In this video I walk you through how I adjust tonearm height on a turntable—something a lot of people overlook, but it’s a big deal if you want proper groove tracking. A lot of folks assume the arm height is “factory set” and shouldn’t be touched, but the second you swap a mat, change a cartridge, or even go to a different stylus, your tonearm can end up too low or too high. I demonstrate the process on my Technics SL-1200MK5, but the steps are very similar on many popular decks (including a lot of Audio-Technica-style models). Before you touch tonearm height, I always recommend making sure your stylus tracking force is already set correctly (balance the arm, set tracking pressure, and anti-skate). Then I use a real record on the platter, cue the arm down near the beginning grooves, and visually check if the arm tube is perfectly horizontal. If it’s not, I clip the arm back in place (to protect the stylus and record), unlock the height ring, and turn the adjustment ring—counterclockwise to lower, clockwise to raise—until it levels out. I also cover the tonearm lift height screw, but in most cases it’s factory set and you won’t need to touch it unless your stylus is hovering dangerously close to the record with the cue lever up.