Vertical Tracking Angle: What is it and How Do You Set It?

What is Vertical Tracking Angle? SRA and azimuth?

The VTA is a measurement relating to the tonearm angle and stylus. Essentially it’s the angle the stylus makes relative to the record’s surface that’s key.

The tonearm’s Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) is the angle at which the tonearm holds the stylus. It determines whether the stylus is pointing directly downwards or is tilted at an angle.

Picture the grooves of a record being a V shape, The VTA would change whether the stylus is sloping forwards or backward through the groove.

What is SRA, and how does it relate to VTA?

VTA is an angle measured between the cantilever and the record, and the Stylus Raking Angle (SRA) is from the stylus tip itself. ​The goal is the same, regardless of the technical jargon used, and that is to optimize the angle at which the stylus rakes through the record’s grooves.

VTA  affects the SRA, which defines the angle the stylus is raking in the grooves of a record. These are interlinked and basically have the same end goal of controlling the stylus’ angle in the grooves.

The optimal angle for SRA is 92 degrees, although there is some room for error – it’s not the end of the world if it isn’t spot on. You might wonder – why isn’t the SRA exactly 90 degrees? Well, it’s to help the stylus stay positioned in the groove and to reduce wear by creating smoother contact.

The theoretical optimal angle is as close to the original angle used by the cutter stylus used to create the records in the first place. This is typically 92° these days.

To achieve the correct initial stylus raking angle, you need the right VTA. The standard VTA for modern turntables is 20 degrees, although older turntables use 15. This wasn’t always the case, and in the early days of consumer turntables, there wasn’t a standard VTA measurement. Although when stereo vinyl records were released, they employed a standard of 15° until the ’70s, when it was changed to 20°.

Why is VTA important in turntables?

VTA has an effect on the tone produced by a cartridge due to the way the needle meets and reads the groove information. It’s important to calibrate the VTA so you know you’re getting an accurate reading and the record is being listened to with the same characteristics it was cut with.

If you’ve invested a lot in your turntable setup, then you want to maximize sound quality, so it’s an essential step in setup and re-calibration.

If the VTA is too high, higher frequencies (treble) are exaggerated, and lower frequencies (bass) are reduced. Alternatively, if the VTA is too low, then the opposite effect is created – the bass is boosted, resulting in a muddy sound and lack of detail. For a deeper look at the science behind this, check out this interesting article from 1981 – ‘More than one VTA.’ (It also makes a good case as to why 92-degree SRA is the optimum setting).

That said, it won’t make a massive difference, but it’s important to make sure tracking is accurate. It also helps to reduce the wear of both the stylus and record grooves based on the pressure applied.

Also, even if you calibrate to the perfect angle, it’s easily changed by minor switch-ups in your setup. Different thicknesses of records or platter mats change the playing surface’s height, thus the tonearm angle and VTA/SRA. Changing cartridges or headshells also has an effect.

What do you need to calibrate Vertical Tracking Angle and Stylus Rake Angle?

It’s worth noting that not all turntables have the calibration controls needed to change the VTA.

To adjust it properly, you need a turntable with a height-adjustable tonearm, which is capable of raising and lowering the tonearm’s pivot point.

The tonearm height control is usually a twisting mechanism found around the base of the tonearm, although some use levers. Refer to your turntable’s owner’s manual if you are unsure.

Secondly, I advise you to use a VTA and azimuth ruler for calibration. This helps to remove the guesswork and ensure you get a perfectly accurate VTA. Otherwise, you’re going to have to use a standard ruler and go by eye, which is inaccurate and won’t get the ideal results. Thankfully specialized VTA rulers can be picked up pretty cheap (around $10), and often they include measurements for other vital factors like SRA and cartridge azimuth.

There are other methods that use more expensive pieces of kit, although the VTA ruler technique tends to get the best results for the lowest cost.

I recommend this this VTA/Azimuth ruler, which also comes with a tiny, precise spirit level bubble that helps to check the overall cartridge alignment. It’s an affordable but excellent tool for convenience.

How to Set Vertical Tracking Angle for Your Turntable: 3 Methods

Before getting into the steps, you should know that you shouldn’t try to change the VTA while a record is playing. Otherwise, you risk damaging the stylus or record.

It’s also worth considering that the VTA will change when you use records of different thicknesses. You may need to change the VTA for best results if you are transitioning between a thin record and a thick one. Although most people don’t want to spend the time recalibrating every time they change the record. So I’d suggest using a medium thickness record for this calibration process.

There are actually several ways to calibrate the VTA and SRA, each with varying levels of complexity and expense.

Option 1 – Using a VTA Angle Ruler

The first method uses a VTA ruler to help you visually gauge the optimal reading.

1) Prep the turntable and tonearm

Before you make the VTA adjustment,  get everything prepared for the main calibration process. To start with, place a medium-thickness record onto the platter. You don’t need to play it yet, so make sure the turntable is powered off for now.

To start, set the tonearm height so it’s exactly parallel to the record surface. This would create an approximate starting angle of 0 degrees. We will use this as an approximate starting point to make further height adjustments based on the ruler.

NOTE: If you adjust the VTA while the needle rests on the record, you’re going to end up damaging the cantilever if you’re not super careful. It’s better to adjust the height with the tonearm up, lower the needle, check the angle, lift again to adjust, lower again to check, and repeat until right. It takes longer, but it’s worth the time, so you don’t cause any damage in the process.

2) Adjust the tonearm’s height

Now we need to raise the height of the tonearm until the angle is correct.

To do this, place the VTA ruler on the surface of the record, and line it up with your tonearm so you can see the measurement lines running across it.

The ruler is typically placed as close to the headshell as possible to get the most accurate results.

While holding the ruler in place, simply raise the tonearm assembly using the height adjustment control. (Typically, a screw around the base or a lever).

Raise the tonearm until it’s aligned with the 20° angle marking. (Or 15° on older turntables made before the 1980s). If you overshoot the angle, then just lower the height some.

These are the only two steps needed for this process.

3) (OPTIONAL) Checking the stylus angle under a magnifying glass

I would recommend checking to see if the SRA and azimuth look good too, which can be measured with the same ruler, placed in front of the headshell and cartridge from the side.

Although it’s never going to be super accurate, you can use a magnifying glass with USB light (I use this one myself) to take a closer look at the cartridge and stylus angle, to confirm you’ve made the right adjustment.

(See option 3 below for a far more accurate way of checking the cartridge/stylus angle using a USB microscope.)

Option 2 – Setting VTA by ear

If you don’t have a ruler handy, you can also set the VTA by ear. It’s a good starting point, although this won’t be as accurate or effective. To do this effectively, you need to have three records of different thicknesses – one thin, one medium, and one thick.

The stages of the process are largely similar to the above method – you’re just adjusting the height of the tonearm to find the best angle. However, in this case, you are using your ear rather than a ruler.

It can help to start by looking at the angle of the tonearm in relation to the record surface. A quick visual tweak before listening reduces the margin of error.

1. Listen to sections of each of the three records.
2. With the medium record, set the VTA to neutral (parallel), then raise it slightly until it sounds right. (Remember to stop the record and lift the needle when you adjust the tonearm!)
3. When the medium record sounds right, test out the thicker and thinner vinyl. Then compare the results, paying close attention to the difference in audio quality.

This is due to the relationship between VTA and frequency reproduction. Obviously, you will want to tweak the VTA when you’re using records of differing heights. This method works OK in a pinch but isn’t ideal.

Option 3 – Calibrating VTA and SRA with a USB Microscope

If you want to take it a step further, consider using a USB microscope to adjust what’s called the Stylus Rake Angle, or SRA in short. This technique is highly recommended in the audiophile community and goes a step beyond VTA by looking at the stylus (and its tip, more specifically) in detail. Most cartridge manufacturers recommend an SRA of 92 degrees, and is measured by looking at the stylus tip in relation to the record surface.

USB microsocopes are pretty inexpensive, but the process can be a little fiddly and takes practice. It’s a worthwhile investment for audiophiles who really want to squeeze out everything they can of their setup in terms of sound quality.  Something like this this USB microscope will do the trick and helps visually magnify your setup on a computer screen to make SRA changes.

1. Connect the USB microscope and load up the software.
2. Point the microscope close to the stylus, parallel with the platter and check that the stylus is sharp in view (focused).
3. Put a piece of paper behind the stylus to get a better image (with increased contrast).
4. Now take a magnified image to see the SRA up close. If you struggle to get a clear image, you can try taking a video while slowly adjusting the cameras focus, then taking a still image from the video that’s sharpest.
5. Use IrfanView (free software), with which you can easily draw geometric shapes and measure angles.
6. Change arm height as necessary until the SRA is 92°.

You can find a complete guide on using a magnifying glass to calibrate SRA on Analogplanet here.

Issues with visual VTA calibration- alternative solutions?

Visual methods provide a good approximate starting point, although the actual measurement performance isn’t 100% accurate. If you look at it slightly the wrong way, with a tilted head, it can throw the measurement off by a couple of degrees. Secondly, there isn’t a way to judge the true center point of the stylus tip, so you are still guessing.

Also, inaccuracy is created because you set the angle when the record isn’t playing. The VTA changes when you let the platter start spinning. So only an actual measurement performed while a record is playing will be fully accurate.

Even if you achieve the optimal SRA angle of 92 degrees visually, the angle will change as soon as the stylus is put under the dragging force created by the grooves as a record plays and rotates with the platter. The friction and motion create extra downward force.

For turntable owners to achieve the most accurate reproduction from your turntable, you need to calibrate the Vertical Tracking Force (VTF), azimuth, and anti-skating too.

To get the best calibration across all parameters, you might need to make subtle changes to each one repeatedly, as modification in one area can throw something off somewhere else, even if it’s only a small difference.

For the most accurate calibration, you can use modern calibration tools. Analog Magik has recently released cutting-edge tools for getting the most accurate calibration across a range of turntable variables, including a VTA function.

The Analogmagik software is a premium solution and will set you back a whopping $1,100, so it’s only suitable for the most dedicated audiophiles in need of an excellent tool.

Analog Magik works by using a special test record which is fed into software via an audio interface. These test records can help to calibrate more than just VTA, which is a bonus. This is the most accurate (albeit expensive) way to check your VTA calibration.

The software interprets the level of intermodulation distortion (unwanted frequency buildup) and helps when fine-tuning for the optimal setting. It projects all the information you need on your laptop screen. While this technique is too expensive to explore in this guide, it’s an exciting concept, and the website has a lot of valuable resources and information about turntable calibration.