Setting up your turntable for the best possible performance can sometimes be tricky. Balancing a tonearm correctly may seem like a challenging operation, but in reality it is relatively simple, and making sure it's balanced correctly is a surefire way to improve sound quality. Never fear though - if it's out slightly, you will still be able to get good performance.
- The first step is to put the counterweight on the end of the tonearm wand. Ensure that the anti-skating weight is not fitted at this point.
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Move the tonearm off its rest and adjust the counterweight so that it balances horizontally.
- Now turn the counterweight scale (not the entire counterweight) to indicate zero.
- Turn the entire counterweight to the correct tracking force. The tracking force depends on the cartridge in use - if you are unaware of it, you can find this in your cartridge's specifications. This will usually be between 1.5 and 2.0 grams. This is represented on our scale by 15 and 20 respectively.
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Fit the anti-skating weight to correspond with the tracking force. There are three grooves on the anti-skating weight bar to choose from. The one closest to the pivot point is for a tracking force less that 1.5 grams. The middle one is for between 1.5 and 2.0 grams. The groove furthest out is for a tracking force greater than 2.0 grams. If in doubt, use the middle one.