Buying a Replacement Stylus for Your Turntable Cartridge
Turntables may seem like a thing of the past, but they remain the preferred listening device for many wanting that classic vinyl sound and the nostalgia of playing old records. Turntables also require a bit of maintenance, with their cartridge stylus eventually wearing down and needing replacement. Companies like Magnavox specialize in replacement styluses designed to be compatible with different cartridge models and vinyl record widths.
What Is a Stylus?
A stylus is the tip of the needle that tracks in the groove of your vinyl, but some often use the term interchangeably with "needle."
- A turntable cartridge is the device that mounts to the underside of the tone arm and provides a platform for the stylus.
- In most cases, it is only the stylus that wears down, and there is no need to replace the entire cartridge, unless it contains significant wear and tear or mechanical failure.
How Do You Know if Your Record Needle Needs Replacing?
A damaged or worn stylus on your record player produces a poor quality of audio and may even cause damage to your prized vinyl collection. Most turntable needles have around 500 hours of playing time in them before you need to consider a replacement stylus.
- When you start to hear a muffled sound or audio distortion when playing records, it may be time to replace your stylus.
- You may start to hear harsh scratching noises or your stylus may start to skip over the grooves on your records, which can potentially cause serious damage to the vinyl.
What Should You Consider When Buying a New Needle?
Needles for turntable players consist of a number of different hard metals, including steel and platinum alloy, with most featuring sapphire or diamond tip needle replacements that are comparable in their sound reproduction.
- The main difference between the two is that a diamond stylus typically lasts around 10 times longer than a sapphire needle tip, but will also be more costly to purchase.
- Different needle tip sizes correspond with the playing speed of the vinyl with which they are compatible, and the tip radius indicates this. Make sure the needle tip you are buying is suitable for playing the vinyl you own, whether they be 33 RPM, 45 RPM or 75 RPM.
- When finding the correct needle for your turntable player, search by its cartridge name or number, then double check that the results are compatible with your cartridge model.