Guide: How To Calibrate Your Vinyl Turntable
By Max Wallis
Whether your turntable is brand new, restored or vintage, we’ve put together some key tips to help you calibrate your equipment for optimized playback.
Acquiring, setting up, and caring for a turntable is one of the processes that fans of vinyl records treasure most about the format. There are many factors that influence the playback quality of a vinyl record. This guide is designed to help you eliminate potential issues and ensure that you can review your test pressings without worrying that your equipment may be impeding your ability to provide accurate feedback. Check off each of these items before playing and you’re guaranteed to improve your listening environment and protect your turntable for years of listening to come.
Level Things Up
The first step in calibrating a turntable is to make sure that your turntable is level. You can use a regular spirit level on both axes, or alternatively a small flat laying “turntable level” that detects both horizontal and vertical axes simultaneously. Remove the mat and place the level directly on the platter, half-way between the outer edge and the center spindle. If you notice that levels are off, make the necessary adjustments at the feet until both levels are centered. Some turntables don’t have adjustable feet, so slipping pieces of cardboard under the feet can help balance things out if you’re looking for a quick and budget-friendly solution.
Set The Tracking Force
The tracking force is the amount of weight that is placed on the record by the stylus/cartridge. It’s very important to dial-in the proper weight to avoid potential playback issues. Most turntables have a counterweight at the top of the tonearm, and this is where the tracking force can be adjusted. Please check with your stylus’ manufacturer for the recommended tracking force, but most fall in the 1.50g – 2.50g range with a recommended weight of 2.00g.
The best way to dial-in your tracking force is with a digital stylus scale, they aren’t too expensive and will ensure that your weight is optimally set, down to the tenth of a gram. If relying only on the numbers on the counterweight, it might not be as accurate and may actually end up being between 1.75g and 2.25g. When using a stylus scale, always use the cue-lever to lower the stylus onto it and never “drop the needle” by hand.
If your turntable doesn’t have an adjustable counterweight, then this doesn’t apply. However, there may be playback issues as a result of too much force being placed on the record (which can happen on units that don’t have a counterweight). We highly recommend playing your test pressings on a turntable that has the ability to adjust tracking force to help ensure optimal playback.
Adjust Anti-Skate
Not all turntables have the ability to adjust this, but if yours does then you want to set the anti-skate to be the same as your tracking force. If your tracking force is 2.00g, then the anti-skate should also be set to 2.
Clean Your Stylus
A clean stylus makes all the difference. We recommend using a dry stylus brush to wipe away any dust or debris that may be on your stylus. You can find one at any good music accessory retailer, usually for under $10 USD. Remember to always wipe the stylus from back to front and never front to back, to avoid damaging the delicate parts.
Carbon Fiber Brush
A carbon fiber brush falls more under the accessory realm, but it’s important that you have one so that you can wipe away any dust or debris prior to playing the record. The recommended method is to place the brush vertically on the record so that the bristles are resting in-between the grooves, using the brush’s own weight without any additional pressure, then let the record spin five complete revolutions while on the platter and then slowly move the brush toward the outer edge and off the record (without applying downward pressure) while positioned at a 45-degree angle.
Anti-Static Devices
If you want to reduce the amount of static during playback then a great way to do this is with a dedicated anti-static device. Zerostat is a popular device that has been well-received by audiophiles. Using one of these prior to playback (and sometimes during, in highly static conducive environments) can sometimes help eliminate static “flares and pops” during playback. After all, part of the goal with test pressings in particular is to check for stamper issues and you don’t want to confuse a static pop with a stamper defect. If using a Zerostat, make sure to go slow during application for optimal results.
Eliminate LED Lighting
While it looks nice to have colorful LED lighting near your turntable/stereo setup, LED lighting has been found to cause static and can even interfere with Wi-Fi signals. If you want to reduce the potential for static “pops” during playback, then it’s advisable to not have any LED lighting switched on near the turntable. If you have LED lighting in the same room as your turntable, you can reduce the potential for static even further by turning the lights off during playback.
Avoid Felt Platter Mats
This is another optional upgrade. Felt mats are great for vinyl DJs, but not so optimized for home use. Felt can create more static than other platter mat materials, which makes for a potentially unpleasant listening experience. We recommend using cork, leather, or rubber platter mats for optimal listening.
Header photo by David Lozano.