Maximum Tracking Error
Maximum tracking error is the largest angle, viewed from above, between the cantilever—the small rod carrying the stylus—and the local groove direction over the stated playing range.
It is an angle, not a distortion percentage. One degree contains 60 arcminutes (′). A specification of ±5′ means up to five arcminutes either side: a maximum magnitude of 5′, about 0.083°, not 10′.
Maximum Tracking Error — Tonearm
The tonearm’s geometry and cartridge alignment control this error. Compare figures in the same units, over the same groove-radius range—the distances from the record’s centre—and with the stated alignment and setup. A figure without those conditions may not support a fair comparison.
Under matching conditions, a smaller maximum means less worst-case angular mismatch. It does not by itself prove better sound: distortion also depends on where and what the stylus is playing. Keep stated limits intact: “less than 2°” is an upper limit, not an exact 2° reading.
Sources
- Reading tonearm specifications — Audio-Technica
- Reed 5T — Reed
- The International System of Units, 9th edition, version 4.01 — BIPM
- How to calculate tonearm geometry — Pspatial Audio
- Geometry: A Brief Guide to Using an Arc Protractor — Galibier Design
- Cartridge-making Dictionary — Audio-Technica