octodigitus Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 So I recently acquired a used turntable and picked up a few of my favorite albums on vinyl. From the beginning I noticed it didn't sound so hot, and in particular I noticed some distortion at the high-end. Now I have reason to believe the stylus isn't in great shape, and I read that a bad stylus can ruin records! Is it likely I've ruined my records? How many plays does it take to permanently damage a groove? This is killing me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 It depends on a few factors like VTA, alignment, tracking weight, and how badly the stylus is damaged. Since you didn't post a model I'm assuming you probably can't adjust the things I just mentioned, there's a chance by just playing them once they may have been slightly damaged, but not to a degree that's noticeable after changing the stylus. The only way to be certain is with a high powered microscope and inspect the grooves. Otherwise just replace the stylus and see how it sounds :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 worn arm bearings are more likely to damage a record than a worn stylus. As yanquiuxo says replace the stylus, check all the adjustments and see how you get on. if the adjustments yanquiuxo quotes above are available I would check them anyway as this can give the same symptoms. If you search about in these forums there are some great posts about this sort of thing and what to adjust and how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
octodigitus Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Yea it's a crap turntable... It has none of those adjustments you mentioned. If I was to replace the stylus, is that pretty straightforward for a noob such as myself? Or is it easy to install it crooked, etc? I'm thinking of dropping the money on a Pro-ject Essential... Any opinions there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtcohenour Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 What model TT are you using right now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allenh Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Most stylus are pretty easy to install but getting a better turntable is always a good use of your money if you want to get the best out of your records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtcohenour Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Most stylus are pretty easy to install but getting a better turntable is always a good use of your money if you want to get the best out of your records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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