The tracking force is 1.6 g plus or minus .3 g, meaning you can track it between 1.3 and 1.9. My opinion, FWIW, is that most cartridges sound a lot better tracking at the high end of their range than the lower end. I'd certainly start out tracking it around 1.8 or 1.9 when it's new.
As to the balancing plate, you probably have a couple of issues:
a) the 160 I think weighs about 4.8 grams. If you have a tonearm that recommends the use of a cartridge weighing more than 4.8 grams, the use of the plate may be in order. I have no idea how much the plate weighs, so you'll have to research that and what the recommended weight of cartridges is for your specific tonearm.
b) Cartridge compliance and compatibility with your existing tonearm. Denon's compliance #'s are not necessarily "real"; there is extensive discussion of this at the vinly asylum at audioasylum. Depending on how the 160 matches up with your tonearm (it supposedly likes a lower mass arm), you may or may not have to use the "balancing plate". You're just going to have to do more homework on this. Vinyl asylum is the place to research and ask.
As to the balancing plate, you probably have a couple of issues:
a) the 160 I think weighs about 4.8 grams. If you have a tonearm that recommends the use of a cartridge weighing more than 4.8 grams, the use of the plate may be in order. I have no idea how much the plate weighs, so you'll have to research that and what the recommended weight of cartridges is for your specific tonearm.
b) Cartridge compliance and compatibility with your existing tonearm. Denon's compliance #'s are not necessarily "real"; there is extensive discussion of this at the vinly asylum at audioasylum. Depending on how the 160 matches up with your tonearm (it supposedly likes a lower mass arm), you may or may not have to use the "balancing plate". You're just going to have to do more homework on this. Vinyl asylum is the place to research and ask.