A Gift For Your Records
This little sound hack can change your vinyl game completely
Christmas is the season of giving.
If you partake in the celebrations, you will soon be choosing presents for your loved ones.
With some luck, you will receive some vinyl-shaped gifts in return.
Give and take, right?
Unless your loved ones really hate you (or are great pranksters), it’s safe to assume your new records will bring you joy.
So what gift will you be giving your records?
Wait, what? The records are the gift. What are you on about?
I’m not a mathematician, but equations need balance. If you only take and never give back, the see-saw will eventually tumble, your records will make you pay, and the joke will most definitely be on you.
All about size
Much in the life of a vinyl lover revolves around size.
We classify records according to their inches. We consciously choose to own and display huge album covers—much bigger than on any other format.
The bigger your collection, the more impressed your friends will be.
Big, big, big.
Look at the size of those speakers!
Massive gear you’ve got going on there…
Sorry, mate. Mine is bigger than yours.
It’s safe to say some collectors are clearly trying to overcompensate for some of their own insecurities.
The irony is that many of these testosterone-driven setups, while impressive to look at, don’t always perform at their best.
Life’s a bitch: overcompensate all you will, but the joke will still be on you.
It so happens that the best gift you can give your records can comfortably fit into your pocket. It’s smaller than your thumb, but it can change your vinyl game completely.
I’ll cut to the chase: when was the last time you replaced your stylus?
Stylus matters
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been asked for turntable, speaker and amp recommendations.
And yet, the single most important component of your system is that tiny little thing we call stylus—informally, your vinyl needle.
I will never tire of reiterating the point: the quality, capabilities and overall health of your stylus will have the biggest influence in the sound you get, regardless of how big or impressive your speakers are.
All components play their part, sure, but your stylus is the only one allowed to touch the grooves. That tiny little thing is doing most of the hard work.
It’s not the size of the dog in the fight…
KYS (Know-Your-Stylus)
Many collectors have no idea what stylus they have, how often they should replace it, and what upgrade options would be compatible with their system.
This is alarming: an old, worn or low-quality needle can wreak havoc on your records and cause irreversible damage.
More often than not, all your records want for Christmas is a new stylus.
So which stylus is the best?
I knew this question would come.
A while back I wrote a series covering the basics: why your stylus matters, basic maintenance, and the main types available.
There is no one-size-fits-all. A lot will depend on how often you spin, your budget, whether you favour new or second-hand records, and your overall sound preferences.
If you spin only occasionally and tend to go for newly issued vinyl, your stylus needs won’t be as demanding.
But if, like me, you spin every day, and love getting your hands dirty in the bargains bin, it’s fair to say your stylus should be the best you can afford within your compatibility ecosystem.
I don’t get any commission, but the microlinear stylus in the Audio-Technica range has been by far my best vinyl gear investment.
TLDR?
Change your stylus regularly: roughly once a year if you spin often (although higher-range styli, e.g. microline, will last longer).
There’s no point cleaning your records and looking after your system if your stylus has exceeded its lifespan.
If you need to choose between buying more records and saving for a new or an upgraded stylus, bite the bullet and go for the stylus.
Spin smarter, not harder. Focus on the details. Your records will thank you.
Thanks for reading/listening. Happy spinning!
This is a great article and I think these are details that people who are just getting into record collecting typically don’t factor in. Records are great but they are high maintenance - meaning they need to be kept clean and the turntable and stylus all need to function properly.
I replaced my stylus not too long ago and I’m always checking to make sure it’s angled properly and that no dust has accumulated on it. That little needle is the lifeline of your record collection. Look out for it.
If and when I get into vinyl (once we’ve found a new house and got settled) I’ll have to come down to London and we can chat tech specs and go browsing/shopping together. Presumably there are brick and mortar stores in London where we can see and/or hear hi-fi equipment? An awful lot of research and opinion-gathering for me to do before then though.