5
Setting the Tracking Force and Tonearm Height
Tracking force is adjusted by turning the adjustment knob left or right to move the counter weight.
If your cartridge is overly heavy and the counterweight is all the way back, you can order a heavier
weight from your dealer. Half way back is fine as is the middle third of the stub.
The Gimbal Tonearm does not have a built-in tracking force gauge but we have supplied you with
a quality digital tracking force gauge if we did not mount a cartridge for you.
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Place the gauge on the platter (no record).
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Loosen the two black thumb screws in the base of the tonearm and raise the arm so it looks
parallel to the platter when it is on the stylus force gauge. When the arm is at the desired
height, lightly tighten the thumbscrews.
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If you do not make the arm parallel when doing this, you will be between .2 to .4
grams light or heavy when you are on the record.
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Set the tracking force according to the cartridge manufacturer’s recommendation. We
recommend always going to the high side of tracking force. High frequency vibrations on a
light-tracking cartridge can cause more damage to the grooves of a record than running a
cartridge at a heavy setting. We usually recommend .1 gram higher than the max tracking
force if you are not using anti-skate (recommended way of setting). This does not apply to
Lyra cartridges that sound best at 1.73 to 1.76 grams tracking force with or without anti-
skate.
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Put a record on the platter and using the VTA tower lower the arm so it is parallel to the
record. Now you will be tracking at the force you set and not a lighter force.
