Why Alignment Decides Sound and Record Life

A cartridge can be as expensive as you like – misaligned, it sounds worse than a €50 system properly set up. And worse: wrong tracking force or skewed azimuth permanently grinds into your records. The good news: with patience, a simple alignment protractor, and a tonearm scale (about €30 together), you can do this yourself.

This guide covers the four key alignment points: tracking force, overhang, azimuth, anti-skating – plus VTA as a bonus.

What You Need

Tonearm scale (digital, ~€15) – measure tracking force precisely
Alignment protractor (Baerwald or Stevenson, printout suffices – e.g. from vinylengine.com)
Small spirit level (€5) – level the turntable exactly
Magnifier or smartphone macro – for azimuth check
A test record with clear tracks (e.g., Hi-Fi News Test LP, optional)
Steady hand, good light, about 45 minutes

Before You Start: Level the Turntable

Sounds basic but is the prerequisite for everything else. Place spirit level on the platter (NOT on the chassis – that can be warped) and adjust the furniture's feet so the bubble sits dead center. Off-level turntable = every further alignment is off.

Step 1: Tracking Force

Tracking force is the weight with which the stylus presses on the record. Listed in your cartridge's data sheet, usually between 1.5 g and 2.5 g.

How to do it:

Set anti-skating to 0 (otherwise it skews the measurement)
Balance the tonearm: shift counterweight until the tonearm floats horizontally
Turn the scale on the counterweight to "0" without moving the counterweight itself
Set tracking force via the scale to the target value (e.g. 1.8 g for Ortofon 2M Red)
Verify with tonearm scale – counterweight scales are often inaccurate

Common mistakes:

Too light tracking force → stylus jumps out of groove, distorts, damages groove walls
Too heavy tracking force → wears down stylus and record fast
Tracking force is measured at platter height, not in the air

Step 2: Overhang & Tonearm Geometry (Alignment)

The stylus must sit at a specific angle to the groove to follow the spiral tangentially. Without correct alignment, tracking distortion appears, especially toward the end of the record.

Baerwald vs. Stevenson:

Baerwald: minimum average distortion over the whole record – standard recommendation
Stevenson: minimum distortion at record end – good for classical

How to align:

Print the protractor (1:1, verify size before printing!) and place on platter, center hole over spindle
Loosen cartridge in headshell (two screws)
Place stylus on the protractor's null point (there are two: one outer, one inner)
Align cartridge parallel to the lines of the protractor – slide and rotate until perfectly parallel
Tighten screws without shifting
Verify both null points – at both, the stylus must sit exactly on the line and the cartridge must be parallel to the lines

Result: tracking distortion vanishes, stereo image becomes clear and stable.

Step 3: Azimuth

Azimuth = the lateral tilt of the stylus. Ideally, the stylus stands exactly perpendicular to the record. Tilted = one channel louder, stereo image skewed.

Visual method (sufficient for most):

Platter at eye level – or photograph from the front with smartphone
Lower stylus onto a stationary record (turntable off!)
Mirror trick: small pocket mirror on the record, lower stylus – stylus and reflection must form a perfectly straight line, no kink
Twist headshell or shim if tilted (some headshells have azimuth screws, others don't)

Pro method:

With stereo test LP (Hi-Fi News) measure crosstalk via multimeter. Overkill for most listeners.

Step 4: Anti-Skating

While playing, the groove pulls the tonearm inward ("skating force"). Anti-skating counteracts that so both groove walls are loaded equally.

Rule of thumb:

Anti-skating value ≈ tracking force (so at 1.8 g tracking force → 1.8 anti-skating)
Conical styli often need slightly less anti-skating (~70% of tracking force)
Elliptical/Microline styli typically need the full value

Test:

Play a mono record on a mono amp (or with mono switch). With correct anti-skating, both channels sound exactly equal in volume.

Step 5 (Bonus): VTA / SRA

VTA = Vertical Tracking Angle. The tonearm pivot height affects the stylus's angle of attack on the record. On most beginner turntables (Pro-Ject Debut, Rega Planar 1) this isn't adjustable and that's fine.

If your tonearm has VTA adjustment:

Tonearm parallel to record as default
Slightly higher in the back = more bass, more aggression
Slightly lower in the back = more highs, leaner bass

With thin (140 g) and thick pressings (180–200 g), VTA changes – hardcore audiophiles adjust per record. For 99% of listeners, a middle setting is fine.

Order Summary

✅ Level the turntable
✅ Align cartridge in headshell with protractor (overhang)
✅ Set tracking force with tonearm scale
✅ Check azimuth (mirror method)
✅ Set anti-skating equal to tracking force, mono test

Total time first time: about 45–60 minutes. Second time: 15 minutes.

When to Go to a Pro?

MC cartridges from €500 upward – tighter tolerances
Vintage turntables with unknown prior state
Tonearms with non-linear geometry (e.g. swing arm)
When something sounds odd after your own alignment

At Second Music & Fun, we align cartridges professionally – including protractor, tonearm scale, and listening test. About 30 minutes, free with cartridge purchase from us.

Common Mistakes

Turntable not level – makes everything else wrong
Ignoring tracking force in the data sheet – "more is better" doesn't apply
Protractor printed wrong scale – verify 1:1 before printing
Anti-skating "by ear" – without mono test it's pure gut-feeling voodoo
Overtightening cartridge screws – headshell or cartridge body can break

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Conclusion

Cartridge alignment is craft, not magic. A well-aligned €100 stylus sounds better than a misaligned €500 stylus – and it spares your records. Whoever invests the first 45 minutes gets better sound for years.

Want your cartridge professionally aligned? Visit Second Music & Fun in Munich. We do alignment, tracking force measurement, and listening test, and explain everything so you can do it yourself next time.

Cartridge Alignment – Setting Tracking Force, Anti-Skating & Azimuth Properly