oscillating force. Higher values mean softer suspension under the same conditions.
µm/mN means micrometres per millinewton; ×10⁻⁶ cm/dyne gives the same number. “cu” is shorthand for compliance units. Static compliance measures deflection under steady force, rather than vibration.
Compliance (dynamic) — Cartridge
Check test frequency and direction: lateral means sideways; vertical means up/down. Values at 100 Hz and 10 Hz are not directly comparable. Do not apply a fixed conversion multiplier, substitute static compliance or guess missing conditions.
For arm matching, combine tonearm effective mass (its resistance to changes in motion) with cartridge and mounting mass, counting a headshell only once. Higher compliance generally suits lighter arms. Their low-frequency resonance—the tendency to vibrate together—depends on this combination. Higher compliance does not guarantee better sound. Tracking ability measures groove amplitude separately.
Sources
- Tonearm mass and cartridge compliance — Ortofon
- OMP 10 technical data — Ortofon
Sources
- Phono Cartridge and Tonearm Matching — Dynavector
- AT-VMx cartridge specifications — Audio-Technica