How To Set VTA On A Turntable - A Step-By-Step Guide

If you’re a vinyl enthusiast, you know that getting the perfect sound from your turntable requires attention to detail.

One crucial aspect of turntable setup is the Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA), which determines the angle at which the stylus meets the record. This angle affects both the sound quality and the longevity of your stylus.

But fear not, setting VTA is easier than you might think. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process step-by-step, so you can get the most out of your vinyl collection.

How To Set VTA On Turntable

Step 1: Check Your Turntable

Before you start adjusting your VTA, it’s important to make sure your turntable has the capacity to do so. Not all turntables have this feature, so check your manual or do some research online to see if your turntable allows for VTA adjustment.

Step 2: Understand VTA

Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) refers to the angle at which the tonearm and stylus meet the record being played. This angle affects both the sound quality and the longevity of your stylus. The record was cut at an angle with the intent of being played back with a stylus set at a certain angle, meaning the stylus can better read and reproduce the sounds as they were originally cut into the vinyl.

Step 3: Adjust Your VTA

To adjust your VTA, you’ll need to raise or lower your tonearm. This will alter where the needle sits within the grooves and by extension, change the sound produced.

Start by visually observing the stylus raking angle. The generally accepted theory is that the optimal Stylus Raking Angle (SRA) is the angle at which the LPs are cut at, in most cases, this will be 92 degrees, but a certain amount of variability is possible. Without a microscope, it is often difficult to observe the SRA, so an approximate starting point will be to adjust the VTA to about 15 degrees.

If you have a magnifier or USB microscope, you can observe the actual VTA Angle of the Cantilever or stylus raking angle. The Acoustical System SMARTstylus is an excellent tool which will allow you to visually gauge an initial Stylus Raking Angle. The Uni-Scope Magnifier will also allow you to visually magnify the stylus to magnify the stylus 200x on your computer screen.

Step 4: Fine Tune Your VTA

Once you’ve made an initial adjustment, it’s time to fine-tune your VTA. The theoretical optimal angle of 92 degrees is based on the assumption that this angle will produce the lowest intermodulation distortion (IMD%). Visual methods provide a good starting point, but as soon as the platter starts spinning, the dragging force created by the stylus raking on the LP will produce a downward force which will cause the raking angle to change.

Only an actual measurement performed while the recording is spinning will produce the most accurate results. This is unachievable using visual methods. The AnalogMagik software has a VTA function which allows you to determine the actual intermodulation distortion number and it will be displayed on your laptop screen. Simply fine-tune adjust the VTA angle until you reach a level which produces the lowest intermodulation distortion percentage (IMD%).

Step 5: Consider Other Factors

While adjusting your VTA is important, it’s not the only factor that affects sound quality. Azimuth, anti-skating, and vertical tracking force (VTF) also play a role in achieving optimal sound quality. You may need to go back and forth between parameters to achieve an optimal setting across all parameters.

Understanding Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA)

To understand VTA, it’s important to know that it refers to the angle at which the tonearm and stylus meet the record being played. This angle affects both the sound quality and the longevity of your stylus. The record was cut at an angle with the intent of being played back with a stylus set at a certain angle, meaning the stylus can better read and reproduce the sounds as they were originally cut into the vinyl.

The Stylus Raking Angle (SRA) is determined by the VTA, which is viewed from the side. The generally accepted theory is that the optimal SRA Angle is the angle at which the LPs are cut at, in most cases, this will be 92 degrees, but a certain amount of variability is possible. Without a microscope, it is often difficult to observe the SRA, so an approximate starting point will be to adjust the VTA to about 15 degrees.

Fine-tuning your VTA is crucial for achieving optimal sound quality. The theoretical optimal angle of 92 degrees is based on the assumption that this angle will produce the lowest intermodulation distortion (IMD%). Visual methods provide a good starting point, but as soon as the platter starts spinning, the dragging force created by the stylus raking on the LP will produce a downward force which will cause the raking angle to change.

It’s important to note that while adjusting your VTA is important, it’s not the only factor that affects sound quality. Azimuth, anti-skating, and vertical tracking force (VTF) also play a role in achieving optimal sound quality. You may need to go back and forth between parameters to achieve an optimal setting across all parameters.

Tools Needed For Setting VTA

To set VTA on your turntable, you’ll need a few tools to ensure accuracy and precision. Here are some of the essential tools you’ll need:

1. USB microscope or magnifier: A USB microscope or magnifier will allow you to observe the actual VTA Angle of the Cantilever or stylus raking angle. The Acoustical System SMARTstylus is an excellent tool which will allow you to visually gauge an initial Stylus Raking Angle. The Uni-Scope Magnifier will also allow you to visually magnify the stylus to magnify the stylus 200x on your computer screen.

2. AnalogMagik software: The AnalogMagik software has a VTA function which allows you to determine the actual intermodulation distortion number and it will be displayed on your laptop screen. This software will help you fine-tune your VTA angle until you reach a level which produces the lowest intermodulation distortion percentage (IMD%).

3. A medium thickness record: As mentioned earlier, using a medium thickness record is a good idea when setting VTA. If your collection is made up primarily of 180-gram vinyl or thin vinyl, then select that type of record to set VTA with.

4. Screwdriver: You’ll need a screwdriver to adjust the height of your tonearm and make fine-tune adjustments to your VTA angle.

By using these tools, you can ensure that your VTA is set accurately and precisely, resulting in optimal sound quality and longevity for your stylus.

Adjusting VTA On Your Turntable

Adjusting VTA on your turntable is a crucial step in achieving optimal sound quality. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to adjust your VTA:

Step 1: Check Your Turntable

Before you start adjusting your VTA, make sure your turntable has the capacity to do so. Not all turntables have this feature, so check your manual or do some research online to see if your turntable allows for VTA adjustment.

Step 2: Understand VTA

Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) is the angle at which the tonearm and stylus meet the record being played. This angle affects both the sound quality and the longevity of your stylus. The record was cut at an angle with the intent of being played back with a stylus set at a certain angle, meaning the stylus can better read and reproduce the sounds as they were originally cut into the vinyl.

Step 3: Adjust Your VTA

To adjust your VTA, you’ll need to raise or lower your tonearm. This will alter where the needle sits within the grooves and by extension, change the sound produced.

Step 4: Fine Tune Your VTA

Step 5: Consider Other Factors

Testing And Fine-Tuning Your VTA

Once you’ve adjusted your VTA, it’s important to test and fine-tune it to achieve the best possible sound quality.

Start by selecting a record with detailed music, preferably one that contains a good selection of highs and lows. Classical or electronic music is optimal for this purpose. With the record on the platter and the tonearm resting stationary on the record, use a ruler to measure the height of the tonearm above the record at two separate points. When setting VTA, aim for the tonearm to be parallel to the record. Therefore, the height of the tonearm should be equal at both measured points. If the tonearm has a downward slope, then the tonearm must be lowered at the pivot point. Conversely, if the tonearm has an upward slope, it must be raised at the pivot point.

Actually changing the VTA will vary greatly depending on the tonearm used, but generally there will be some sort of dial or screw mechanism that allows the tonearm to be raised up or down and locked in place. Make sure the tonearm is locked in before making any adjustments.

The final part of VTA adjustment is done by your ears. Lowering the tonearm will generally improve bass, while raising the tonearm will generally improve treble. Experiment with VTA adjustment to find out what works for you.

Visual setting, even with a microscope, is only getting you into the ballpark. It’s plenty good enough, and if your arm makes VTA setting a chore, then eyeball it, relax and enjoy. If, however, your arm is designed for fine-tuning, and especially if it allows VTA on-the-fly, then you can do a whole lot better.

Warm everything up and put on any record you like. Listen to how it sounds. Lower VTA by lowering the back of the arm down a bit. When we say “a bit,” we mean 1mm is a lot. Even .1mm is a lot. We’re talking about fine-tuning here, so take your time and lower it gradually.

Lowering it a bit will make the sound fuller and warmer. The initial attack of notes will be less sharp and aggressive. You’ll know right away if you went in the wrong direction or not.

If you’re not sure what to do next, no problem – simply either raise it back up or lower it even further down. Once you do this a few times, you’ll get the hang of it and know what to do next.

Then it becomes a process of very small changes. Let’s say it sounds better when you raise it. So keep raising it gradually while listening carefully each time until you get to a point where instead of becoming more detailed and clear, it becomes thin and instead of bass getting tighter and more defined, it just seems a bit less defined than before.

At this point, you know that you’ve gone too far; so back off a bit and lower it back down. You’ll find that there’s one setting that is just about perfect for most records.

It’s possible on some arms to write down the VTA setting on the record sleeve so that next time you can play it with perfect VTA – not just really close but perfect.

There’s no right or wrong way to adjust your VTA; no matter what you might think, the stylus isn’t sublimely gliding – it’s bouncing around in the groove all the time anyway – so being off a bit isn’t doing any harm. It’s all down to how much you enjoy fussing over getting things just right versus how much you enjoy hearing perfect sound quality from your turntable.

Common Mistakes To Avoid When Setting VTA

While setting VTA is a crucial step in achieving optimal sound quality, there are common mistakes that should be avoided:

1. Using VTA as a tone control: Adjusting the arm height to reduce upper octaves is not the purpose of VTA. It is important to understand that VTA affects the stylus’ ability to track the grooves accurately, and adjusting it improperly can result in distortion and reduced sound quality.

2. Not considering record thickness: Since record thickness varies, it’s important to adjust VTA for every record you play if you want to achieve perfection. However, this can be a tedious process, and most people settle for a single setting that works for most of their records.

3. Not taking into account the cutting angle of the record: The cutting angle of the record varies depending on its age and manufacturer, and this affects VTA. It’s important to understand that VTA is linked to the line that the cutting head moves through as it cuts the lacquer master, relative to a line perpendicular to the record.

4. Not fine-tuning VTA: While an initial adjustment can be made visually, it’s important to fine-tune VTA using actual measurements performed while the recording is spinning. Only then can you achieve optimal sound quality.

By avoiding these common mistakes and taking into account other factors such as azimuth, anti-skating, and VTF, you can achieve optimal sound quality from your turntable.