Listening to records is an incomparable thing. It’s magical to have that music physically , and its supporting artwork in glorious 12.5”x12.
5” for you to scrutinise. As someone starting their turntable journey, though, you might have discovered there’s a whole world of nerdy decision-making beneath this cool experiential exterior. Perhaps the first proper engagement any of us have with this world (past investing in decent hi-fi equipment to begin with) is with shopping for a new turntable cartridge – which is something you should absolutely do, whether your record player’s a second-hand special or a brand-new consumer unit.
But why should you? And how do you even install one? Naturally, you’ll be in the market for a new cartridge if you’ve bought a turntable that doesn’t come with one, or inherited a turntable with a broken stylus. Even if you’ve bought an older player with an apparently-working cartridge, you should strongly consider replacing it anyway. This is because styli can wear down over time, damaging your records and making them sound worse for the privilege.
The cartridge itself could also be compromised, where old and ailing rubber knackers the stylus’ suspension. Rather than finding out the hard way, a new cartridge could be the path of least resistance to a refurbished device. New turntables aren’t safe from the glowing potential of a new cartridge, either.
The stock cartridges that come with turntables are often good, but not – and spe.