How To Set Up VTF on Your Turntable

Tracking force is one of those settings that genuinely matters far more than people expect. Too light and your stylus skips and mistracks, too heavy and you're grinding away at your records and wearing the stylus out faster than it should. Getting it right is quick, cheap, and makes a real difference, so let's go through exactly how to use a VTF scale properly.

 

What VTF Actually Is

Vertical tracking force, usually shortened to VTF, is how much downward pressure your stylus exerts on the record groove, measured in grams. Every cartridge has a manufacturer recommended range, usually something like 1.8 to 2.2 grams, and the goal is to land somewhere within that range, ideally close to the middle unless you have a specific reason to lean one way or the other.

This is set using the counterweight at the back of your tonearm, but getting it accurate by feel or by using the tonearm's built in dial alone isn't reliable enough on its own. That's where a proper digital or mechanical VTF scale comes in.

 

What You'll Need

  • A VTF scale, either digital or a mechanical balance beam style
  • Your turntable's instruction manual, so you know your cartridge's recommended VTF range
  • A steady, level surface
  • Patience, since this is a step that benefits from a few careful passes rather than rushing

 

Step 1: Zero Out the Tonearm First

Before you even bring the scale into it, you need to balance your tonearm to neutral, sometimes called zero balance. Remove the stylus guard, then with the anti skate set to zero for now, slide the counterweight until the tonearm floats level, neither drooping down nor rising up, when gently released.

This step matters because most tonearms use a numbered dial on the counterweight that only becomes meaningful once you've zeroed everything out first. Skip this and any dial reading afterwards is basically meaningless.

Step 2: Place the Scale on the Platter

Set your VTF scale on the platter directly beneath where the stylus normally sits during playback. Most digital scales have a small marked platform or groove showing exactly where the stylus tip should land, make sure you're using that reference point rather than just guessing at the middle of the scale.

Turn the scale on if it's digital, and let it settle and zero itself out before you do anything else. Mechanical balance beam scales don't need powering on, but do need to be sitting level and undisturbed before use.

Step 3: Lower the Stylus Onto the Scale

With the turntable powered off and the platter stationary, gently cue the tonearm down so the stylus lands precisely on the scale's marked measuring point. This needs a genuinely careful, slow lower, treat it the same way you'd treat lowering onto a record, since a stylus dropped too fast can damage both the stylus and the scale itself.

Step 4: Read the Measurement

If you're using a digital scale, it'll show you a numeric reading, usually to two decimal places, once the stylus has settled. Give it a second or two to stabilise rather than reading it instantly, since these are sensitive enough that the number can shift very slightly at first.

If you're using a mechanical balance beam scale, you'll need to slide the small counterweight along the beam until it balances level, then read the value off the printed scale at that point.

Step 5: Adjust the Counterweight and Recheck

Compare your reading against your cartridge's recommended VTF range. If it's too light or too heavy, gently lift the stylus off the scale, adjust the counterweight slightly, and lower it back down to measure again. Small turns of the counterweight make a bigger difference than you'd expect, so go slowly and recheck after every small adjustment rather than making big turns and hoping for the best.

Repeat this process until your reading sits comfortably within the recommended range. Once you're happy, note where the counterweight's dial lines up, most tonearms have a numbered ring here, so you have a reference point for next time without needing to redo the full process from scratch.

Step 6: Set Anti Skate to Match

Once VTF is properly set, go back and set your anti skate, which on most turntables should roughly match your tracking force value. This isn't part of the VTF measurement itself, but it's worth doing right after since you've already got the tonearm balanced and ready.

 

A Few Practical Tips

  • Always zero balance your tonearm before trusting any VTF reading, this step gets skipped more than it should
  • Digital scales are generally more precise and easier to read than mechanical ones, but both work fine if used carefully
  • Recheck your VTF occasionally over time, especially after changing styluses or cartridges, since counterweight position isn't always identical between different cartridge weights
  • If your cartridge doesn't specify an exact figure but gives a range, starting in the middle of that range is a sensible default unless you have a reason to adjust
  • A cheap or poorly calibrated scale can genuinely throw off your whole setup, so it's worth investing in a decent one rather than the absolute cheapest option available

 

Why This Is Worth the Five Minutes It Takes

Getting VTF right isn't just about sound quality, though a correctly set tracking force genuinely does improve clarity and reduce distortion. It's also about protecting your investment, both the stylus and your records themselves. Too light and you risk skipping and groove damage from the stylus bouncing around, too heavy and you're accelerating wear on both the stylus tip and the vinyl surface. Five minutes with a proper scale is a small price for looking after gear you've spent real money on.

 

See our selection of VTF scales in our Setup Tools section here.

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