In addition to affecting sound quality, a turntable needle also needs to be replaced periodically. Most needles are designed with a limited lifetime and should be replaced after several hundred hours of use. This helps to ensure that you’re getting the best possible sound from your record player, as an older needle may have become dull or worn down over time. Where is the needle on a record player? If the weight is set too high, the needle presses into the grooves of your record with too much intensity and distorts your music. This can also damage your record over time. Wipe the distilled water off with the cloth and then let the record dry completely before trying to play it again. Read more about this cleaning method. If you are buying records that are not awfully expensive, you are not trying to keep them pristine, and have the budget to buy more if they become played out fast, then you do not need to worry about this at all. If you’re looking for the best turntable needles in terms of price and sound quality, you’ve come to the right place. In this review, I’ll share my thoughts on the various options and give tips on how to choose the optimal needle for your player. But first let me explain how the needle works.

Record Player Skipping (Why Records Skip And How To Fix It) Record Player Skipping (Why Records Skip And How To Fix It)

Do not drop the stylus on the record as it can blunt the tip over time. Let it gently rest on the vinyl surface instead.Once you’ve removed all of the dirt, use the tweezers to carefully place the new needle onto the record player’s arm.

UO Culture | Crosley Troubleshooting Guide - Urban Outfitters UO Culture | Crosley Troubleshooting Guide - Urban Outfitters

The shape of the stylus is also important; it should match the profile of your records’ groove. Styluses are typically elliptical, conical, or spherical. Non-standard shapes like Shibata and MicroLine are also available for more specific needs. Can you replace a needle on a record player?

Why change the player’s stylus?

Begin by gathering all the necessary tools for this task. This includes a new needle, a screwdriver, and tweezers or a small magnet. You should also have access to a good light source. Of course, there are expensive spherical styli that are ultra-polished and very well made that sound fantastic, just as there are micro-ridges that are cheap and sound bad. It is all degrees and nuance when it comes to styli and their level of record wear and sound quality. If you have an improperly aligned turntable with a cheap stylus (like a Crosley) it will start to cause a loss of fidelity after only a few spins (depending on the stylus). If you notice any changes in sound quality such as skipping, distortion or poor sound quality when playing your records, it’s a good indicator that the needle needs replacing.