Author: Andrew

When your favorite record player stops working so well, it’s time to take it in for a repair. Knowing the costs of repairing a record player is vital before spending any money to ensure the player is worth repairing. In some circumstances, it might be wise to replace the unit merely. But don’t fret; we’ll go over all of this here today to make your life easier.

The costs of repairing a record player vary based on the make, model, parts needed, and labor required to repair. Most repairs are simple, but others that involve high-precision soldering or other specialized repairs can turn out expensive.

Understanding the repairs that record players most commonly require is a fundamental aspect of understanding the associated costs. I’ll take you through the most common of these turntable repairs and some of the costs you can expect. It’s going to help you decide whether to do a repair, upgrade, or replace the turntable altogether, so stick around and let’s go for a spin, shall we?

The Cost Of Repairing A Record Player Explained

As mentioned, and evident as it may be, I’ll mention that the type of turntable will dictate whether or not a repair is worth doing. If a record player is a budget one, you may not even have the option to get parts. Therefore, it’s advised that you have a rough formula to figure out if it’s worth the repair in the first place.

Here are the formulas I use to determine if I should repair a turntable:

• Value of Turntable < Cost of Repair = Don’t Repair
• ¼ Value of Turntable = Cost of Repair = Repair Turntable or Upgrade/Repair
• ½ Value of Turntable = Cost of Repair = Consider Upgrade

When I use these rules, I take my love for the turntable into account. For example, if you have a solid Technic 1200 base, you may want to keep it forever and upgrade minor components as they break. You have to consider how you use the machine and how comfortable you are with it.

Let’s take a quick look through some of the more common repairs required and what you can expect to pay for them.

Common Record Player Repairs, Descriptions, And Costs

Repair Estimate

Many record player repair services will charge a nominal equipment troubleshooting/repair estimate fee. Some shops will do a preliminary investigation for free, but anything over a minute or two and you are likely looking at the cost of between $50 and $95, depending on the shop. (source)

Broken, Stretched, Or Worn Drive Belt

This repair never happens on direct-drive turntables, but it’s an inevitable repair on a belt drive. Most people don’t bother taking the record player into the shop for this, it’s usually a very straightforward repair. That and the fact that many repair shops carry a 2 to 3 week wait time for turntable repairs, so it usually isn’t worth paying someone to replace the belt when you can likely do the work yourself. (source)

Drive belts for record players start at as little as a few dollars. However, you get what you pay for in the end. Here are a few examples of standard OEM replacement belt costs for standard models:

• Audio Technica $17-$35
• Clearaudio $29-$49
• Crosley $10-$25
• Emerson $10-$25
• Harman Kardon $17-$35
• Magnavox $17-$20
• Pioneer $17-$20
• Technics $17-$30

Drive belts for record players are typically repaired by the owner of the record player. It’s relatively straightforward to replace and is often not worth the price of labor to replace.

If you decide to get someone to replace the belt, you can expect to pay about $60 plus the cost of the belt. This service usually includes a complimentary tune-up and cleaning for the cost as a way of justifying a two-minute repair. (source)

Tip: If your record player is worth less than $100, you may want to consider buying an upgraded turntable instead of replacing the belt.

Cartridge Replacement

Replacing a cartridge is something that all record player owners will need to do at some point or another. Audiophiles who enjoy their records must replace their cartridges more than others, as the greater the use, the greater the wear.

Cartridge replacement can vary widely in cost. Here are two manufacturer examples of the extensive range in cost that a cartridge might cost you:

• Audio Technica
  • AT-XP5 DJ Cartridge $79
  • AT-F2 MC Phono Cartridge $189
  • AT-ART9 Phono Cartridge $990
  • AT-ART1000 Cartridge $4,999
• Clear Audio
  • Concept V2 MM Phono Cartridge $250
  • Performer V2 Ebony Phono Cartridge $450
  • Maestro V2 Ebony Phono Cartridge $1,300
  • Da Vinci V2 Phono Cartridge $7,000
  • Goldfinger Statement Phono Cartridge $16,000

As you can see, you can get cheaper yet name-brand products at relatively low costs. However, you can also get 24-carat gold components with embedded diamonds. I’m not kidding; the Goldfinger cartridge is literally machined from gold and has a ½ carat diamond embedded. (source)

So, what kind of record table repair do you need?

The cartridge replacement is likely the most common repair amongst all record players despite make or model. Different cartridge mounting types exist, so if you do decide to upgrade to a non-OEM model, you may require an adapter plate of sorts to accommodate a different mounting arrangement.

Tune-Up And Cleaning

A common repair required for record players is the basic tune-up and cleaning service. This repair service usually costs in the neighborhood of $60 to $75 for most turntable brands. The repair usually includes calibration of the tonearm counterbalance and detailed and delicate cleaning of all components. Turntables with built-in brakes, like those used for DJing, may also include having the brakes adjusted. Some service repair shops include a new drive belt in the tune-up service if the turntable is a belt-drive type.

Tonearm Issues

There are several issues that a tonearm might have that may include:

• Lowering too fast – counterbalance adjustment most likely cause
• Wandering to one side – check if the record player is on a level surface
• Won’t lower completely – check counterbalance adjustment or limit screw

Most issues involving the tonearm are easy to repair, and thus you shouldn’t have to pay anything for most of these minor issues. Usually, an adjustment is all that is required. However, if you aren’t sure and frustrated, you could bring the turntable into a general cleaning and tune-up shop. Usually, service shops will include a minor adjustment like that of tonearm counterbalance or similar in a tune-up/cleaning cost. Typically you will be looking at anywhere from $60 to $75 for this service.

Another not-so-common issue with the tonearm is the failure of the cables. Sometimes a cable just has a bad spot on it and needs replacement. The cables will be very fine and easy to damage, so extreme caution is required.

Many tonearm cables are plug and play, but some models will require skill with soldering. You will need to remove the cartridge and possibly part of the unit’s underbelly to expose where the cables need to be fed through the tonearm and counterbalance assembly.

Replacing tonearm cables is a repair usually best left to a repair shop. The part is typical at $10 to $45 for most models and makes of the turntable; however, the higher-end models like Clearaudio will cost considerably more, depending on the model the cable set is made to suit.

Power Source Repairs

One of the less common issues that turntables may face is a failed power source. Typically a transformer, this repair can be more involved than you may want to take on yourself. For starters, you’ll likely need some experience with soldering electronics.

Typically, when an internal component of a record player such as a transformer goes, I recommend taking it into the shop. Here’s where you need to look at whether or not it’s worth it.

Most repair shops will charge between $60 and $150 in labor to replace an internal component like a transformer. Likely, the cost of the part will be in addition. Depending on the make/model, the part can range from $25 to $400 or more. Use the formula for this to decide if it’s worth paying for the repair.

Everyone will try to tell you which are the best record players to buy. And they are likely based on a mixture of real-life reviews and the amount of money the blog is making from convincing you to purchase. But, whoever warns you NOT to buy something?

Wasting money on products with poor reviews is something I try to avoid. So, I’ve compiled a list of the worst record players (in my opinion) that you should avoid purchasing at all costs.

Top X lists are enormous. I say let’s take a look at what to avoid for once, rather than just show what’s hot and selling. After all, some of the best gear is just off the main playing field. Let’s just try to avoid the lousy gear while we navigate the turntable market, shall we?

My Top 9 Worst Record Players To Avoid At All Costs

In the following table, I’ve collected data from Google on the worst-rated turntables being offered currently. These were all the way at the end of page 16, and Google was not offering a page 17, so I’m assuming these are the worst that Google is willing to show.

These models are assumed to be the worst available, based on the reviews of actual buyers. If you do your research in the forums, you’ll find a correlation between what people say is not good and the brands listed in the table below. Or at least, I found a correlation at the time of researching this information.

As you can see in the table above, the worst record players are dominated by Crosley and Victrola, with only a Jensen also making the list.

Assuming that user ratings and reviews correlate to the worst record players for sale, it’s safe to say that Victrola is the worst, having all four positions within the bottom half of the ratings. Crosley comes in as the second-worst brand of the turntable, with a review rating correlation showing the four Crosleys all reside in the top half of the worst nine.

Jensen sneaks its way into the list with an underperforming JTA 470 Professional turntable. Far from what I call professional, this record player is not on my wish list, that’s for sure.

My advice is to buy yourself something decent. If you’re buying for a five-year-old, then maybe one of these. Nah, even a five-year-old deserves better, in my opinion.

Are Cheap Turntables Any Good

The bottom line is that any turntable will play a record as long as the RPM of the turntable coincides with that of the record. However, this says nothing about the quality of the audio. Not to mention, really cheap cartridges with cheap needles might harm your records. So, if you like your records, you should use a half-decent cartridge and needle at the bare minimum.

There are two primary considerations when looking at purchasing a cheap turntable. Answering these two questions before spending any money can help save you from making a wrong purchase.

1. What is the purpose of this turntable?
2. What is a good quality sound worth to me?

What is the purpose of this turntable?

When you’re on a tight budget, determining the purpose of a turntable purchase is an excellent way to figure out what you should buy.

For example, if you are buying a turntable for a kid, and it’s likely they won’t respect it, or perhaps it’s just a fad, then a cheap turntable might be the best solution.

If you are heading off to college and there is a high likelihood that your record player will get borrowed a lot, then perhaps a cheaper one is a better idea.

However, if you intend to guard your turntable along with your valued vinyl collection, then a cheap turntable is not for you.

If you enjoy listening to music, you might want to reconsider and get a better turntable.

That leads me right into the second point:

What Is Good Quality Sound Worth To Me?

When you consider the stereo system, that is something that plays music either out loud or through headphones or other speakers; there are many links in the chain. I am referring to these links: the amplifier, the record, the record player, the speakers, the wiring or cables, and so forth. You get the idea.

Each of these components creates a chain that outputs music in your chosen way (speakers, headphones, etc.). That chain is only as good as the weakest link. I’m sure you’ve heard that expression before.

The rule I always use is never to purchase a “link” of equal or lesser value. Or rather, in this case, never purchase a turntable of equal or lesser value. Now keep in mind here that I say the word value. I did not use the word cost. My definition of value is a quality manufactured product intended to last. Sometimes you find a used Technics 1200 at a garage sale for $20, and it works perfectly. That’s value.

Now that we’ve established value let’s consider the quality of sound for a moment. If we only look for value, quality manufacture intended to last, then we consider quality sound over mediocre sound. What are you willing to pay to upgrade from mediocrity to a pleasurable existence? That is while listening to vinyl records, of course.

Other Brands To Avoid

I find that there are altogether too many brands of turntable now. Call me old-fashioned, but in my experience, it’s best to go with the tried, tested, and authentic brands. So, if it’s a weirdly named brand you’ve never heard of, your best bet is to carry on not knowing it and leave it behind.

However, you can’t judge a record player by whether or not you’ve heard of the name. For example, many people have heard of Crosley and Victrola. But I wouldn’t touch these brands with a ten-foot pole.

Perhaps I am just old-fashioned, but I’m still a Technics guy. Don’t get me wrong; there are some other great brands out there like Audio Technica, for example.

Sometimes It’s The Model, Not The Brand

I’ve found that out of the name brands that don’t catch my eye, I have one rule for turntables: Never buy a portable or ‘suitcase-style record player. They never seem to be any good, and many models have shown to prematurely wear records from cheap needles, improper tracking pressure, and similar issues. Not to mention the atrocious sound quality you get from the small and inadequate built-in speakers in many of these models.

Sometimes I also notice that a brand might have a flawed model, but some other great ones. For example, you can debate which Technics record player is the best and which is the worst. It’s a matter of perspective, but who is to say the worst Technic model is not equivalent to the best model of another brand?

Either way, the cheap portable types of record players are usually the bad ones. Turntables intended for single location use are the ones you want to look at if you want any kind of quality at all.

And if budget is an issue, take a look at hock shops and used electronics stores. You can often find a great deal on a great record player worth much more than a suitcase-style in terms of quality, but often for less money. I once found a Technic 1200 at a garage sale for only $20. I still have that turntable twenty years later. What does that tell you about the value of the $20 I spent?

Do yourself a favor and buy a decent turntable right from the start; it doesn’t have to be expensive if you shop for a bargain or a used unit. You’ll be glad you did.