Tonearm

The tonearm is the pivoting arm that stretches from its mounting point on the turntable's plinth out over the record, holding the headshell and cartridge at its far end. As the platter spins, the tonearm allows the stylus to trace the groove from the outer edge inward while staying properly balanced and aligned.

How well a tonearm is set up directly affects tracking accuracy and record wear, since a poorly balanced or misaligned arm lets the stylus sit at the wrong angle or pressure in the groove. The counterweight at the back sets overall balance and tracking force, while anti-skate compensates for the arm's natural pull toward the center of the record. Tonearm length and pivot design also influence how much tracking error occurs across the width of the record.

When setting one up, work through alignment, tracking force and anti-skate in that order rather than guessing at settings individually, since each one depends partly on the others being correct first. A cartridge alignment tool or protractor helps get the overhang and angle right before worrying about weight. A common mistake is adjusting tracking force by ear or ignoring it entirely, which can cause audible distortion, groove damage, or a stylus that skips even on records in good condition.