Let’s face it, we all love our turntables and the great sounds we get from our minty vinyl. Vinyl is a big investment, and we are always looking for ways to optimise the sound and minimise damage/wear to the surface.

If Vinyl is your thing and the sound from your turntable is important then here are five ways to enhance the sound.

 1. Deoxidise the cables connectors and plugs - All connecting leads can build up oxidation from the environment impacting on the 100% connection between the interconnects and the component plugs sticking out the back. Jaycar do a ‘DeoxIT contact cleaner and Rejuvenator’ which is one solution.

2. Cartridge stylus clean - A stylus is an incredibly fine piece of technology and does collect contamination from the records and environment. Having a professionally cleaned record, or a high-quality machine to maintain it yourself is incredibly important.

Cleaning liquid and carbon fibre micro-brush. Use a specialised stylus cleaning liquid, like ‘clearaudio elixir’, to gently apply to the stylus. To gently dislodge build up matter, you can lightly sweep with a ‘stylus cleaning brush’, again from ‘clearaudio’.  

Please don’t use anything containing isopropyl alcohol, which can degrade the glue binding the cartridge together.

3. Level Turntable - An incredibly simple but effective strategy. Having a level turntable ensures that it has a smooth, clean rotation. If not level it may create an uneven rotation of the platter. This may have a negative impact on the signal and alignment from the stylus affecting the sound produced

You can buy a simple ‘Turntable level’ online or even simpler use an app with your mobile phone!

4. Check Platter rotational speed - There is an expectation that a modern turntable is stable in its rotational speed. But is it? Who remembers the old days when we had a turntable speed indicator on our platters? Garrard 401’s also had a speed regulator. After all a turntable not rotating at the correct speed can sound off.

 Two very simple options. You can download or buy a cardboard disc to put on the spindle to check the speed. Once again, there is an app for your mobile. (not tested yet). If in NZ make sure the test disc is suitable for our 50Hz Frequency from the mains.

5. Check cartridge tracking force - Of all of the previous suggestion’s cartridge weight is the most important. Is the stylus skipping over the record with insufficient weight or too heavy damaging those wonderful microgrooves? Now there other critical issues we won’t cover today but those can be stylus wear, mis-alignment of cartridge, etc..

The weight of the cartridge is a very simple thing to fix and well worth checking. If the turntable has had a bump, then you should check the weight is correct. A digital LED Cartridge Scale Gauge Tracking weight, easily available and inexpensive. Check the Manufacturers specs for your cartridge’s recommended tracking weight.

Suggest you watch a YouTube video for your model turntable to see the simplest way to check this as different decks have different set up techniques.

A well setup Turntable is a thing joy. These are all simple things to check and can reduce your ‘turntable performance’ anxiety. If you need a few other ideas, or have comments, then please let me know.

All the best,

David