Loading my XYZ 3-S ??

Dyslexic or great wine, one or the other OR may be both!
Bryan

FWIW (I've gone into more detail as to 'why' elsewhere in these threads) I've found that the best baseline (starting point) for then establishing the optimum (best for your ears and your system) cartridge loading is 25 times the internal coil resistance (sometimes referred to as output impedance) Then try your listening tests within a +/_ 50% range of that number.

For example, the Airy 3 SH is 8 ohms (the SL is 4 ohms, but you didn't say which one you have.) So 25 x 8 = 200 ohms is your center point. (And until your cartridge has broken in for at least 100 hours, don't bother screwing around, just leave it at 200 ohms) The range to explore after break-in would be from 100 ohms to 300 ohms.

First make sure VTF, anti-skate, overhang, and SRA are correct. Then I always start at the lower end of the range and work up, to make sure I don't miss anything. At the lower end, you can basically expect the bass to be there OK, but it will be a little muddy or undefined. At the upper end of the range (and beyond), the bass will be lacking, and the mids and highs will stand out, maybe even a little glarey or grainy. Then you back down 'til the bass just comes back full and tight, and you're there. This will be the point at which your cartridge is giving the best energy transfer and the flattest response.

My pet peeve is with those who set the load too high. Sometimes as high as the standard MM 47,000 ohms! I often find these are the folks who tilt their tonearms backward because (though they probably don't realize it) doing so will roll off some of the high frequency imbalance they've created with too high a load setting. Now honestly, what cartridge maker in their right mind would install the stylus in the cantilever such that in order to attain the correct Stylus Rake Angle, you'd have to tilt the cartidge backward? Really!!

Dear Bryan: The load impedance in a MC cartridge is a critical isuue for the quality sound reproduction of any cartridge.

The ZYX manufacturer is the " person " that can tell you with which load impedance the frecuency response of that cartridge will be flat. Then, if you set your preamp with that manufacturer impedance advise and does not like what you are hearing, then something is wrong in other link on the audio chain in your audio system.

Please don't try to use the different load impedance value like an equalizer to conpensate for other deficiency elsewhere: this is a wrong way to make things, many peoples in this forum do that: all them are wrong.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Thank you all for your input.
I have the low output Airy 3-S with silver base (.24).
I moved the rear of the arm up one turn on the VLA adjuster and the highs came back.
This is the best the ZYX has sounding in my system.
The other question I have is why did the volume decease when I installed the 3.3K resistors in the pre-amp?
The system is also quitter with the resistors in place then with them out.

If you are using a step-up transformer before the preamp, then the transformer INPUT impedance should be equal to or higher than the cartridge OUTPUT impedance (in your case 4 ohms.) However your preamp's PHONO SECTION INPUT IMPEDANCE should be equal to or higher than the transformer's OUTPUT impedance.

Your preamp's phono section has (I'm guessing) a default input impedance of 47K (for MM cartridges.) By inserting the 3.3K resistors, you are reducing the input impedance the transformer is looking at, which shunts some of it's power. I wouldn't use any additional resistors on the preamp side of the transformer. Doing so has no effect on the impedance the cartridge is looking at.

Some step-up transformers do provide for the use of cartridge loading resistors on the INPUT side of the transformer. I don't know if yours does.

I'm not sure what you mean by "quieter" with the resistors
in place.