Categories: Blogs & Little Things

Little Things: Accurately Setting the Vertical Tracking Force of Your Phono Cartridge Stylus

Have you installed a new cartridge in your turntable and set the tracking force with one of the cheap “beam” type stylus force gauges and wondered if the setting was really accurate?

I have two turntables and set the VTF (vertical tracking force) of the stylus using one of the inexpensive beam type gauges. However, the sound of the older ‘table was not what I was expecting or hoping for. I even thought about replacing the cartridge, especially since it wasn’t an expensive one, although it has gotten many good reviews.

Then I heard about an inexpensive digital stylus force gauge which is accurate to a claimed .001 gm. It comes in a nice box with the gauge and accessories set in foam and includes a small screwdriver for installing the included batteries as well as a calibration weight in case the gauge ever needs to be re-calibrated. It comes from the factory already calibrated, so once you install the batteries, it is ready to use.

Using the gauge is quite simple. Turn off the power to your turntable and place the gauge on the table with the left side against the spindle. Press the Power button on the gauge and wait a couple of seconds until the readout is all zeros.

Then lower the stylus onto the marked measuring circle on the right hand side of the gauge. Make sure that your table’s queuing lever is all the way in the down position so that the full weight of the cartridge/stylus is on the gauge. The display will show the current VTF as shown in the photo (1.84 gm).

Since the manufacturer’s recommended VTF for my Ortofon cartridge is 1.8 gm, I was all set. The turntable in the photo was off a bit before using the Audio Additives Stylus Force Gauge, so I moved the VTF setting ring on the tonearm a bit and again checked the actual VTF using the gauge. It took a few minutes of fiddling with the setting ring going up and down until I got it dialed into the manufacturer’s recommended setting.

In the case of my other turntable, the one that didn’t sound very good, I discovered that the actual VTF was way off. Once I adjusted the VTF using the sliding weight on my linear tracking tonearm and checking the results with the Audio Additives gauge, the sound changed dramatically for the better. Not only did the sound quality improve, but also I noticed less surface noise from my records. After correctly setting the VTF on this turntable, I was happy with the sound, so I saved the cost of replacing the cartridge which paid for the gauge and then some!

Audio Additives Stylus Force Gauge on musicdirect

Audio Additives Stylus Force Gauge on Amazon

Don Disbennett

Don acquired his love of music from his Mother, who always had the radio playing in the house while she was doing housework. He acquired his interest in electronics from his Father who built tube radios when radio was a new phenomenon and they were expensive pre-built. Don became hooked on hi-fi when he got his first phonograph player and an Elvis album from his Grandmother. After obtaining his B.A. degree with a major in Psychology, and minors in Chemistry and Math from the University of Texas, Austin, he worked briefly on a subcontract for NASA with the Apollo 11 mission. After Air Force service, Don obtained his Master's degree in Healthcare Administration from Trinity University and embarked on a 30-year career in that field, managing various hospitals, hospital districts and health organizations. He is now on his second career as a Workforce Analyst doing statistical reports and forecasting. Although he loves electronics, he believes that the music comes first and must ultimately be served by whatever devices are used to play it. He specializes in digital audio, streaming and networked audio. Don is a firm believer in the principal of equifinality with respect to music reproduction: this principal simply means that there is more than one way to skin a cat or to achieve high quality sound. Don is a charter member of the River City Audio Society (RCAs).