Rega unveils new tracking force gauge to help protect your records

It’s not exciting, but it is important.

UK turntable makers Rega have unveiled the Atlas, a new accessory for measuring the tracking force of your cartridge. Sexy it may not be, but it could ensure the longer life of your records and your stylus.

Read next: How to balance your tonearm – a step-by-step guide

By way of a quick primer, tracking force roughly equates to the weight at which your cartridge and stylus ride the groove of a record. Too light and the needle could skate across the vinyl, too heavy and… well, you can guess what might happen.

The tracking force gauge, as the name suggests, measures this tracking force. Frustrated by outsourced models, Rega have designed their own, used in the manufacturer of their turntables, and which is now available to the public.

As the company says: “The Rega Atlas tracking force gauge is designed to provide reliable and accurate measurement of tracking force for the lifetime of your turntable. Inside the durable aluminium casework is a highly stable loadcell and precision amplification circuitry.There is also a custom designed front guard to protect the measuring element and provide easy alignment. This allows the Atlas to achieve accurate and reliable performance with minimal input from the user.”

You can find out more about the Atlas here and watch our film about how Rega hand-make their popular range of turntable below.