6 Things You Need If You Own A Vinyl Record Player
Listening through vinyl is one of the greatest music experiences. If you want to enjoy solitude by reminiscing, drinking a cup of tea, and hearkening to classical music, a working turntable inside the room would be an excellent accompaniment.
However, achieving a quiet retreat with this imagined ambiance is easier said than done. There are more things you should take care of before lowering the tonearm to reap your well-deserved reward finally. One of them is keeping these items ready so you can enjoy a soothing, uninterrupted pastime.
Isolation Feet And Pads
If you’re quite a perfectionist, the slightest vibration from the cabinet as your player runs could tick you off. Without support and padding, you’ll need to endure a whole experience of compromised sound quality. Stock up with several isolation feet and pads so you can keep the turntable still atop the cabinet.
Stylus Cleaner
Being the tip that gets in contact with your precious vinyl record constantly, you’ll need to do a regular checkup of your stylus. Damaged or dirty needles could ruin your discs.
Cleaning styli is a tedious task as these tips are incredibly sensitive. It takes patience and utmost care to remove the dirt covering the needlepoint.
Fortunately, there are cleaning products made exclusively for stylus, like the magic eraser. Check with the brand to see if they have an exclusive cleaner for their range of styli. While each has its own set of instructions, you usually need to lower the tip to the sponge many times and as light as possible.
Replacement Cartridges
Time will come, and these original cartridges will wear out. The cantilever rubber will dry out and become brittle while the styli become dull. Soon, they’ll produce incessant hisses and other scruffy noises.
When it happens, wish that you have extra phono cartridges in your cabinet. If you haven’t stocked up yet, consider reliable spares such as Tetrad cartridges.
Lint-Free Microfiber Cloth
The recommended times to clean your vinyl record are before and after playing it. Letting a dirty disc spin on your turntable could bring dirt to the stylus. On the other hand, returning the LP to its sleeve as soon as you play it would keep the dust on the vinyl surface.
Always keep a clean piece of lint-free microfiber cloth near the turntable. You may also want to wet it a bit with water or rubbing alcohol. Just make sure to dry it out before playing or returning to its casing.
Dust Covers
Apart from the clumsiness of its owner, dust, dirt, and spills are the archenemies of turntables. This common encounter begs for a cover that would protect your record player from these harmful elements. This item is crucial if you have kids or pets that frequent around your music equipment.
Record Storage
You don’t deserve a good collection if you don’t have a place to store them safely. Crates, boxes, shelves, and frames are some excellent choices. Add sorting cards so you can easily find the vinyl you want to play without frequently touching and possibly damaging the others. It’s important to keep the vinyl record storage or shelf away from direct heat or sunlight.