Best DJ Turntable Cartridges in 2022

Last update: January 2, 2023

Can any stylus work on any turntable?

No, not every stylus will work on every turntable. The stylus, also known as the needle, is the part of the turntable that makes contact with the record and transmits the sound. The stylus is connected to the cartridge, which is mounted on the tonearm. The tonearm is what allows the stylus to move across the record. The cartridge and stylus are matched to each other and to the specific turntable they are designed to be used with.

Can I use isopropyl alcohol to clean stylus?

Yes, you can use isopropyl alcohol to clean your stylus. First, remove the stylus from your record player. Dip a cotton swab in the alcohol and then lightly wipe the stylus. Be sure to not get any alcohol on the record player itself.

Do turntable cartridges make a difference?

When it comes to turntables, cartridges definitely make a difference. The cartridge is the part of the turntable that holds the stylus, which is the needle that actually reads the record. A good cartridge will result in better sound quality, while a bad cartridge can cause all sorts of problems, from skipping to crackling. If you're serious about getting the best sound possible from your turntable, it's definitely worth investing in a good cartridge.

Does playing scratched records damage needle?

A lot of people believe that playing scratched records can damage the needle on their turntable. However, there is no evidence to support this claim. In fact, most experts agree that it is not possible for a record to damage the needle on a turntable.


Audio-Technica AT-VM95C Dual Moving Magnet Turntable Cartridge Review:


Finally! a straightforward cartridge that enables you to listen to music. The world is not ideal, let's face it. However, we enter the workforce every day and endeavor to make it as great as we can. The last thing we want to do is go home, put on our favorite recordings, and sit there examining every minute nuance or imperfection in a flawed medium. Vinyl is that. In my lifetime, I have purchased a great deal more cartridges than this one does. What did I get, then? Cartridges that need constant adjustment to achieve the desired tone. And you're aware of something? I make daily adjustments to make everything as flawless as possible, but that's not what I want to do when I go home and want to unwind and enjoy my music—and my memories. I decided to get this based on the reviews and the fact that it was new, thinking that perhaps—just perhaps—there existed a $34 wonder drug. So, with great anticipation, I attached it to my Thorens TD 170 automated turntable. I then gave it a solid basic alignment and pressed the start button. I felt like I was back in the 1980s! No harshness or sibilance, simply music—all that's it is—is RICH SOUND! And I appreciate that the tip is conical. Because it misses every intricate tick and pop, it discovers the music, which is what we are all looking for. Because this cartridge seems to "know" what's important and remembers "when," it is forgiving of the fact that many of my albums have been played repeatedly over a long period of time. I'm a working man, too. And this is not a budget for a working man. It works nicely with the automatic turntables of today. I have medium mass tone arms since this cartridge edit pairs well and mixes in with a lot of contemporary technology. So yes, it does look good. But most importantly, it does everything correctly. It works as intended, hitting the right note. So this year has identified the place if a miracle is offered for $34! I'm grateful to Audio-Technica.



Neoteck Digital Turntable Stylus Force Scale Gauge 0.01g/5.00g Blue LCD Backlight for Tonearm Phono Cartridge Review:


In light of the additional facts, I'm upgrading my initial review. To calibrate my tracking pressure, I first used an outdated digital scale that wasn't as accurate (to the tenth of a gram) as this one. I had gotten a lot of inconsistent readings from the two scales, but I've since realized that my second scale is inaccurately calibrated and has been giving me inaccurate readings (between 3 and 4 tenths of a gram too light) for years, which has resulted in my vtf being set a little bit too high. It sounded fine, however there were apparent problems with the cantilever bend, warped record compliance, etc. So I've made the decision to believe this scale. The scale appears to be well-made and is accurate to one tenth of a gram. Given numerous test objects, it is also accurate to within a few hundredths. This is excellent, especially considering the price. Since the measuring area where you would place the stylus is not perfectly straight, I am docking one star. From one side to the other, the metal measuring tab's height varies by 4 to 6 mm. I might have received a subpar one. In fact, Neoteck contacted me after I placed my previous review to see if there was anything they could do to fix the issue, which speaks highly of their overall customer service. I didn't comment because, at the time, I was sure I would just keep using my other scale and I was only down around $12, but I appreciate that they were prepared to replace products and even offered a refund. These days, it's uncommon to have customer service that is so frank. However, in actual use, the uneven measuring tab poses just a little concern because it appears that the dead center is exactly 5mm (as I can tell when I remove my mat and measure the stylus because it is roughly where it would be for regular playback). Additionally, it doesn't appear to change the measurement wherever you place the weight on the tab. The outcomes are the same; my main concern is getting my platter to the right height. Overall, good use of funds. You won't regret doing business with these people if you need a low-cost vtf scale.



Acestar Vinyl LP Record Player Turntable Cartridge With 5 Universal Replacement Stylus Needles for Crosley Ion Jensen Phonograph Review:


The Universal Replacement Stylus Needles are the subject of this review. I own a 2007-era ion TTUSB05XL player. These were offered as a suggested replacement part for my needle, so I purchased them. One of the turntables that was listed as compatible was my device. Now that I've found out, the 2007 model isn't included.The fact that you receive five needles AND a replacement head makes it an excellent price for the devices it fits. These, however, didn't work with my version. I supposedly possess the year prior to when they began using the universal needle. Was quite disappointed that the record player didn't work out, even though it wasn't the product's fault. I appreciate that there are backups and that you would be covered for a very long time. Each needle is covered and individually wrapped in foam to keep them safe. They can't possibly be harmed in the container, in my opinion.Due to the fact that my replacement needle has been long-since obsolete, I did ultimately wind up purchasing a new record player. Since these needles fit on my new Jenson player and I tried one to see whether it worked, I am still keeping them. It did, and it had fantastic sound. I'm thrilled with the outcome and will be waiting impatiently for a long time!



banpa Pack of 2 Turntable Replacement needle with Ceramic Tip for ION iCT09RS Quick Play LP, Power Play LP, Quick Play Flash, Contour LP, Vertical Vinyl, Archive LP, Forever LP Review:


As they all utilize the exact same mounting clip size, the following cartridges can be easily replaced with this item:CP-38S, AUE (Crosley Stack-O-Matic and some entry-level turntables)Chuo-Denshi: CZ-680 (found in a lot of entry-level vintage turntables from the 1980s), CZ-699 (found in a few mid-1980s entry-level vintage turntables), and CZ-800 (found in many 1980s, 1990s, and even some 2000s-present entry-level turntables)Pfanstiehl: P-132, P-185, P-187, P-226, P-228, P-188 (found in many entry-level record players like Crosley, Victrola, etc.),Varco: TN8T, TN8A, and TN4B (all used in many 1960s-1970s era entry-level turntables)Chuo-Denshi CZ-800/Pfanstiehl P-188 (found in a number of Crosley/Victrola record players as well as several record players from the 1980s and 1990s)Despite the fact that one side is listed at 78 RPM, the provided stylus has a DUAL LP tip (proper 78rpm tip is 3 mil, LP is 0.7 mil). I would have given it five stars if it weren't for that!Since this cartridge is based on the BSR SC 12H, here is a list of compatible styli and cross-reference numbers to make finding replacement styli easier:Flip-stylus (LP/78 styli unless otherwise specified):274-DS73 (LP/78) and 274-DS77, Pfanstiehl (Dual LP)30-012 AristaN164-SD (LP/78), N164 astatic (Dual LP)ST-16, ST-17, and ST-18 BSRH18-201 for electrohome2428DS Electro-VoiceAC-536DS is a fidelitone.Result: 749SDPS-166 is a transcriber.Single-Tip (only for LP)264-S7, 274-D7, Pfanstiehl (Sapphire)Nasty: N161-7DST-19, ST-20, and ST-21 BSRDSC: 104 (Sapphire) (Sapphire)2429D Electro-VoiceKingdom: 5216DMaplin: 104 DSCDN-31 from Onkyo (perfect for playing Seeburg BMS 1000 records, as this is a 0.5 mil stylus)Tonar: DS 556scribe: #200Hope this is useful!



Record Player Needle, Diamond Stylus Replacement for Turntable, LP, Phonograph(Pack of 2) Review:


So I went to Guitar Center and bought a NuMark PT-01 USB powered record player. It features a battery inside and a USB port for charging. Anyway, Guitar Center doesn't stock the needles for it for some odd reason, so that makes sense. Since I didn't feel like looking for a needle for it, I haven't been able to listen to my music for a while. I finally made the decision to purchase this, and now my albums sound brand new. The sound was so awful on the old, worn needle that I began to suspect the player might be broken. The sound is loud, crisp, and clear again on this new needle, just like when I initially got the player. I can't stress how much I like this. I put one on the player and have another in case the first one breaks. I'll only buy these when I need a new needle, and I can't say enough good things about them. 5 stars!!Edit: Ignore the man who claims that this needle causes skips. There isn't. My albums sound fantastic and don't skip at all. This works well with my record player, so perhaps he only needed to clean his LPs or there was some other problem. That's all I had to say after reading his review. Later!



banpa Replacement Stylus Turntable Needle for ION ICT04RS - ION TTUSB, TTUSB10, ITTCD10, LPDock, LP2CD, LP2Flash, IProfile and Profile Flash (Pack of 2) Review:


Such a great stylus. It wasn't pricey and it replaced a broken stylus. The sound quality and clarity really caught my attention. I may be wrong, but I believe it has improved from previously. I was so taken with it that I began to listen to a number of albums merely to gauge the depth of the sound. Anyone in need of a replacement stylus for compatible cartridges should follow my advice.


How do I choose a cartridge?

There are a few things to consider when choosing a new cartridge for your firearm. First, you must know the caliber or gauge of your gun. Once you know the size, you can narrow your choices down by the type of ammunition you wish to use. For example, if you want to shoot target practice, you would want to choose a cartridge that is accurate and has little recoil. If you are looking for self-defense ammunition, you would want to choose a cartridge that has more stopping power. Another factor to consider is the price of the ammunition. If you are on a budget,

How do I know if my cartridge is MM or MC?

There are a few ways to tell if your cartridge is MM or MC. The first is to look at the body of the cartridge. If it is made of metal, it is likely an MM cartridge. MC cartridges are usually made of plastic. Another way to tell is by looking at the stylus (needle). MM cartridges have a round stylus, while MC cartridges have a elliptical stylus. Finally, you can tell by the price. MM cartridges are typically more expensive than MC cartridges.

How do I know if my turntable cartridge is bad?

If your turntable cartridge is bad, you may notice that the sound quality is poor, or that the needle skips over the vinyl. If you suspect that your cartridge is bad, you can take it to a local audio shop to have it tested.

How do I know what needle for my record player?

There are a few ways to figure out what needle is right for your record player. One way is to consult the owner’s manual that came with your turntable. If you no longer have the manual, you can often find it online. Another way is to look up your turntable model online and see what needles are recommended. Finally, you can take your turntable to a local record store or audio shop and ask for help.

How long do turntable needles last?

How long a turntable needle lasts depends on how often it is used and how well it is taken care of. A well-made needle can last for years with proper care, while a cheaply made one may only last a few months. To prolong the life of your needle, avoid playing damaged or warped records, and clean your records and stylus regularly. When not in use, store your needle in a safe place where it will not be bumped or jarred.

How long does a phono cartridge last?

A phono cartridge typically lasts between 500 and 1,000 hours. After that, the stylus will start to wear down, affecting sound quality.