Supported Cartridge Weight Range
Supported Cartridge Weight Range is the span of cartridge masses, in grams, that a tonearm’s counterweight system can balance.
Tracking force is different: it is the force the stylus applies to the record. Set it according to the cartridge’s instructions, not the cartridge’s weight.
Supported Cartridge Weight Range — Tonearm
Check which counterweight the range requires. A heavier cartridge may need an auxiliary weight; confirm whether it is supplied or sold separately. If the figure includes the headshell, compare it with the combined mass, not the bare cartridge. A maximum gives an upper limit, not the minimum or your cartridge’s actual mass.
Being within range establishes only balance capacity. Effective mass describes the arm’s resistance to changes in motion; compliance describes the cartridge suspension’s flexibility. These must also suit each other. Check the cartridge mounting fit separately, using the documentation for the actual arm fitted to your turntable.
Sources
- Technics SL-1200GR / SL-1210GR operating instructions — Technics
- Pro-Ject Counterweights Database, Tonearm 8.6 A — Pro-Ject Audio Systems
- Ortofon — Find the right cartridge — Ortofon
- Dynavector — Phono Cartridge and Tonearm Matching — Dynavector
- Bool Audio — Calculating the effective mass of the Clear Wave tonearm — Bool Audio