Tonearm

Fitting your turntable

For a pivoted arm, check the mounting arrangement and the specified distance from the arm pivot to the platter spindle. Allow room for the arm to move and clear the lid. Nominal arm length alone does not confirm that a replacement will fit.

Matching your cartridge

Check the cartridge mounting format, the weight the arm can balance and whether its tracking-force range covers the cartridge’s recommendation. Effective mass describes the arm’s resistance to motion; match it to cartridge compliance, meaning suspension flexibility. A cartridge that mounts and balances can still be a poor mechanical match.

Completing the system

The arm’s wiring carries the cartridge signal to a suitable phono stage, which may be built into an amplifier. Check the package contents before ordering; buying an arm does not necessarily include its cartridge.