Level the deck, balance the arm, set the tracking force and align the cartridge, in that order.
You have chosen a turntable, taken it home and put on the first record. What comes out is a squeal, not music. Turntables reward a little care, and most first-day problems come down to a handful of adjustments. This guide covers how to set up a turntable, step by step, from levelling the deck to connecting it to your amplifier. It should leave you knowing what to check and why. Read the manual first, because it will save you time and tell you what is particular to your model.
It starts with a good base. Choose a surface that is level and stays that way, such as the top shelf of a hi-fi rack or a media console. A wobbling surface makes records skip at the slightest disturbance. A bubble level is inexpensive, and it is useful again whenever you move the turntable. Check the surface, then place the turntable on it, fit the platter and rest the level on top. Many decks have adjustable feet at each corner. Turn each one equally, in small steps, until the bubble sits centred. Then fit the belt.
Isolation feet are a simple next step once the deck is level. Instead of resting on its shelf, the turntable sits on feet that decouple it from vibration carried through furniture, the floor or a nearby loudspeaker. Most ranges offer several models rated for different weights, so choose by how heavy your turntable and plinth are. Look for a low profile. The feet should add only a few millimetres of height and should not change how the tonearm and cartridge sit relative to the record. Three or four feet are usual under one component, placed where the turntable’s own feet would be. It is a modest upgrade. On a shared shelf, it is often the difference between a quiet background and one that hums with the room.
With the stylus guard removed, set the anti-skate to zero and turn the counterweight until the arm floats level and steady. Then set the tracking force as below.
Once the tonearm is balanced, set the tracking force for your cartridge. The manual should give the weight for your stylus in grams. Turn the counterweight, along with its indicator ring, to that figure. Then check it with a stylus pressure gauge. Digital gauges read accurately to 0.1 gram. Near the base of the arm you will find the anti-skate dial. It counters the arm’s tendency to be pulled toward the centre of the record. As a rule of thumb, set it to the same value as the tracking force.
After tracking force, check that the cartridge is aligned. Some manufacturers align it for you, but you can always check with a cartridge alignment protractor. These are sold separately, and some turntables include one. Fit the protractor over the spindle using the hole at its end, and make sure the platter is stationary. Rest the stylus on each of the marked points and check that the cartridge lines up with the grid every time. If it does not, loosen the screws that hold the cartridge to the headshell, using a small screwdriver, and nudge it slowly until it matches the grid.
The final step is to connect everything. If your turntable has a built-in phono preamp, run a pair of RCA cables from its outputs to the RCA inputs of your integrated amplifier or preamplifier. A better tone arm cable is a worthwhile upgrade later, and Absolute Sound distributes Chord Company, whose ShawlineX is one to consider. Next, connect the power adapter and switch on. If the deck is belt-driven, do a last check that the belt runs over both the platter and the motor spindle. Leave the tonearm on its rest, let the turntable run, and watch the platter. It should turn smoothly, without any jerks. That is the setup done.
Absolute Sound represents three brands that touch every stage of this guide. Linn builds the Sondek LP12 in Glasgow on a suspended sub-chassis, which is why levelling and suspension setting are treated as a discipline of their own in Linn’s service manual. Andante Largo makes the isolation feet and racks that pick up where a deck’s own footers leave off. Sumiko makes the cartridges that give tracking force and alignment their importance.
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