Tonearm Resonance Calculator

How tonearm resonance works (and why the 8–12 Hz window matters)

When you bolt a phono cartridge onto a tonearm, you’re creating a simple spring-and-mass system. The tonearm effective mass is the “mass” part, and the cartridge’s dynamic compliance is the “spring” part. Every spring-and-mass system has a natural resonance frequency. In a turntable setup, that resonance shows up as a slow wobble of the arm/cartridge system—usually somewhere below the audible band.

The goal is to land that resonance in a safe “gap” between two problems: record/footfall energy on the low end, and bass music content on the high end. A commonly recommended target is roughly 8–12 Hz. If resonance is too low (say ~5–7 Hz), the system can get excited by warped records, off-center pressings, or bouncy floors, sometimes causing visible woofer pumping or mistracking. If resonance is too high (say ~13–16 Hz), it can start to overlap with musical bass energy, which can blur bass definition and reduce tracking stability.

This calculator helps you estimate resonance using the specs you can actually find: effective mass (arm + headshell) and cartridge compliance. It’s an estimate—real-world resonance also depends on things like mounting hardware weight, damping (if your arm has it), and how compliance is measured. Still, it’s a very practical first-pass check when you’re swapping cartridges or comparing arms.

• Start with known specs: pick a tonearm/turntable and cartridge from the lists, or enter your own values.
• Be consistent about compliance frequency: some manufacturers publish compliance at 10 Hz, others at 100 Hz. (That’s why you’ll see a 10 Hz / 100 Hz option.)
• Use the result as guidance: if you’re close to the target band, you’re typically fine. If you’re far outside it, consider a lighter/heavier headshell, a different cartridge compliance, or a different arm mass.

About the built-in database

The dropdowns on this page are powered by a built-in reference database of popular cartridges and tonearms/turntables. It’s designed to make matching faster: instead of hunting for specs across multiple tabs, you can select an item and the calculator will prefill the key values (effective mass or compliance) used in the resonance estimate. You can still override any field—think of the database as a time-saving starting point, not a lock-in.

The database also helps normalize messy real-world spec sheets. Cartridge compliance is sometimes stated at different test frequencies (commonly 10 Hz or 100 Hz), and effective mass may be listed for the arm alone or for an arm + stock headshell. Where a spec is missing or ambiguous, the page may include a note in the reference entry. If you have exact weights or measured resonance from your own setup, entering your real values will always beat a generic spec.