The cartridge – including the stylus, also referred to as the needle – makes up just a tiny portion of your turntable. Even the largest on the market barely tip the scales at 20 grams and are no bigger than a cherry.
Despite their small size, cartridges are one of the most significant components of a record player. They have the all-important task of transforming the grooves of a vinyl record into an electrical signal. And that’s why swapping out a worn or sub-par cartridge (if your record player allows it) for a high-quality one will have a tremendous impact on the sound your turntable can produce.
Generally speaking, you should get about 500 to 1,000 hours of playtime out of your needle. Keep an ear out for distortion, jumps, fuzziness, background noise, spitting, static, crackles, and blurring – these are all signs that it’s time for a replacement. Also, keep in mind that a worn needle could be damaging your beloved records.
If you’re just looking for a quick fix, it may be enough to pop in a new needle and call it a day. In fact, this is about as much customisation as many entry-level record players allow. If you are, however, wanting to breathe new life into your turntable’s audio quality, it’s worth taking this opportunity to switch out your old cartridge for a new, higher-quality model.
Let’s take a closer look at the key benefit of opting for a top-of-the-line cartridge: next-level sound.
Higher quality cartridges sound much, much better than lower quality models. Why? Well, there is a whole range of nuanced design elements involved:
When these four design features work in harmony, you can expect a richer, higher-resolution sound with a more secure, apparent bass.
You can check out our cartridge range here. Or, for more information, give us a call!