Gear Guide
Tonearms
The mechanical bridge between cartridge and turntable. Every adjustment — tracking force, anti-skate, VTA, azimuth, overhang — lives here. Get it right and everything downstream sounds better.
Part of the analogue chain
Tonearms live inside the Turntable 101 curriculum
Structured reading order · interactive exploded diagram · 24 articles
Education
Learn how tonearms work
Setup, geometry, and every adjustment explained — from tracking force to cartridge alignment.
Cartridges
Cartridge Alignment Geometry Explained: Baerwald, Löfgren & Stevenson
Tonearms
How to Balance a Tonearm: Step-by-Step
Tonearms
How to Install and Align a Phono Cartridge
Tonearms
How to Use a Cartridge Alignment Protractor
Tonearms
What Is Tonearm Resonance Frequency? The Arm–Cartridge Sweet Spot
Tonearms
What Is Cartridge Compliance? Why It Matters for Tonearm Matching
Tonearms
What Is Tonearm Effective Mass? Matching Arm and Cartridge
Tonearms
What Is Cartridge Alignment? Baerwald, Stevenson & Löfgren Explained
Tonearms
What Is Overhang? Tonearm Geometry Explained
Tonearms
What Is Anti-Skate? How It Works and How to Set It
Tonearms
What Is VTA / SRA? Vertical Tracking Angle Explained
Tonearms
What Is Tracking Force? VTF Explained
Tonearms