Author: Andrew

The Differences Between Technics 1200 and 1210

Technics 1200’s are known as some of the best direct-drive turntables in the industry. The record player has dominated the industry for decades, leading as a benchmark to follow for competition. But what is the difference between the SL-1200 and the slightly more expensive SL-1210 models? Let’s find out.

The Technics SL-1200 and the SL-1210 are both acclaimed models of record players. Highly similar in many features, the SL-1200 has more features a DJ will like than the 1210, geared to the audiophile.

Being such a versatile and respected base platform, the Technics 12xx lines of turntables have garnered the respect of DJs and audiophiles alike. Technic has done its best to distinguish two versions of the classic 1200, each suited to an individual audience.

I’ll go through all the features and point out the similarities between the new Technic turntable models available on the market. That way, you’ll have all the information you need to know, so let’s just dive right in and get this record spinning.

Current Models of Technics 12xx

It’s easy to get misled by the denizens of net experts, especially in forums. Everyone loves company, so everyone thinks they know, and everyone thinks their model is the best. But, I’ve got some news for you – there are many models in the Technic 12__ series, four to be exact.

There are more if we’re talking historically, but in terms of new equipment, this is what the current lineup of the 1200s (including 1210s) that you can get from Technic.

SL-1200G – The standard model 1200 direct drive record player.
SL-1200GR – 1200G with upgraded motor, motor control, platter, and tonearm.
SL-1200MK7 – The DJ’s choice model with reverse play function.
SL-1210GR – 1200G with upgraded motor, motor control, platter, and tonearm (black).

As you can see from the list I put together above, the four current Technic 12xx series of turntables are slightly different.

When we compare all the specifications, the two turntables, the SL-1200GR and the SL-1210GR, are indeed the same, save for the color of the body. That and a typically hefty price difference at the cash register also.

The components are the same, but when we compare the other 1200 models, we see that there are indeed some pretty significant differences between a 1200 and 1210. Let’s look at those features that differentiate the models.

Features Comparison Between The Technics SL-12xx Models

If you were trying to distinguish between the models of Technic turntable, you likely happen upon several forums where everyone with an answer seems to say that the 1200 and 1210 are the same. That would be inaccurate. I’m going to clear this up.

When laid out side by side, the features and differences of models show the clear and distinct differences of turntable models. Take a look at the table below.

	Technics SL-1200G	Technics SL-1200GR	Technics SL-1200MK7	Technics SL-1210GR
Speeds	33 ⅓, 45, 78	33 ⅓, 45, 78	33 ⅓, 45, 78	33 ⅓, 45, 78
Reverse Play Function			Yes
Platter Weight	7 15/16 lbs (3.6 kg, incl. Rubber mat)	5.51 lbs (2.5 kg, incl. Rubber mat)	4 lbs (1.8 kg)	5.51 lbs (2.5 kg, incl. Rubber mat)
Platter Characteristics	Brass and Aluminum diecast combined	Aluminum diecast	Aluminum diecast	Aluminum diecast
Starting Torque	2.2 kg x cm	2.2 kg x cm	1.8 kg x cm	2.2 kg x cm
Start-Up Time @ 33 ⅓ RPM	0.7s	0.7s	0.7s	0.7s
Overall Weight	39.7 lbs (18 kg)	25.35 lbs (11.5 kg)	21.2 lbs (9.6 kg)	25.35 lbs (11.5 kg)
Available Colors	Silver	Gunmetal Grey	Silver, Black	Black
Power Consumption	14 Watts	11 Watts	8 Watts	11 Watts

The features comparison takeaway is that the G and MK7 models are quite different, even on the same base platform. The GR models are identical save for color and likely price.

Given the GR models are the same, let’s look at what makes the G and the MK7 stand out in the crowd.

Aside from the apparent feature allowing one to reverse the direction of the platter, there are some other unique differences between the models of Technic record player that are noteworthy.

Starting Torch And Platter Weight

Two more distinct differences between the Technic 1200 models are the weight of the platter and the initial torque.

I find it quite interesting that the initial torque of the DJ version of 1200 is the least powerful of the bunch. However, it is relative to the decrease in weight. A more substantial torque might cause records to slip on the slipmat making for weird and broken beginnings.

Although it might be an idea to attempt upgrading to a higher torque motor, you might have to consider adding weight to the platter to counter any slip from over-torque.

Weight

The most significant difference between Technic 12xx models is the overall weight. The G model comes in at a lofty 39.7 lbs. Let’s just call it 40 pounds; it’s a beast. It’s solid. It’s not going anywhere in a hurricane-force wind. It’s a monster of stability.

Now compare the large beast G model to the MK7 DJing rig that comes in at just over half the weight of the G at 21.2 pounds. It’s literally near half the weight. The unit sacrifices some of the stability that comes with weight in exchange for the portability factor taking weight in as a primary make or breakpoint.

Power Consumption

I found this to be particularly interesting, although not unexpected. The power required to maintain the stable momentum of the platter is relative to the weight of the platter and the speed of rotation. Assuming a rotational speed symmetry, different power requirements to maintain velocity are understandable with different weight platters. The heavier the platter, the more energy is required to maintain velocity.

Everyday Prices Of Technic 12xx Turntables Online

The prices of models seem a little out of whack with reality. It’s more accurate than not when comparing the prices of the SL-1200GR and the SL-1210GR. It’s virtually the same machine in every way but base color.

Technics 1200MK7 is commonly sold for $999.00 to $1550.00, depending on where you purchase.
Technics 1210GR $1699.99 is a standard price to find the 1210GR retailing.

Bottom Line: What’s The Difference?

The difference between the iterations of Technic 12xx turntable varies in weight of both platter and overall unit. This platter weight difference explains the difference in power requirements. The only model with a reverse direction feature is the lightest of the turntables, the SL-1200MK7.

The other difference between these models is the price.

Which Model Of Technic Turntable Should I Get?

Deciding which model is pretty straightforward. First, if you are going to scratch or DJ with it, you should likely consider the MK7. The feature to reverse with the flick of a switch is pretty cool. It offers the ability to include many special effects moments that would be pretty difficult to accomplish otherwise.

The trade-off for the MK7 is the lightweight platter and overall weight. The heavier the player, the more stable, so the MK7 is the lightest of the bunch.

If the clear sound is what you’re after, I’d recommend the GR model. It’s upgraded from the G but has a lot of great features built-in. However, you just can’t beat the stability of pitch with a heavier platter like that of the G model.

Other Options For The Technic 12xx Series Of Turntables

Do you remember the muscle car fad of the 90s and the street racing fad of the 2000s? Whether you do or not, the point is that when a fad gets popular, and a brand or a few brands are at the center, then aftermarket parts become readily accessible.

The world of the Technic 1200 is no different from the muscle cars of old in that there is no shortage of aftermarket upgrades.

You could find a great deal on an older Technic 1200GR and upgrade the motor or the cartridge. Many upgrade the tonearm, and most people have their favorite slipmat if DJing is your interest.

The long and short of it is that upgrades are plentiful, so you could grab a $1000 turntable, add $500 in upgrades and have a turntable that would rival any or most $3000 models.

Sources

Technics – SL-1200G
https://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/sl1200g-series/sl-1200g.html#feature
Technics – SL-1200GR
https://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/sl1200g-series/sl-1200gr.html#specs
Technics – SL-1200MK7
https://www.technics.com/us/products/dj-series/sl-1200mk7.html#specs
Technics – SL-1210GR
https://www.technics.com/us/products/grand-class/sl1200g-series/sl-1210gr.html#overview

June 21, 2021

My Turntable Smell Like It’s Burning: 5 Issues And Easy Fix Tips
Relaxing to some classic vinyl and a funny smell like burning starts to meander across the room. It’s subtle but makes you wonder why the turntable smell like it’s burning has entered your nose. Before your house burns down, it would be best if you unplugged the device and kept reading to find out more.

Several things may cause your turntable to smell like it’s burning from a short to a bad belt. You need to discern the exact smell and place where the smell originates from knowing how to fix the problem. Use our handy troubleshooting guide below to find out why your turntable smells like it’s burning.

We’ll explore the five primary causes of a turntable smell like it’s burning and help you troubleshoot to figure out which cause affects your turntable. Stick with me for the repair tips for each as well, so your turntable will be back up and spinning in no time.

Why Does My Turntable Smell Like It’s Burning?

As I mentioned, a few different things might cause a turntable to start giving off an odor of burning suddenly. However, five things are usually the culprit:
1. Electrical Short – Smells like burning plastic or chemicals.
2. A Belt Is Loose Or Brittle – Smells like burning rubber.
3. Motor Failing – Smells like metal or chemicals burning.
4. Dust Buildup – Smells like paper or waste burning.
5. Bearing Failing – High pitch squeaks accompanied by smell like burning oil or chemicals.
Each of these common issues can make an older (or even a new) turntable smell like it’s burning. A smell like burning often happens with brand new turntables out of the box. However, it should not be taken for granted because there could be a potential fire hazard. Here’s more information you need to know (keep reading).

Electrical Short

A common cause of a smell of burning with many small appliances, not just turntables, is the electrical short.

Turntables are known for their reactions to and creation of static electricity. Although not a huge threat, a small short can weaken electrical insulation over time and cause a short to occur more and more often at a particular location.

How To Diagnose An Electrical Short On A Turntable

Sometimes, a turntable component, like the wiring or a switch/control knob, starts to fail and starts shorting out.

Suppose the short is in a circuit that directly affects operation. In that case, the source of the failure should be evident from either a failure of the turntable to produce sound or some other failure in the operation that makes a short obvious.

Suppose the short is in a circuit that does not directly affect the operation but still has power, like that of an led lighting up part of the turntable or some other similar subsequent circuit. In that case, there is the possibility of a short, without operation being affected.

Unplug your turntable and give it a thorough inspection. Remove any protective covers to expose the wiring. Trace the wiring from the plug to each end of the circuits and look for:
- Scorched wiring
- Loose wiring/connections
If you find a loose connection, do your best to tighten it or even solder it if you have experience. Otherwise, you may want to bring the unit in for repair, especially if you see anything burnt.

If you find scorched wiring, do not plug the device back in until professionally repaired.

A Belt Is Loose Or Brittle

Turntables that are not direct drive are notorious for burning out drive belts. Commonly the older the turntable or, the more it is used will cause the belt to wear faster.

Once a belt is aged, it will become loose or brittle. In both cases, it case cause the belt to slip.

How To Diagnose A Loose Or Brittle Belt On A Turntable

Usually, when a belt slips, you’ll notice a stop or slow-down in the tempo of the record. However, if the record hasn’t started yet, or the slip wasn’t noticed, you may notice a faint burning rubber smell.

Unplug your turntable and carefully flip it over (without placing the weight onto the tonearm).

Inspect the belt for damage. Feel the belt with your fingers to determine if it is still pliable and if there are any brittle spots.

Inspect that the belt is tight but not over-tightened. The turntable should spin freely and without much discernable friction. The belt should hold firm without slipping.

Motor Failing

Whether your record player is a belt-drive or a direct-drive, both use an electrically powered motor. The motor is not indestructible, nor do they last forever. That is, they don’t last if they are ill-maintained or in poor conditions.

I once kept an old turntable in my garage. An exceptionally wet spring came and went, and I found that the platter had all but seized due to a seized motor.

When I took the belt-driven turntable inside and opened up the case, I found that the moisture from the air outside had rotted away the motor, bearing, and other metal components. The rusty tonearm was the first dead giveaway. In my experience, it’s best to keep these indoors.

How To Diagnose A Failing Motor

Usually, when a motor fails, it either stops working altogether, or you’ll find it ‘steps’ by stopping for very brief pauses and then picking up again.

The motor is often quite warm to the touch, sometimes even hot enough to burn, so be cautious. Always unplug first.

If you have a belt-drive, remove the belt and turn the wheel pulley by hand. It should spin freely and without any noticeable friction.

The motor shaft should not have much, if any, play in the shaft. The pulley and shaft should neither wobble side to side nor extend and retract at all. If they do seem to be loose, then it is likely the inner bearings of the motor are gone.

If the motor simply stops working, you can test the circuit using a voltmeter if you are experienced with such things. If you aren’t experienced, don’t try to test any electrical circuits and bring the turntable professionally repaired.

If your motor seems okay but has never had oiling, try oiling it. All record players should have the motor and spindle bearing oiled every 2000 hours or so of use.

Dust Buildup

Just because your record player has a dust cover doesn’t mean that dust can’t build up inside the unit. Any record player that has any holes exposing the inner workings may get dust building inside the machine.

Record players that are used often will gain more dust between the platter and the turntable body.

Record players that don’t have a dust cover will be highly susceptible to dust buildup issues.

How To Diagnose A Turntable with too much dust buildup

If you can see dust at all, there’s too much. One issue that can occur is the use of carbon fiber brushes.

We are taught to slowly glide the carbon fiber brush, working it from the center spindle outward along with the record as the record spins.

The motion is similar to plowing snow off the road. In this case, we are plowing dust off the record.

The problem is that fine carbon brush fibers and dust are being swept off the edge of the record. Over time, this fine dust can build up between the platter and the turntable body.

When enough dust builds up, and the record player finds use, the friction can heat the dust to the point where a burning smell can emanate from the turntable.

Use a compressed air can (purchase in a computer maintenance area of stores that sell computers) typically used to blow out keyboards. Focus the air around the platter’s outer edge to remove any dust trapped between the platter and the body of the record player.

Bearing Failing

Record players don’t often have a bearing go, but it can happen on turntables used heavily. Smelling the smell of burning plastic (the housing around a hot bearing) is rare but not impossible. Often the turntable is used for scratch djing as this provided adequate pressure on the table bearings to cause premature wear.

How To Diagnose A Bearing Failure In My Turntable

The most common noticeable fact when a bearing goes is the sound. True, a blown bearing may start to smell like burning, but it is usually the plastic around the bearing that is starting to heat up due to a hot and worn bearing that would smell. Furthermore, by the time this happens, you’d likely already know due to a noticeable change in turntable operation.

The most common way to diagnose a blown bearing is the sound. Most bearings start to squeal when they wear. The smell is much less common.

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June 21, 2021
Why You Should Never Buy A Crosley Record Player
A lot of people really dislike the Crosley brand. Famous for their cheap, low-end, all-in-one portable record players, Crosley appeals to many people not interested in a high-end record player for its sound generating abilities. However, even for a cheap turntable, there are a lot of reasons you should never buy a Crosley record player, in my opinion.

Crosley record players are known for their low price and their low quality. Touted on many forums as the bane of the true audiophile, Crosley record players are some of the cheapest and cheapest quality portable record players on the market.

However, if you are in the neighborhood for a budget-friendly option, you don’t have to break the bank to get a better sound than a Crosley. If their low price is still luring you in that direction, take heed – I’m not the only one with an opinion on these cheap record-turning devices (I don’t even want to call them turntables).

Let’s take a look at what some people have said about the Crosley and why you’re likely better off without one. Stick with me to the end, and I’ll share my not-so-secret alternative to a cheap turntable you’ll regret.

Why Shouldn’t You Buy A Crosley?

As mentioned, I’m not the only one with an opinion about the cheap Crosley players. Mawnck of the Reddit community had this to say about Crosley:

“…the main problem with the Crosley/Skywin stylus is its plastic cantilever.”

Okay, so we can see from this statement that if true, these record players would produce inferior sound. Or so it would lead me to believe. However, Mawnck doesn’t stop there. The user goes on to lacerate the brand further.

I don’t take some random forum person’s opinions for the gospel. I know to take everything I read with a grain of salt. With that in mind, I decided to go hunting for more reliable sources of information.

Who Has Some Authority To Talk About Crosley?

My journey to find out all I could to back up my experience and opinion with Crosley record players led me to more professional opinions. I left the forums behind and went to see what some real audiophiles had to say about these budget record players (again, I want to call them record-turning devices, not turntables).

The next place I stopped was an article by the respected Brent Butterworth of Wirecutter. Here’s what Brent had to say about the Crosley:

“With all the records I played on it, the sound was thin and blaring. I heard little else but vocals and guitars when I played albums from Bob Dylan, R.E.M., and Yes.”

This sentiment sounds like a broken record after reading all the user reviews about the Crosley record players. In particular, the Cruiser and other portable, cheap models.

Brent went on to tell us more about his experience with the Crosley, and I can say that it mirrors my own experiences,

“I was sure the album included a bassist but I couldn’t easily hear him.”

The final point Brent nails right on the head, and I agree wholeheartedly.

“Noise from the turntable’s motor leaked into the stylus and was audible through the speakers.”

The very same experience I had with the Crosley I tested. I turned on a record to listen to the silence between tracks and could hear the motor coming out the speakers. The speakers are of inferior quality as well, in my opinion, and from my experience. They sounded kind of like tin cans were mounted as horns. I felt it wasn’t worth wasting money on their product.

Here’s what Brent says about the speakers, again mirroring my sentiment:

“I hadn’t expected much from the Cruiser’s two 2½-by-1¼-inch oval speakers; even so, I couldn’t lower those expectations enough to enjoy listening to it.”

With Crosley, It’s Not Just The Speakers, Stylus, Or…

You may think that I just had a flawed model, and so did all these other people. So, I found another person who distinctly did not use the Cruiser model that many of us dislike. Here’s what I found from Justin Channell on Steve Hoffman Music Forums:

“So, for years I used a Crosley turntable/CD combo cabinet, until I got sick of it’s poor tracking ability.”

Let me see if I’ve got this straight. Aside from my experience with the Cruiser that sounded like cheap cans and was all over the place in terms of tracking, other users have said a few things. Let’s sum up the top three complaints:
- Poor tracking quality
- Poor speaker quality
- Poor build materials
A few other ‘rumors’ are floating about the forums, stating that the Crosley product wears out records prematurely. I have yet to see the evidence to support this claim. However, I can tell you from experience that the three issues above are, in my opinion, critical issues and cannot be ignored.

Why People Buy Crosley And Other Budget Brands

The truth is that not everyone has the passionate desire to hear perfect sounds. Not everyone is an audiophile. However, there has to be some sort of reasons why a person ignores what so many tell them about the quality of these record players.

The primary reason people buy units like the Crosley is that they are cheap and all-in-one, meaning you don’t need a separate amplifier and speakers – The Crosley has them built-in.

To be honest, if you’ve had a few drinks, or if you don’t care so much about missing half the bass (or all of it) then, it might not be the worst option. I mean, there might be a worse record player out there; I hear the Victrola’s have equal quality as the Crosleys do. Though, you should look at other options.

Other Options To A Cheap Product Selection

When it comes to electronics or most music equipment for that matter, I usually prefer to purchase brand new, so I can take advantage of any warranties and use a new flashy product. However, I can appreciate used equipment and the next person; and when it comes to turntables, used is an excellent option for a cheap alternative.

Here are my top two favorite ways to find an excellent turntable for dirt cheap.

Take A Saturday Morning Drive

One of the best things I did when I was in college did a Saturday morning drive. I had ten dollars in my pocket and just received my box of records from my parent’s house – with no turntable!

To make a long story of youth chasing deals shorter, let me just say that I found my first turntable – a Technic SL-1200 in the driveway of a charming Jamaican woman selling a few things on a Saturday morning. After chatting with her about her garden for several minutes, I asked her how much the record player was missing its plastic cover, but the rest looked intact. She sold it to me for $10.

I brought it home and plugged it into my stereo, and it worked great. I still have that direct-drive turntable in my basement.

Hock Shops, Buy And Sell Shops, Second Hand Stores

You might be surprised to see what brands people will part with at used product stores. Some areas call them Hock Shops. You know the stores, they are notorious for buying stolen goods in the movies. In real life, you can find some fantastic deals on turntables that people are getting rid of because they have an iPod now or some other digital means of playing music. The same thing happened to tape cassettes, except vinyl has a vintage sound many of us, myself included, refuse to let go of in exchange for digital source.

Drive around, look for garage sales and used equipment stores, and I bet you’ll find a sweet deal before you know it. Just be prepared to buy a new cartridge. It’s often required when buying a used record player. Good luck and happy turntable hunting!
June 3, 2021
3 Reasons Why Records Pop (And What To Do About It)
I was sitting with my friend in the living room of my apartment listening to vinyl 33’s, and then I heard it in the middle of one of my favorite tracks – the dreaded pop. It led me to wonder what causes the pop sound that can sometimes happen with vinyl records.

Vinyl records will make a popping noise for three reasons I call the 3-D’s: Dirt, Debris, and Damage. Dirt and debris are similar, but I think of debris as a more severe particulate residue, dirt, and debris repairable. Damage is irreparable in most cases.

If you’ve had a record start popping, there might be something you can do. However, the first thing you need to do is to diagnose the pop – what caused it. I’ll walk you through how to diagnose and fix the pop in many cases quickly. I’ll also explain the alternative when you can’t repair the issue. Let’s get this spinning on the table, shall we?

Why Records Pop – The 3-D’s Explained

Dirt, debris, and damage are the three ‘D’s’ that are the typical culprits of the classic record pop sound. However, the sound can also be generated by wiring shorts, which I’ll explain after; the three D’s are the most common culprits, so we’ll get them sorted out first.

Dirt

I suppose I could have said Dust instead of dirt, but you get the idea. The concept here is that any dry foreign material may get lodged into the grooves of your record. The material will need to be small enough to enter the grooves, and the most common culprit of this is dust.

Dirt may also include food (if you drop crumbs on a record or other such foolishness). The concept is again that it is foreign material. I classify anything dry into this category because as long as the record isn’t physically damaged, you have a hope of correcting the issue. The correction is often cheap and easy, often as simple as using a carbon brush and taking decent care of your records.

Keeping a carbon brush and needle cleaner are great ways of avoiding pops by maintaining clean records and equipment. It’s always a wise choice in my experience.

Prevention Tip: Never leave a record on your record player unless you’re listening to it. Even a covered player will allow dust particles in the air to settle on the vinyl record. Always store your records in the sleeve they came in, and don’t forget them on your turntable.

Dirt and dust may not be on your record at all, either. The dirt might stick it to your needle and stylus. Sometimes dust will loosely collect on the needle as it scrapes its way along the record groove. Just like rolling sprinkles onto a fresh donut or rolling snowballs to make a snowman, the dust rolls and builds until the needle catches it and ‘drives’ over it, causing a momentary pop noise as the needle jumps over the dust ball.

Keeping a carbon brush and needle cleaner are great ways of avoiding pops by maintaining clean records and equipment. It’s always a wise choice in my experience.

Debris

When I’m talking about debris, I’m referring to the more difficult foreign objects and materials entering a groove in a record, causing a pop sound. More challenging foreign materials include things like oil from your fingers, liquid-like a sneeze over your record, or even spilling liquid nearby that can send tiny droplets flying onto your vinyl.

Aside from oils and liquids, debris may also include particles that have semi-merged into the vinyl either by chemical reaction or by the needle forcing micro-particulates hard into the soft vinyl surface. These particulates may even cause damage. Think little salt or sand-like particles that are extremely small but hard; much harder than the soft vinyl. The diamond or sapphire record needle is tough. It can act as a hammer of sorts to force tiny hard particles into the surface of the vinyl, causing microscopic damage (our third reason for the popping noise coming up next). (source)

Damage

The culprit, none of us, want making a pop noise playing our vinyl records is damage. Various reasons may cause damage, but the outcome is typically the same; the record is irreparable.

I hope it isn’t your favorite record that’s suddenly making popping noises, but if it is, there might be hope. Not that I want to get your hopes up if the record is physically damaged, but if it’s any of the other reasons, then you might be in luck. Let’s take a look at a couple of other causes before we write off your record. We should also look at proper diagnosis to determine once and for all why your record popped.

Other Possible Pop Causes
- Electrical shorts – Check your cables and ground. If the ground wire isn’t properly hooked up, static charge can build and cause audio interference that might sound like a popping noise as the electricity builds and discharges.
- Player damage – Damage to your stylus or needle might also cause popping or other audio interference. Check your needle and stylus with a high-power magnifying glass to see if you can observe any damage. Maybe you need a new cartridge, and that record you love is okay.
- Poor quality recordings – Sometimes, it’s just a poorly made record. GuildX700 from Steve Hoffman Music Forums says, “…some vinyl is just crap, I’ve got dead quiet ones and ones that pop and click even though they are clean.” (source)
How To Diagnose Why A Record Pops

Diagnosis of your turntable creating a popping noise during record playback is not difficult (if you have the right tools). Ideally, you will have a high-power magnifying glass, but even if you don’t, there are a few things that you can do. Try these steps that I found helped me figure out what the cause of the popping noise is.
1. Check the connections. Record players are notorious for having issues with things like static electricity. If you’re using old wires like some old RCA cables you found in the garage, check the cabling. If there is a short or damaged cable, it can produce a crackle or popping sound during playback.
2. Check your needle and stylus. If there is damage to the needle, then it could cause a popping sound. Also, there might be dust on the needle, so try using a needle brush or cleaning dabber to ensure your needle is clean and free of debris.
3. Clean your record. The easiest fix to the most common issue that causes popping is to clean the record itself. The most common cause of audio interference being a dirty record. This popping noise happens a lot when records aren’t handled properly, and there are oily fingerprints on the vinyl surface.
Try using a good quality carbon brush and clean your record according to the directions provided with the brush. There are also unique cleaning solutions you can purchase to aid in removing oils and other contaminants that a carbon brush may not remove on a light pass over the record.

If your record is clean, the needle is clean, and the connections are all good, you likely have a damaged record. I’m sorry, but damaged records usually cannot be repaired.

How Do You Stop Vinyl Popping?

If you have proceeded through each of the three steps mentioned above to diagnose a popping noise, then you have likely determined that it is fixed, improved, or your record is damaged, and there’s no hope.

If you happen to run into the scenario where the record is suddenly worse, or if the record is mildly better, you will likely face a dirt and debris issue. Damage is not likely to worsen if you are using appropriate cleaning tools and agents designed solely for vinyl records.

The best thing you can do is keep your records stored in a case while leaving them in their sleeves. Don’t leave your records lying out and about. Try always to use a carbon brush on your record before playback to remove any dust before the needle drives it into the soft vinyl.

If you’re desperate and have some money to burn, you can pick up a legitimate record cleaning machine. The quality machines do a great job, but you pay for it. If you have a record collection that’s seemingly more important than life itself, you may want to pick up one of these machines and give your records the five-star cleaning treatment.

Is it normal to hear the needle on a record player?
Yes, this is entirely normal, and it’s often called surface noise or needle chatter. However, the terms are pretty broad and can also include record crackle and popping sounds from vinyl that sometimes can be heard when the vinyl is dirty or if there is static electricity. And that should not be considered normal and should be adressed.

Is static electricity normal on vinyl?
Static electricity build-up on vinyl records is a very common cause of crackle. Proper cleaning will remove both dirt and static electricity. Check out this article to learn more about how to remove static electricity from vinyl records.
June 3, 2021
7 Reasons Your Record Is Repeating (And How To Fix It)
Listening to your favorite record can be a magical experience. The experience loses its magic the moment your record starts repeating, though. Why do records do that, anyway? If you were just listening to the record and it never skipped or repeated before, it can seem all the more bizarre. Before you rush to smite anyone who may have touched the record, let’s first look at the reasons why a record may start repeating.

Record players skip or repeat for the following reasons:
1. Dust
2. Dirt
3. Warped record
4. Scratched record
5. Unbalanced tonearm and counterweight
6. Unsecure location
7. Damaged vibration dampener
I’ll take you through my experience fixing each of these situations when you find your record repeating. I use a quick method to test and find out which one of these is the culprit, and I’ll share that as well. Let’s get things spinning and dive right in.

Why A Record Repeats And How To Fix A Looping Record

You’ll find a handy guide here to quickly diagnose, fix and prevent from recurring each of the seven ailments I’ve mentioned to your record playing enjoyment. If you find your record is skipping, looping, repeating, or generally misbehaving, check out each of these items and hopefully get it fixed fast.

Dust

If you haven’t had a chance to dig into the delicate parts of a record cartridge, check out my article on why turntable cartridges are so expensive for an explanation of their parts. Needless to say, the stylus, cantilever, and rubber suspension components of the record player cartridge are all tiny and delicate.

It doesn’t take much dust to get caught on the record groove to form a tiny lump of dust within individual grooves. With a diamond or ruby stylus bearing down on the dust as the record turns, it can easily catch things up and cause your record to repeat, loop, or even skip.

How To Fix A Dusty Record

Maintaining a good quality carbon fiber brush with your record player is a wise concept to battling the dust bunnies. Before you drop the needle, turn on the table and let your record spin a few times. Gently lower the brush onto the record, holding the brush so it brushes the record without slowing it down (not being too abrasive here, or you might damage your record).

Holding the brush perpendicular to the motion of the record, gently slide the brush outwards from the center of the record to, and off, the outer edge. Ensure you make this motion slowly and without pressing too hard. Be gentle and make sure your motion takes several rotations of the record to complete. This way, you leave no dust behind.

Check your stylus to ensure no dust has caught on the tip. Sometimes you’ll clean a record, but the dust was stuck to the stylus all along, so ensure you check this.

If there is dust on the stylus, turn off the player before cleaning it. The ideal tool to clean your stylus is a stylus brush. You can cheat with some cleaning products. I used to use a very fine dish cloth moistened with warm water. Make sure it’s just on the edge of being moist, nothing wet.

Raise and lower the stylus gently and repeatedly onto the brush or cloth, which usually removes dust. Do not scrape the stylus, or you could deform the tip. Only gently ‘dab’ the stylus on soft material.

Dirt

Talking about dust and dirt, you might assume we’re talking about the same thing, but we aren’t. Let’s say a friend of yours came over and was eating some cheese-flavored potato chips. Do you know the kind that leaves the sticky orange flavoring all over your fingers?

Let’s say when you aren’t looking, your grubby friend picks up one of your favorite records and gets a sticky finger on it. They put it back in the sleeve, and no one is the wiser. Until you play it and it skips on the leftover chip flavoring your friend so kindly left behind unnoticed. This scenario is one that happened to me, by the way.

How To Fix A Dirty Record

Cleaning the dirt off the record can be tricky if it’s stuck on there good. The best solution is using warm water and a very soft cloth. Never use hot water as it will deform the record.

Moisten the cloth with warm water and gently rub the cloth in the direction of the grooves. NEVER rub the cloth against the direction of the grooves.

I like to do what I call the feather approach: touch it lightly, like a feather, to clean it. Repeat. Sometimes repeat a lot for double cheese flavored dirt. But gentle action with a moist, soft cloth will work most of the time without damaging the record.

Warped record

Warped records are painful to see and hear when they cause things like skips, repeats, looping, or other such audio destructions of enjoyment. If you have a record warp bad enough to cause the record to skip, then you’ll want to check the record to ensure it isn’t scratched.

How To Fix A Warped Record

I wrote another article talking about playing warped records, and it’s got some great ideas to fix them, in case you’re in need. The process might take some time, but it’s worth it if the record is salvageable. You can read more about it here: Is It Okay To Play A Warped Record?

Scratched record

If you’ve got a record with a scratch that’s bad enough to cause a loop or skip, then there’s only one thing left to do: Check your record’s pockets for loose change. Seriously though, there’s not much you can do to fix a scratch on a record. Vinyl is pretty soft, but turning it back in time after the damage is next to impossible with records. (source)

How To Fix A Scratched Record

Unfortunately, in my experience, there is no fix for a badly scratched record. I had one that was minor but would repeat at this one spot. I used a high-power magnifying glass and a chemically sharpened knife from a specialty set for model making. I was able to cut the groove, so the scratch causes a blip instead of a loop or repeat. But The scratch damaged, either way, that part of the track, and I bought a replacement record.

Unbalanced tonearm and counterweight

Every decent record player worth its salt has a finely adjustable tonearm and a counterweight. Typical adjustment is via a dial at the rear of the tonearm assembly, on the opposite side of where the tonearm pivoting attachment to the record player resides.

If a tonearm is out of balance, the arm and stylus can bounce quickly off the groove that’s being played. When a heavy bass part of the song comes, it may be enough vibration to cause the arm to bounce up and out of its current groove.

How To Fix An Unbalanced Tonearm And Counterweight

Balancing your tonearm isn’t tricky, but it can be frustrating if you don’t have patience.

First, test how you need to adjust the counterweight by zeroing things out. Zero out both the anti-skate and the counterweight tracking adjustment. Set the counterweight, so the arm floats horizontally without you touching it. The counterweight adjustment is usually at the back of the weighted end of the tonearm assembly.

You need to set the tracking adjustment after you have zeroed your counterweight, so the tonearm floats horizontally. I like to set this around 3.5, but you can set it as low as two if the record player is on a very secure surface. The dial adjustment is usually labeled and closer to the tonearm’s pivot by the rear counterweight. (source)

Next, set your anti-skate adjustment to match your tracking adjustment number. Remember to consult your stylus manufacturer’s guide to optimal stylus tracking settings.

Unsecure location

If you’ve ever acted as DJ at an event, you know this is a huge concern – unsecure record player location. I once played a party that the guy throwing the shin-dig decided to set some wood on top of the bass bins and put the turntables and mixer on top. It worked great until we turned the volume up past small room volume (outside in a field).

An unsecure location can cause your record to skip from something as simple as a person walking past.

How To Fix An Unsecure Location

A solid base is the only fix for this issue. Using a heavy and firm piece of furniture is excellent; the heavier, the better. Counters work great, but no one plays records in the kitchen, so use a desk, a solid record stand, or other firm and secure furniture pieces.

The other way to ‘fix’ a location that tends to vibrate your record player is through the addition of turntable vibration isolators. Adding something like a zaZen isolation platform or other available specialty record player mounts is a great, albeit expensive, way to solve a location that vibrates or requires isolation. (source)

Damaged vibration dampener

WIth older record players or record players that have been through a move without a good travel case, sometimes the built-in table dampeners can become damaged.

How To Fix A Damaged Vibration Dampener

If an internal component such as a vibration dampening spring has broken, your best bet is to find the OEM replacement. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how to fix this, as every record player model is different. Still, I can tell you that a spring-loaded screw threaded through a compression spring usually attaches to the turntable’s feet.

There is usually a rubber boot on better models, and this boot can become rigid over time. Turn over your player, carefully holding it up, so you don’t damage or rest it on the tonearm or other components and check the player’s feet. They should move and compress against the player with equal force. If one feels more rigid than the others, it may have a rubber boot gone brittle with time. If one feels too sloppy, it may have a broken compression spring.

As long as you can find the original parts, both of these components are usually easy to replace on most models.
June 1, 2021
Will New Record Players Play Old Records? (We Find Out)

Collecting vintage vinyl is something that many an audiophile enjoy. However, if you’re new to the world of ancient vinyl, you’ll likely ask, ‘Will new record players play old records?’, and you wouldn’t be wrong for the asking.

New record players will play both 33 ⅓ and 45 rpm records. 78 rpm records from before 1960 will require a specialized turntable and likely stylus as most new record players cannot play at 78 revolutions per minute.

Diving into the world of new record players vs. old records, we see some exciting shifts in things within the audio industry. History has shown us different record speeds and sizes, and some that worked well and others that worked better. Join me in this deep dive into older records, newer turntables, and the relationships these two shares.

Will New Record Players Play Old Records?

The first record player was invented in 1877. It was called the phonograph, and Thomas Edison was the man responsible for its creation. Little did Thomas know it was to become a mainstay in family homes for generations to come. (source)

New record players will likely only play old records of the 33 ⅓ and 45 rpm (revolutions per minute) speeds. Some specialty players might provide playback for the even older 78s if equipped with speed controls for that particular rpm.

If we are to make a rule that says yes or no, we’d better define what is new and old. Let’s take a look at when the different records came to the world to better handle what we should call old.

What Defines An Old Record From A New Record?

Records come in two speeds today: 33 ⅓ and 45 rpm. The speed the record plays is consistent with the amount of audio the record can hold and relative to the audio quality. A slower spinning record can hold more audio, yet faster records hold more detailed sound.

The First “78”

Way back in 1898, the first 78 rpm (revolutions per minute) records appeared, following the 1877 invention of the phonograph. According to Yale University Library:

“The materials of which discs were made and with which they were coated were also various; shellac eventually became the commonest material.”

Enter 33 ⅓ RPM

The 1940s were a crazy time to be alive. The world war, the devastation across Europe, the financial crisis after the war, and the changing technology of the times made the decade a sort of proverbial train wreck.

Then in 1948, just as the post-war spending was cooling off and people started to ease their buying (source), the world was handed the 33 – a record capable of containing a full-length album.

The slower speed meant we could cram more music onto the record.

What About The 45?

Singles were in their height in the late 40s, and jukeboxes didn’t work great with 33s. So, in 1949 RCA Victor released the first 45. The 7” single-sized records were perfect because of their small size, ability to fit an entire single song (so great for jukebox use), and they had higher quality sound than the former 78 due to new technologies. (source)

Due to the increasing popularity of 45s to play singles and 33s to play entire albums, in 1959, the last 78 was produced. The 1960s would see fewer and fewer old 78s in the used record shops as the other speeds quickly dominated the market.

Do New Record Players Sound The Same As Old?

New and old record players do not generally sound the same. Newer turntables tend to have a cleaner, crisper sound. Older, even vintage models of record players often sound warmer, even with a thin layer of fuzz gently soothing the music in the faintest background.

Everyone has heard the classic crackling of a vintage, dated record player. From an old horror movie to a seventies class reunion flick, most people will recognize that crackly static sound that only an old record player may produce with such loving distinction.

Do New Record Players Sound Better Than Old Record Players?

Almost all of the time, a new record player will sound better than an old one. However, this is not always the case. (source)

Let’s look at an example to describe how this rule might not be the case.

Take the Technics SL-1200 Direct Drive Turntable as an example. This sweet machine premiered in 1972 and was the turntable of choice for DJs for at least two decades. The record player has incredible bass characteristics, and a minor upgrade makes it one of the best performing turntables to have seen mass production.

Compare the Technics to a Music Public Kingdom, or other ‘no-name’ brand of new turntable sold on the significant internet stores. I would bet dollars to donuts that the cheap player, although brand new, will sound like garbage compared to a vintage player that held its own back in the day.

The flipside to the above argument becomes relevant when comparing cheaper old turntables like those one might have purchased in the mid-1980s or even ’90s for regular home use compared to a mid to high-end turntable of today.

The new Audio-Tehnica or Denon turntables even are pretty decent. When compared to older vintage models, you can hear the difference that the new technology makes – or in some cases; you can’t hear it.

Remember that as technology has progressively improved to existing inventions over the years, the turntable was improving too. Better cartridges, better stylus, better precision-crafted components all came with new technology. But it wasn’t just the parts that create the sound which has improved.

Other components have improved, like the rubber bushings used to hold the tonearm. Better rubber chemistry has improved that piece. Better motor technology also means quieter turntables, less noise transferring through the system into the sound.

The result is a much cleaner, crisper sound from the cleaner signals the new record player technology creates. We have effectively done away with the dirty yet warm sounds of our past.

Do New Records Sound Better Than Old Records?

Like the debate about record players, many have debated whether or not old records sound better than new records.

The truth about old records sound versus new records sound is twofold. First, one must consider that vinyl degrades over time.

You’re probably thinking, ‘but I take excellent care of my records, and plastic lasts forever, right? Well, you aren’t wrong that plastic lasts a long time, and the PVC (polyvinyl chloride) that makes records does last a long time. Some records have survived well over 100 years, so we know that a record can last a very long time with proper care.

If you intend to play the record regularly, it won’t last as long. The truth is that every time you play a record, the grooves wear just a tiny bit. Remember you’re dragging a diamond or sapphire across a soft vinyl surface.

Probability dictates that every record will eventually wear, scratch, warp, become damaged, or even just crack and break with enough time and use.

So, does that old record sound better than a brand new record? Not likely. It might sound a bit warmer or have that familiar soft crackle of vintage recordings, but it won’t sound as crisp or clear as a newly cut vinyl, that’s for sure.

June 1, 2021
Why Vinyl Records Are So Expensive
Being a connoisseur of classic vinyl, I’ve always set some cash aside to purchase my next favorite record. I wondered why vinyl records are so expensive because it seemed that my budget to buy a record kept needing to grow to buy the same amount of vinyl. I decided to study the subject and share what I found out with you, and it’s pretty fascinating stuff, so stick with me.

Vinyl records are expensive because demand worldwide has grown consecutively for the last 15 years. Worldwide there are only 341 vinyl pressing companies. Sales of vinyl records leaped from 18.84 million in 2019 to 27.5 million in 2020 in the United States alone.

That growth of 8.66 million in sales in a single year meant that pressing companies felt the pressure to keep up, and many refused to take further pressing orders just to keep up with the existing demand.

The supply vs. demand ratio ultimately controls the cost of all products. Add potential material supply chain disruption combined with the sociologist spending effects of the pandemic of 2020, and you have a perfect storm for the rising of vinyl record costs.

What Makes Vinyl Records Expensive – It’s Just Vinyl Plastic!

I mention some stats later to support how vinyl records, in my experience, have grown in price over the years. However, the question is why. I mean, we know demand has grown, but with the fantastic technology, the ability to manufacture ludicrous amounts of products, why exactly are vinyl records more expensive?

The actual cost behind the production of vinyl records lies in three primary factors:
1. Labor
2. Materials
3. Time
4. Trends
How Labor Affects Vinyl Record Price

The process of pressing vinyl records is a labor-intensive one. Despite modern manufacturing technologies, a large number of people are required to complete the manufacture. The cost of labor is always one of a business’s highest expenses. Therefore a labor-intensive manufacturing process will always keep the cost of the product higher than one might have otherwise anticipated.

While studying the manufacturing process, I learned that you just couldn’t rush the pressing process. The quality of the pressing process has a tremendous impact on the finished record’s quality. A rushed record is one that won’t make it past the waste bin.

How Materials And Supply Affects Vinyl Record Price

Worldwide there are only 341 vinyl pressing companies with less than a hundred in the United States alone. Considering the staggering growth from 2019 to 2020 alone, it’s a wonder anyone could keep up. (source)

The problem deepens with the fact that although there are many companies offering record pressing services, most all use the same 20 or so vinyl pressing plants available in the US. (source)

There just isn’t enough pressing plants to meet the soaring demand. It is the driving factor behind the supply and demand ratio that drives the price of vinyl records up.

The manufacture of records is not a cheap process. It’s true; the vinyl itself that makes records is not overly expensive. However, the special lacquers and other materials used in the production are most expensive, pound for pound.

Include a significant industrial accident in the industry, like the fire that tore apart Apollo – one of the leading manufacturers of the specialty lacquer used in the vinyl record pressing process, and you’ve got a supply shortage to bottleneck the already astounding growth in demand further. (source)

How Time Affects Vinyl Record Price

Vinyl record manufacturing is a highly specialized process that typically takes about 30 seconds while inside the press itself. However, most commercial vinyl record press companies that offer small batch record pressing have a typical turnaround time of 7 to 12 weeks.

Some companies are telling potential clients 20 weeks turnaround. Even more are refusing to take orders for the remainder of the year, having already booked their presses with orders for the duration.

Given the length of time required merely to press a single record, a single press can only create at best two records per minute. That’s a lifetime in today’s modern manufacturing sphere.

How Trends Affect Vinyl Record Price

Do you want to know what drives a record price up? It’s you; it’s me; it’s everyone else who wants to buy that specific hot record this year. Add in a limited supply of a special release from a prominent artist, and we’re talking big money.

Vinyl records are a niche trend that appeals to audiophiles with an ear for deep and rich sound. You just can’t get a better, warmer, rich sound on any device compared to a turntable, in my experience.

Given the specialty nature of the trendiness of vinyl records and the astute devotion that you and I and other fans of the media have, it’s no wonder some records will break your credit card wide open.

Looking at the extent that trends affect vinyl, let’s look at the top-priced vinyl records sold in 2020. According to Discogs, the number one vinyl sold in 2020 was Scaramanga Silk – Choose Your Weapon. The 12” sold for a ludicrous $41,095.00. I just can’t imagine liking a breakbeat enough to spend a car on a single record, but someone apparently thought it was worth it.

The second most expensive vinyl of 2020 was The Nightriders – St.Loo / Lookin’ For My Baby. This record sold for $4999.00. Not bad for a rhythm and blues record!

As you can see, trends and popularity have a massive influence on the final price of a vinyl record. The rarity and demand play a dance of pricing entanglement as they spiral vinyl record prices to new heights.

What Is The Average Cost Of A Vinyl Record?

Vinyl records have ranged widely in price over the years. Back in 2007, the average cost in the US for a vinyl record was $4.80. You can’t even buy a cheeseburger for that now. In 2017, the average cost rose to $28.40, a 490% increase. (source)

Keep in mind with the above figures that we’re talking about average costs here. You must realize that if it’s a famous artist’s new album, in my experience, the cost is going to be double or even triple the above-mentioned average prices.

How Much Should I Pay For Vinyl Records?

Hunting for bargains is a trend that most vinyl enthusiasts know well. But, how much should you pay for vinyl records? And what are the popular records going for these days? Let’s find out.

Popular records sold in vinyl format in 2020 include the following:
- Harry Styles – Fine Line – Sold online at major retailers for approximately $30 when writing for the 12” vinyl.
- Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Sold online for anywhere between $18 and $40, depending on the version collectibility and retailer.
- The Beatles – Abbey Road Anniversary [LP] – Sold used online from $10 and selling in collectible format for as high as $70 at major retailers.
Where Can I Buy Vinyl Records Online?

There are many companies selling vinyl records online, from small retailers to the giant Amazon. However, knowing where to buy vinyl records online means you know where to get the best, latest, and rarest tracks at a reasonable cost. The solution isn’t what you might think.
- Amoeba Music – Independent And Running Strong
- Boomkat – Rare And New Tracks
- Discogs – An Online Vinyl Market For The World
- Dusty Groove – Funk, Jazz, Reggae, and Soul
- Presto Classical – Classical Music
What About Buying Vinyl Records From Amazon?

Amazon is a ludicrously large retailer and has a vast amount of sellers on the platform selling records. From my experience, it can be a minor hit and miss.

If you purchase a vinyl off Amazon that Amazon themselves fulfills, you’re going to get a half-decent record in terms of quality. Watch out for the non-Amazon sellers on the platform, though. I’ve received used records that were sold as new. I’ve also received warped records. Luckily, I’ve got some tricks to fix a warped record (you can read about how I fix warped records here).

The basic rule I use for buying vinyl records off Amazon is that you are safe if it’s a mass production record. But rare records, proceed with caution and review the seller information first.
May 30, 2021
Why Turntable Cartridges Are So Expensive
Turntable cartridges are the heart of the turntable experience. They are responsible for ‘reading’ the record and translating it’s microscopic transcriptions of sound into an electrical signal. For such a small piece of the turntable, you’re probably wondering why turntable cartridges are so expensive given what a small part of the whole turntable they are.

Turntable cartridges are considered expensive because the cost of medium to high end record playing cartridges can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Compared to what a smartphone can do, the simple technology carries a high price tag.

To truly appreciate and understand why the price of turntable cartridges is so high relative to other, seemingly greater technologies, we must turn to understanding the product’s manufacturing process.

I’ll take you on a turntable journey through the cartridge in particular to examine the types of cartridges and why some are so much more expensive than others. Stick with me and let’s find out more about why turntable cartridges are so expensive.

Types Of Turntable Cartridges (And Cost)

In order to discuss why turntable cartridges are so expensive, we’d better define what it is we’re talking about; after all, there’s more than one kind of turntable cartridge.

When it comes to turntable cartridge types, there’s tow very common forms and they are:
- Moving magnet – $$
- Moving coil – $$$
Moving coil are almost always more expensive than moving magnets. In case you’re wondering what I’m talking about, I’ll describe each and throw in those costs you’re probably looking for as a comparison.

Moving Magnet Turntable Cartridges

The concept of a record player (turntable) cartridge is pretty simple. The needle vibrates as it scrapes over a minute groove cut into the record. The needle, otherwise known as the stylus, wiggles around as it encounters the minute variations within the groove.

The wiggling stylus is attached to a moving magnet. The magnet changes proximity with coils inside the cartridge as it moves from the wiggling stylus. Those proximity changes cause the coils to output electrical signals which correspond to a phono audio signal.

The moving magnet cartridge is heavier and cannot move as well as a coil cartridge. Therefore, the moving magnet type of cartridge doesn’t catch all the tiny subtle changes of music. The sound is still great, but it’s sort of the brute of cartridge types, in my experience.

Average Moving Magnet Cartridge Cost

Okay, so I told you I would get you a price, and here it is: it depends. It depends on the manufacturer and model of cartridge. You could go to a big box store and merely purchase an entire new turntable for the price of some other cartridges.

For the sake of audiophiles looking for some examples, here you have it:
- Audio-Technica AT-VM95ML – Retails for $169
- Ortofon 2M Blue – Retails for $236
Moving Coil Turntable Cartridges

Moving coil turntable cartridges are more delicate than the moving magnet type. The principles are the same, the audio signal is produced by movement of coil to magnet, rather than the moving magnet to coil.

The moving coil cartridges are lighter and more precise than the moving magnet type. They pick up the finer details and subtleties of the records. However, the finer sound comes at a greater price.

The manufacture of moving coil cartridges is more difficult and uses finer components such as wires for the assembly. The downside to the fine componentry is the lack of a strong signal produced. The weaker signal requires a secondary amplification if you are to hear it.
- Denon DL-103R – Retails for $260
- Audio-Technica AT33Sa – Retails for $1419
Which Type Of Turntable Cartridge Is More Expensive? Which Is Cheaper?

As mentioned, you will find that the moving magnet type of cartridge is less expensive than moving coil type. The moving coil type is lighter and produces a finer sound, yet also produces less voltage than the moving magnet.

The finer sound of the moving coil cartridge requires finer components and thus a more laborious manufacturing process. The higher labor and finer componentry equates to the higher cost for the moving coil style of turntable cartridge.

Obviously if the moving coil type is more expensive, the moving magnet style is cheaper. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t find a very high quality moving magnet cartridge with great sound.

How Much Should I Spend On A Phono Cartridge?

When it comes to phono cartridges, there are innumerable choices out there to choose from. Deciding which is best for you may seem difficult, but when we analyze the situation, you’ll find that you likely already have the answer. Let me explain.

The amount spent on a phono cartridge ought to be equal or greater than the replacement value of a standard OEM cartridge for your make and model of turntable. In practice, if focused on quality, you will always get you the same or better quality than the original equipment.

At the end of the day, the amount you choose to spend to replace a turntable cartridge will depend on you make and model of turntable, the available compatible models of cartridge, and your desired budget.

Desired budget based upon your quality of sound ideology, of course. If you’re like me, then in my experience you’re going to grab something that’s better than your last cartridge. I have a simple rule, if I have to replace it, I upgrade it.

What’s In Turntable Cartridges That’s Expensive?

The basics of a turntable cartridge material list are pretty simple. There are only a handful of components within the cartridge. Here are the basic components:
- Coil
- Magnet
- Cantiveler
- Stylus
- Rubber suspension
- Terminals
- Wiring
- Casing
The casing is typically a lightweight plastic and that is pretty cheap. The magnet and coil, although specialty, are not typically very expensive parts either. Certainly there are ‘high-end’ coils and magnets, but for the most part these are standard and common in terms of the materials used to manufacture them.

The cantilever arm and rubber suspension are nothing too extraordinary. The cantilever arm typical construction uses metal, and it is a tube shape most of the time as well. The cantilever has a great effect upon the quality of sound produced.

Wiring is not expensive and neither is the solder used to for the wiring connections, so these are not the major source of expense for manufacturing.

The last part, the one I have yet to mention, this is where the money gets involved: The Stylus.

Typically diamond or sapphire finds use as the stylus tip. These incredibly hard minerals make great tips for the stylus needle and work well at translating the grooves into movement.

Some types of stylus are more expensive than others. For example, the spherical tipped stylus are more affordable than other types. There are four stylus tip shapes commonly in use. (source)
- Spherical – cheapest tip type, easy to use
- Elliptical – great tracking, wears out faster than spherical (requiring more replacements is more expensive)
- Hyper Elliptical – very precise sound and relatively expensive by comparison to spherical or elliptical stylus tip types
- Micro-Ridge – the most accurate and most expensive
You may not have much of a choice, depending on your turntable and the types of cartridges that are compatible with it, but if you have the option, a hyper elliptical makes superb sound in my experience.

Turntable Cartridge Manufacture Vs. Supply And Demand

The primary factors in the final cost determination of a turntable cartridge, aside from the materials used in it’s manufacture, are the labor and supply and demand.

Labor is always one of the most expensive parts of any manufacturing process. The fabrication of high-end turntable cartridges is no exception.

The last factor in determining the expensiveness of a turntable cartridge falls on the law of supply and demand. The higher-end cartridges are requested by fewer people than the cheaper ones. The most expensive also require the greatest cost labor for the highest skilled workers. Add these facts up, and the better the cartridge, the more expensive.

The manufacture of turntable cartridges is a specialty skill left to artisans who don’t mind staring into a microscope for most of their day. The components are so small, that without such optical equipment, it would be very difficult to properly assemble a high-end cartridge.

Related Articles
- Why Vinyl Records Are So Expensive
May 30, 2021
The Lifespan Of A Turntable Belt
Sitting listening to your favorite record, relaxing with the audio pounding in your cans, and you hear the slip – the music slows for a few seconds and then speeds back up. You turn to see if someone entered the room and messed with your turntable – but no one is around. Time for a new turntable belt. But how long should your turntable belt last?

Most belt-drive turntables utilize a rubber-based closed loop belt that typically lasts up to 5 years or so. The lifespan of the belt is determined by its quality, tightness, elasticity, and use. With no use, a belt will last 5-6 years in typical conditions.

Not only will I share with you my experiences with turntable belts, but I’m also going to share a few tips and tricks to maintain your belt-drive turntable better. First, we’ll look at everything to do with the belt so you can make the most informed choices about your belt-drive turntable. Let’s get spinning into this.

How Long Turntable Belts Last – Turntable Belt Lifespan Explained

As mentioned, several factors affect the viable longevity and useful lifespan of a turntable belt. Although my personal preference is for the direct-drive type of turntable (being a bit of a turntablist), belt-drive turntables are the best for isolating motor noise. When I listen to records at home, it’s usually on my belt drive unit.
Due to rubber degradation, most rubber-based turntable belts will last upwards of 5 years, depending on quality, use, and exposure to light, oxygen, and heat.

The issue with belt drive is that the belt fabrication typically occurs using rubber most of the time. Newer turntables use a variety of materials, but rubber has always been the turntable belt mainstay.

Rubber breaks down over time. Primarily caused by exposure to light, oxygen (ozone), or heat, rubber deterioration is inevitable. (source)

Rubber does a few things over time and exposure to the elements:
1. Rubber dries and cracks.
2. Rubber becomes brittle.
3. Rubber loses elasticity.
4. Rubber loses tensile strength.
Air, light, and heat are all factors that affect the degradation process of rubber. Rubber breaks down primarily in two ways: molecular chain hardening and molecular chain scission. These equate to the rubber becoming brittle and the rubber softening, respectively.

These two rubber degradations account for the bulk of belt failure over time. In the case of turntables, it’s usually the first issue – hardening and the belt turning brittle. However, when the belt softens, it stretches, causing slip, another common ailment to belt-drive tables.

Therefore, the overall lifespan of a belt is determined by the type of rubber, the extent of light, oxygen and heat exposure, and the amount of use.

When I regularly worked with my belt-drive turntable, I found that I had to change out the belt after about three years. That’s when I noticed the sound start to warble and mutate. It was pretty imperceptible at first, but then one day, it happened more noticeably, and I was forced to admit turntable belt defeat.

Factors That Affect Turntable Belt Quality (And Lifespan)

I mentioned how exposure to the elements would accelerate belt wear and degradation. Eliminating some of these factors may aid in increased longevity of the turntable belt.

To slow rubber belt degradation, you need to limit or eliminate the belt’s exposure to light, oxygen, and heat.

Light is easy, don’t leave the turntable upside-down in the sun – pretty straightforward. Heat is also reasonably straight – don’t mount your turntable over a heater or near a heating source. That’s right; you can’t have your turntable next to the fireplace if you want it to last, sorry.

The tough one is oxygen. How do you keep a turntable belt away from oxygen without launching it into outer space? There’s actually a pretty neat solution: treat the belt.

Now, I’ve heard a lot of arguments on both sides of using conditioners for belts. However, I’d like to point out that they had to do with trying to revive an already stiff belt most of the time.

Once a belt has weathered, become brittle, or stretched, you have to replace it. Don’t try to revive an already expired belt. It is a waste of time to try.

However, if you just got a new turntable or a new belt for your turntable, you can treat the belt right away to help prolong its lifespan.

Use products recommended for performance car engine belts. These conditioners are typically the best out there for maintaining higher-quality rubber belts.

Before you go spraying or wiping on an automotive product, though, it’s a good idea to reach out to the manufacturer and determine the belt material specifications before applying a belt conditioner. The newer turntables use various types of rubber, and you don’t want to use a conditioner that will damage the belt, so do your research based on your particular model and the year it was manufactured.

How Often You Should Replace Your Turntable Belt

Turntable belts made of rubber have an approximate lifespan of about five years at maximum. However, there are a few pieces of evidence that may point you to an immediate belt replacement. Let’s take a look at what those factors are.
1. Prolonged ramp-up
2. Pitch and time stalls
3. Slips
When you turn on your turntable and hit start, you know that it takes a second or so to get up to speed, right? It’s typical of belt-drive turntables to do this by nature of the physics involved in using a belt drive. That said, when you notice that it’s taking longer than usual to get up to speed, the belt is likely stretched and is ‘trying to grab’ but not quite getting there in time.

Pitch and time stalls can be trickier to hear unless you have an audiophile-trained ear. Being a turntablist, I notice the slightest pitch or time shifts in the tracks I know well, but you might miss them when they first start.

Pitch and time stalls occur when a turntable belt starts to stretch or becomes brittle. When it stretches, it loosens on the motor and platter pulleys allowing slack to stall the momentum. When the belt hardens and turns brittle, hard spots can form where the belt won’t turn around the small motor pulley so readily. This situation causes the belt to stall on the small pulley as the brittle spot sticks out of not wanting to bend around the pulley. It slows the music for a second until the brittle spot pops over the small pulley wheel.

Slips are the obvious sign that you should replace a belt. You can’t miss a slip. You’ll be listening to your music, and there is a noticeable stop or change in the sound for a second or two. It’s a sure-fire thing you’ll need a new belt when the old one starts slipping.

Should Your Replace With An OEM Belt?

Over the years, I’ve talked to a lot of people about turntables. Most of the time, it’s talking about the direct drive or the latest and newest tech. But I also get asked quite a bit whether or not a turntable belt should have the originally manufactured equipment replacement belt or whether a generic belt of the exact dimensions is appropriate.

You can determine the answer to replacing turntable belts with OEM after asking a couple of questions.
1. Is the OEM belt still available?
2. Is the non-OEM belt a better quality than the OEM?
3. Is the turntable any good?
If you answered yes to question 1 and no to question 2, skip question 3 and buy the OEM model.

If you answered no to question 1, you have no choice, buy the aftermarket belt.

If the turntable is a cheap or inferior quality variety, an aftermarket belt is likely better. In this case, the answer is also apparent – always get the better quality belt.

When I buy belts for my turntables, I use a rule: I buy two, and I shrink wrap one of them for future use. It’s a trick, a fellow DJ friend of mine told me. He had a vintage Linn LP 12 but couldn’t find a replacement belt at the time. He found an old record shop with a few newer belts because the owner had shrink-wrapped them and stored them in a box in his basement.

My friend bought two belts, put one on the table right away, and stuck the other in a box. Four years later, he used the boxed replacement. It saved him trying to find a second belt years later, and shrinkwrapping the belt preserved it for future use. It was a pretty neat trick, in my opinion.
May 27, 2021
Is It Ok To Play A Warped Record? (Answer Here)
Is it bad to play a warped record? You wouldn’t want to damage your record player, stylus, or even your amp and speakers with audio pops or other sounds caused by record damage. However, just how safe is it; is it OK to play a warped record? Let’s find out.

Playing a warped record may damage the record further if the warp causes the stylus to skip. A skipping stylus can scratch the record grooves causing irreparable damage. So, if you want to protect your records, don’t play them when warped.

Let’s jump into vinyl record warping more and find out a few more things, like whether or not we can fix a warped record or why they warp in the first place so we can do our best to prevent damage. Join me as I take you through my experiences with warped vinyl records and what you need to know about them.

Can A Warped Record Damage My Record Player?

Some people have claimed that a warped record may damage your stylus or record player. It would only be the case if the record were so irreparably damaged that you likely wouldn’t consider attempting to place it on your turntable. I think large cracks would do it, but a slight warp is not likely to damage anything except the record itself (from stylus skip and scratch).

Warped records will not damage your record player. Cracked records will.

Why Records Warp In The First Place

Vinyl records are exceedingly popular. So much so, in fact, that vinyl records have seen growth year after year for the last 15 years. Over 27.5 million LPs were sold in the USA in 2020, according to Statista. (source)

The exceeding popularity of records means more and more people like yourself have the same issues with warped records. I’ve often had the problem myself, usually from one of the following scenarios that cause records to warp.

Vinyl Records Warp When:
1. Left in the sun
2. Left in the heat
3. Stored improperly
These are the three common scenarios that cause vinyl records to warp. Here’s why each is important to understand.

The Sun And Warping Your Vinyl Record

The sun is incredible. A source of happiness for most people, encouraging our vitamin D3 production and giving us a nice tan. However, this same source of joy, warmth, and light is an enemy to our nightlife-loving vinyl records.

Vinyl records are made of vinyl, as the name suggests. This type of material is a form of plastic. The scientific name of the plastic is polyvinyl chloride, but you’re probably familiar with it being called PVC. (source)

PVC is one of the most versatile plastics humankind has ever invented. We use it because it is straightforward to work with, a soft and versatile plastic we can shape and use as we see fit.

One of the primary characteristics of PVC is the versatility to make either soft or rigid plastics.

Vinyl records use a semi-rigid form of PVC. You know you can pick up a record and give it a bit of flex; it isn’t like glass – it won’t shatter straight away but has a bit of flex.

When you leave Vinyl, in particular a vinyl record, in the Sun, the rays of the Sun heat the plastic and react with it.

The addition of heat from the Sun’s rays causes the plastic to begin to melt. We’re not talking a sticky, gooey, burn-your-fingers kind of melt, but it’s enough to cause the record to warp. If left without a sleeve, the Sun will cause irreparable damage in a short period. It will still damage the record with a sleeve, but it will take longer (like a few hours, in my experience).

Heat And Warping Vinyl Records

Similar to sunlight, straight heat will melt a record. For example, I once left a copy of Armando’s Land of Confusion’ on a water radiator. Let’s just say the record looked like Salvador Dali’s clock the following day.

Storing Records Improperly Or How To Warp Your Vinyl

As vinyl records are semi-soft plastic, they are easy to deform. Even easier to deform if you add time and pressure (we’ll chat more about that later when I tell you how I’ve fixed warped records of mine). When you store your vinyl, the best way is to use a hard case and keep the vinyl neatly stacked on edge. However, there’s a trick to this you NEED to know:

Never stack vinyl upright, on edge, without support!

For example, let’s say you have a record box that holds 50 records in their sleeves. However, if you only have 20 records in the case, the extra space causes the records to slump over, leaning on an angle against the side of the case.

You might think, “What’s the big deal, the records are protected?” But, they are leaning. Leaning records over time will warp, guaranteed. I’ve lost many a record to warping from foolishly leaning a stack of records. Always store your records vertically but ensure they are supported and not leaning on an angle.

Do Warped Records Produce Poor Sound Quality?

You’ve got a warped record but want to play it – is it going to sound like garbage? To answer this question, we need to look at a couple of factors.
1. Extent of warp
2. Quality of turntable arm balance
The extent of the warp of a record will determine the extent of sound quality damage. When severely warped, the sound may ‘warp’ as well.

RPM may sound like it speeds up or slows down momentarily. The pitch can shift slightly, and sounds may become distorted. However, the worst of warps will cause your stylus to skip, potentially scratching your vinyl record.

The turntable has some responsibility to accommodate for a slight amount of warp. As you likely know, a stylus needs to grace the grooves of a record gingerly. You can adjust the counterweight of the stylus tone-arm to accommodate different scenarios by making the stylus lighter or heavier weight against the record.

A quality turntable with an adequately balanced stylus arm will accommodate for minor record warping. Inferior quality turntables will have a much higher chance of stylus skip on warped records, potentially causing the stylus to scratch the vinyl surface.

Why Playing Warped Records Is Bad (For The Record)

As I mentioned earlier, from my experience, a warped record holds zero threat to your stylus or turntable. However, if the warp is bad enough, the warp may pose a further threat to the record itself.

With a badly warped record and an unbalanced or poorly set up tone-arm, your stylus can skip grooves on the warped record. The skipping stylus can damage the record.

When a stylus skips a groove, it can scratch a notch connecting parallel grooves inscribed on the vinyl record. This damage, in turn, causes further skipping, and the record now has irreparable damage that cannot be easily fixed and often renders the record into a nice round paperweight.

Can I Fix A Warped Record?

It’s that one downbeat on that one track playing in your cans that you just can’t let go of, even if the record is warped like a banana. And, unfortunately, you can’t buy any more either. So, what can you do to fix a warped record? There are few options, but you’re luck better be good, or you’re out of hope. Here are a few techniques I’ve found tend to work well (or not, read on to find out) on repairing warped vinyl records: time/pressure, time/pressure/heat, and specialty record straightening equipment.

Time And Pressure

I genuinely hope you have patience. I’m not talking about waiting a few hours here; I’m talking days or even weeks. Here’s how to fix that slight to medium warp in a vinyl record:
1. Carefully inspect and clean the warped record. It must possess zero dirt. A sand particle can destroy a record if pressed into it, ensuring it’s clean and free of debris.
2. Find a ludicrously flat surface. I use my marble kitchen counter. It must be perfectly smooth, perfectly flat, and clean.
3. Keeping the record in its protective sleeve, place the record on top of a piece of cardboard (again, clean and smooth and flat), on top of the flat surface (like a stone countertop).
4. Place the second piece of cardboard on top of the record; the same with cleanliness and smoothness applies.
5. Set a weight on top. The weight must be big enough to cover the entire record and just as flat and smooth as the surface it’s sitting on. I use a smoothly sanded piece of plywood and then place a few standard house bricks on top.
6. Wait and then wait some more. This process of weighting to re-shape the record has taken me anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks, depending on the extent of the warp. Make sure you don’t use too much weight either; you can cause damage to the record. That’s what I learned the first time I did this method, so use the cardboard as a protective buffer.
Time, Pressure, And Heat

The following method I’ve used to fix my records is the same as the first, except I apply heat. I learned this trick when I was gardening. True story: I was germinating tomato seeds, and they love the heat. I use under-tray heater pads fabricated to speed germination time. You can buy them at most garden centers.

I found using two of these tray heaters for seed germination speeds the process of repairing warped records by a significant factor. Instead of waiting weeks, I’ve fixed records in days using this heat and press method. It works best on severely damaged records.

Follow the steps listed above for the time and pressure technique, but add the hard surface and cardboard heating pads. The heat will transfer just enough through the single layer of cardboard and your record sleeve to gently warm the vinyl to aid in pressing.

Specialty Equipment

Yes, you can actually buy a machine to fix warped records. I’ve got one thing to say about these: extremely overpriced junk. It is the tool some have purchased just to find out that it doesn’t work very well. I had a friend who used one of these and destroyed a vintage house record from the 80s. It was the first time I ever saw him cry. Needless to say, you’re better off using the first or second technique I’ve described and tested.

Have you had experiences with warped records or repairing them? I’d love to hear your methods or even your successes using my methods above. Let me know in the comments below if you have a great trick to help other vinyl lovers with their music.
May 27, 2021

Author: Andrew

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Other Options For The Technic 12xx Series Of Turntables

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Damage

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