How to Set Tracking Force on a Record Player
Tracking force is the downward pressure your stylus exerts on a record groove. Too light and the stylus skips, distorts, or loses stereo separation. Too heavy and it accelerates groove wear on both your records and your stylus. Getting it right is one of the most important — and most often skipped — steps when setting up a record player.
This guide covers how to set tracking force correctly, what tools you need, and how to verify the setting is accurate.
What Tracking Force Should Be Set To
Every cartridge has a recommended tracking force range, specified in grams (g). You’ll find this in your turntable manual or on the cartridge manufacturer’s website. Common examples:
| Cartridge | Recommended Range | Ideal Setting |
|---|---|---|
| Arkrocket AR-N60 (Cassini, Huygens, Polaris II) | 3.0–4.0g | 3.5g |
| Audio-Technica AT-VM95E | 1.8–2.2g | 2.0g |
| Ortofon OM10 | 1.25–2.0g | 1.75g |
| Ortofon 2M Red | 1.6–2.0g | 1.8g |
| Audio-Technica AT3600L (ceramic) | 3.0–5.0g | 4.0g |
If you own an Arkrocket Cassini, Huygens, or Polaris II: set the tracking force to 3.5g before your first play. This is the most important setup step for these models.
What You Need
Option A — Digital stylus force gauge (recommended, ~$15–$25): Most accurate. Place the stylus tip on the gauge platform and read the weight directly.
Option B — Counterweight dial only: Less accurate but usable if you don’t have a gauge. Works by zeroing the tonearm and dialing in the weight.
Step-by-Step: Setting Tracking Force
Step 1 — Remove the stylus guard
The plastic clip protecting the stylus tip must be removed before balancing. Grip it by the sides and slide it forward. Never touch the stylus tip with your fingers.
Step 2 — Set anti-skate to zero
Find the anti-skate dial (usually next to the counterweight at the back of the tonearm). Set it to 0 before balancing. You’ll set it correctly after tracking force is established.
Step 3 — Balance the tonearm to zero
Release the tonearm from its rest. Hold it gently above the platter without lowering the stylus. Rotate the counterweight (the heavy cylinder at the back) slowly until the tonearm floats level — parallel to the platter, not dipping or rising. This is the zero-balance point.
Once level, rotate only the outer dial ring of the counterweight to point to 0, without moving the counterweight itself. The dial and the counterweight move independently — this is important.
Step 4 — Dial in the tracking force
Rotate the entire counterweight (both dial and weight together) toward the front of the tonearm until the dial reads your target weight. For the AR-N60 cartridge on Arkrocket players, rotate until the dial reads 3.5.
Step 5 — Verify with a digital gauge (recommended)
Place a digital stylus force gauge on the platter at record height. Lower the stylus onto the gauge platform using the cueing lever. The reading should match your target weight within ±0.1g. If it’s off, adjust the counterweight slightly and recheck.
Step 6 — Set anti-skate
Set the anti-skate value to match your tracking force. If tracking force is 3.5g, set anti-skate to 3.5. This prevents the tonearm from pulling inward or outward across the record.
Watch: How to Set Tracking Force
This video demonstrates the full balancing process on a typical belt-drive turntable with a counterweight:
Replace YOUR_VIDEO_ID with a relevant YouTube video ID before publishing.
Signs of Incorrect Tracking Force
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Stylus skips or jumps | Tracking force too light | Increase tracking force |
| Sibilance distortion on vocals (“s” sounds harsh) | Tracking force too light | Increase tracking force |
| Stereo image collapsed or thin | Tracking force too light | Increase tracking force |
| Dull, muffled sound | Tracking force too heavy | Decrease tracking force |
| Accelerated record wear | Tracking force too heavy | Decrease tracking force |
| Stylus visible “digging in” | Tracking force too heavy | Decrease tracking force |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a digital stylus gauge?
Not strictly required, but recommended. A good counterweight dial gets you close, but digital gauges ($15–$25) are accurate to 0.01g and eliminate guesswork. If you care about your record collection, it’s a worthwhile investment.
How often should I recheck tracking force?
Check it when you first set up the turntable, when you change cartridges or styli, and if you notice any of the symptoms above. Otherwise, once correctly set, it should remain stable.
My turntable doesn’t have an adjustable counterweight — what do I do?
Some entry-level players (like the Audio-Technica AT-LP60X) have a fixed tonearm with pre-set tracking force. These are factory-calibrated and can’t be adjusted by the user. If skipping occurs, the issue is likely a worn stylus, dirty record, or warped vinyl rather than tracking force.
See also: Arkrocket Cassini Review · Vinyl 101 Free Course · Best Record Players Under $300
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