This video really covers "need to know" for new to vinyl lovers for any New or Vintage turntable Great Job!

OH my god so I ordered a new needle. I just bought a new record player two months ago!!! Im like wtf!!! I had a loos connection in back. You rock you are thorough and fantastic you saved my brain from exploding ha!!! Peace and rock n roll ppl!!!!

You are a lifesaver! We have 60+ albums from our 1970's college days. We had wrong connection to pre amp on new turntable. Now we can enjoy, Thank you!!!!!!!

Thank you so much. I've visited a oad of sites trying to sort this problem out and no one suggested it might be the line/phono switch. Such a simple solution

Love the video dude probably best record vid,I've seen on KZfaq period,you gonna help me out hopefully!!

I've done everything right. Going back to CD's..

Thanks for this video my needle was to the right and I centered it and now it works much appreciated

I really appreciate that you took some time to really explain and even visualise what can cause distortion. The only thing I can really think to ask is: is a tiny amount of tilt enough to cause distortion? I have yet to level my record player, and while it's standing on a fairly solid table, I don't know if it's 100% levelled, but it *looks* like it is

Thanks man. I almost returned my pioneer PLX 500 because I missed the preamp switch on the back lol. Thank god i found your video

I recently replaced my original pitch control belt on my Dual CS 506-1 after 40 years!! I also replaced the belt for the second time. I've made 3 major mods over 41 years that helped improve the sound of my Dual. The first one was getting rid of the stock Ortofon cartridge that came with the TT. The problem with the Ortofon was that the stylus was too delicate and broke a few of times. Secondly, the sound coming from the cartridge was neutral and uninspiring. I replaced the Ortofon with the Shure Me97he cartridge featuring the hyperelliptical stylus which sound wise was a noticeable improvement. Next I got a solder capable musician friend to replace the stock built in wires with double shielded performance rca cables. This was a major step forward sound wise. Recently, I installed a set of 4 Vibrapod isolators underneath the TT and can honestly say that this old Dual now sounds superb.

Thank you! I have a Audio Technica 120 connected to Sprout 2 (PS Audio) and since both have a preamp I thought to try the Sprout's. Probably better than the turntable's I thought. So I moved the switch on the back of the turntable to check it out. Ah, right then my wife called me to do something (forget now what). Just shut down everything and went. A few days later I wanted to listen to Queen. Cleaned the LP, put the weight on the said LP and played. Oh man it sounded terrible! Cleaned the stylus; no go. Change the LP to a Shinedown album. Cleaned of course. Still terrible. Turntable is level. My weight has a level bubble. Didn't know what else to do. Told my wife that I probably needed to get a new stylus cartridge. Sigh... Went on youtube and came across this video. The title said it all. Watched and found out that I needed to connect to the AUX input. I had it connected to the Phono input. I did not know I would need to change the input. I just switch back the turntable not expecting much. It sounded great. I'll try the AUX later with the Sprout. For now I was just happy that everything worked. So thank you again. Your video saved me from spending at least a $100+ and would still have sounded awful.

Lifesaver! My needle was off to the right and dirty. I re-entered it, clean it , and it sounds perfect. Ordering a new stylus now. Cheers 🍻

You just made my day, thanks for the advise.

Thanks. You helped me resolve the issue.

Pre amp switch was the cure! Thanks so much for the vid

Very nice video, I knew some but not all of this as I get ready to resurrect my 30 year old vintage Technics direct drive turntable

Thank you, I don't speak audiophile so all the comments were foreign to me, but you explained it perfectly. I just needed to switch from line to phono so thank you , thank you.

Thanks a bunch . I switched out receivers and the old one didn’t have a internal pre amp so I was using an ext pre amp removed it and it worked thanks again

Cartridge alignment is also critical, perhaps the most critical. There are tools you can purchase for setting azimuth, vertical tracking angle, tracking force and null point tracing across the record. You don't need to spend big $$$$ on these (of course you can if your system is also $$$$) and once optimized the sound will improve dramatically, even if you already have done all the things mentioned in this video. Also a good tunable mat (often overlooked) can improve resolution more than you think.

I had what appeared to be a clean stylus (a $200+ Audio-Technica VMN40ML MicroLine Nude Stylus), used my little stylus brush on it, etc. Records sounded very distorted/bad. I sent my stylus to Audio Technica, assuming they'd replace it since it was under warranty. They messaged back and said, basically, "it played fine!" In the meantime, I had grown impatient and ordered another one. They sent my old one back and I sold it on eBay at a substantial loss. It was all on me! Now I have a better stylus brush as well as the AT liquid cleaning solution. I've since had a couple scenarios where I got a record and assumed it was a crappy pressing, only to notice the very next record I played also sounded bad. Long story short, it's always been a dirty stylus for me even if it looked fine.

Man you taught me so much thank you!!!!

What can it be if my turntable sounds like in DJ show when bringed home (deep bass, great soundstage etc) then really, really bad - losing channels, bass distorted (or no bass at all), the frontstage not heard properly, but chorus louder than should... then couple of days pass, and it's sounding reasonably well, but still from time to time losing channel - when it's doing that I need to switch MM to MC and back to MM, or change input selector couple of times.

Thank you!!! This saved me!

Just got my first Vinyl Player for Xmas (U-Turn Orbit with built in pre amp). I have a Marantz receiver that doesn't have the phone input so I hooked up the player to one of the Aux inputs, I am getting sound (with the pre amp switch on) but ita coming in bad (sounds cartoonish), I tried everything on this video and nothing is working, if anyone has any other recommendations I would appreciate it.

Thank you for this informative video. I think I should clean my stylus more frequently.

Dude thank you so much

How does 1 know if stylus needs changing? Great video❤. Greetings from Trinidad

I have an audio Technica LP 120, if I use it's preamp and attach to aux I can only put the volume up to 5 from 10 as then it hums badly and I have to keep bass to 0 as as if I increase hum. Watts at lower volume. If I bypass and attach to phonos, there is a hum even before I start playing and it will reduce when music starts to level 5 when it becomes Terrible. I tried to put an earth wire on the back and attach it to the stereo like shown but nothing changes.....also tried to earth from a plug to the back of the turntable. Any help would be greatly appriciated

I have a technics Sl-b260 cicrc 1988. I've noticed that my records are sounding wobbly. I don't know how else to describe it really, but you definitely notice it in the vocals. Could this be the belt and/or the stylus?

i have a brand new audio- technical lp60x and new vinyls/records and it sounds scratchy and i’m not sure why it’s on a flat desk and is on line what else could be wrong?

The first turntable I ever had was when I was 12, back when records were for old folks and DJs only... I got an old turntable from my father and it didn't run properly. I remember it was basically a one and a half year long project to make the thing work, which is very long for a 12 years old. Eventually found out that I needed to buy a new timing IC and clean the trimmer pots. I actually learned soldering and the basics of electric principles because of it. Kids can learn a lot when they're obsessed with something.

It was reason #5. You saved me from having a full meltdown. Thank you!!!

The preamp switch did the trick for me. I was on the verge of buying a new amp. So, thank you!

What about microphonic feedback?

Cheers- mine sorted through using aux port instead of phono. Would never have thought of that.

Omgggg thank you this helped I was going to return everything back !!!

I added an additional AT120XBT TT earlier this year to another room in the house and I have to figure out why it seems like there is some kind of sibilance like sound happening to the vocal range on some of my albums. I put a new stylus on, but it is similar to the sound of dust building up on the needle but I clear it everytime with the brush. Going line out to Vizio soundbar in this room and have used this setup previously on the non-bluetooth version of this AT with no issues. Soundbar is fine on tv and bluetooth from phone, so this is one I am still trying to figure out. Hello from Clarksville!

Thank's a lot, it was the phono/line-switch😊😊

Hi, my Technics SL-BD27 only has a phono out option, and I'm trying to plug it in my x32 rack aux (only 2 RCA ports each for input and output). Should I buy an extra smaller preamp to change from phono to aux before plugging in to the X32 Rack console?

I watched your other video and still getting that sound. I will contact UTurn tomorrow...thanks for your quick response.

Here’s another one to consider : after going through several steps and thinking I had it down to simply not being grounded( it wasn’t ) but after grounding I realized I had an external preamp adapter connected that wasnt needed and causing horrible distorted sound

Thanks. Nice video. Liked & Subscribed. Thinking of getting my first turntable soon, and I am looking for a model that is not too exoensive and is very good value for money. Any suggestions?

Man I need you to come check mine out it's a pioneer PL560 everytime I touch the volume on the Amp which is a Pioneer GR 560 it cracks and buzz like crazy. I just got it from my pops and would love to enjoy it but I need to learn this stuff hopefully this works cuz it's a nice setup

Im confused .you mentioned that when you use the phono pre amp set to phono on either the turntable or external phono stage pre amp it should go to phono input on the reciever /amp..?? That cant be right .phono pre amp to phono pre amp on amp would sound distorted and alot out off wack..ive got a audio technica Lp 120 x usb turntable .when i use the phono stage pre amp on the turntable its of my understanding that you would therefor connect to an aux line level input .Aux cd ect .if i was to use the phono stage pre amp on an receiver /amplifier therefor i would proceed with switching the switch at back of turntable to the line level out from turntable into phono pre stage on the back of phono input at the back of Amp..but your saying that if you use phono out of turntable that the connection should go to phono stsge pre amp at back of amp phono input .that cant be right ..one has to cwncel out the other .you cant have phono out into phono in .it would distort so much .vise versa .if i went from line level out into line level in .Aux cd ectc.i would get jo or little volume sound .im confused.with your comment .please explain .am i right & your wrong/ or are you on the money & ive been missing something for last 40 years.please explain in detail what you mean .with phono to phono/ line out to line in😳🤔👍

I have a vintage technics quartz direct drive turntable, and it worked fine forever but I haven’t used it in a long time and now when I use it, the audio is super quiet even when I have it at max volume. Any suggestions?

Went from a new conicle back to my old elipticle needle--What a big difference

hey, I just bought my first record player. Its the audio technica LP60. I plugged it in, put it in line, but my record sounds weird, like its skipping parts of the song. Maybe it has something to do with the kneedle but im not sure. I hope its the kneedle because the records are pretty new and they cant be dirty. How can I know what the problem is?

Do I have to go to a preamp or can I go directly into speakers. I have an Audio-technical at-lp120xusb

i own an audio technica at-lp60xbt turntable, with 2 speakers and no amplifier. just played an album i recently purchased. songs skipped. yet when played on a turntable in a shop that sells vinyl. the lp played flawlessly. a friend of the owner suggested i replace the stylus. after listening to your video, i also see that my turntable is not set on a completely flat service. can that possibly add to the problem?

Thanks brosky

Maybe you can help me out I have the exact same turntable & I bought a fosi audiobox x2 pre amp as an upgrade. I connected all the rca cables correctly too. But when I switch to the line selection (as I should with the external preamp) & start playing records there’s an awful screeching noise. So with the fosi connected I get screeching from the line setting & silence from the phono. Is there an issue with the ground Or internal wiring if the turn table ?

Thanks so much for this video, my records sounded like crap. I ordered a new belt and all my records sound great. The old belt was much larger in length. It was in a Crosley. Now l have to find out how to get a cassette unstuck in the back. Thanks so much!

Been spinning discs for years. I use Audio Technica stylus cleaner, Discwasher and Zerostat. Always clean stylus from back to front. Bought my Pioneer PL-518 in 1979 and it still performs well. Had great specs to boot, wow/flutter 0.03%, rumble 73dB. Not too shabby even by todays standards. Pick-up is a Shure M95HE. An overhang gauge is essential for good sound.

I just bought a u turn orbit plus and three new vinyls. One sounds great, the other cracks and is distorted, and one has a loud hissing noise in the right channel only. Is this common? I am nervous about my investment and haven't been able to find anything online to help.

Thankyou for doing this video, keep forgetting to check the stylus for dirt and dust, was just listening to Chris Rea everything sounded good but his voice, going to check that it may be a worn stylus though not sure

I have a Gemini (built in amp) connected to a RS202 Yamaha Receiver with two Polk T15s and the two plastic box speakers that came with the Gemini. It actually sounds really good except for one problem. As soon as I switch from vinyl to digital I get WAY more bass. It's like my vinyl is missing the low frequencies or something. Is there an easy fix for this? Or do I need to buy a better player. Gemini is some what cheap. Also wondering if having a built in pre amp might be the issue... Any help would be greatly appreciated. Some people say its just how vinyl sounds but I found others saying that's not true. IDK???

Hi, need somme help , the mass of my turntable is connected to GDN and if I play louder the is a Lot of hum exspecialy when I put on the loudsnes . Wat can I do about it. my speakers are verry close to my turntable . Do you have somme hints please . Even when I tab with my fingers close to the turntable I can hear the tabbing in my speakers... A litle help please. Thanks

What about in vinyl records itself?

Thank you uneven surface was my problem

So my problem is I just got the Audio Technica LP3XBT-BK which has a built in preamp, I have it connected to powered speakers and have it set to line on the back of the turntable. I'm using the Edifier R1850DB active speakers and when having both speakers connected the passive speaker only sounds very distorted, staticky/muffled. I've changed out cords, it's not the speakers because when connected to my phone via bluetooth the speakers sound great. Is it possible my turntable came defective? I'm racking my brain trying to figure out the issue. It sounds great with only the one active speaker connected but sounds horrible with the 2nd speaker.

Why would mine be sounding almost like it's talking through a fan or like robotic, almost like auto tune 🤔 I'm New to vinyl

What about the cartridge? I dont know how to tell if the problem is the cartridge or not. Basically the sound is very quiet and lacks bass

ur a lifesaver

Thing about pickups they are so sensitive to motion. I've worked on all turntables and record players from wind up gramophones to ceramic cartridge to MM to MC modern style. Even old gramophones had flutter sound coming out of the acoustic horn because of loose or stuck and unbalanced governors which develops a shutter wave through the motorboard and gets picked up by the platter and in turn can get amplified by the horn assembly itself. Yup turntables are still the most finicky system, however still is the best sound medium and if built properly is far better than any streamed music any other stereo system. As a matter of fact you can end up paying over $200000 for the turntables like an Apolyt. And a cartridge like the Audio technica AT-ART1000 Direct power stereo MC cartridge upgrade for a regular turntable you can be paying up to $7000

why does the needle go at a slight angle is it something ive done wrong or just worn out over time?

Did all of this and for some reason the left output is just simply messed up. Any clue what I can do before I just buy a new turntable

Also, the quality of the preamp can make a difference. For whatever reason, the preamp in my Luxman amplifier doesn't sound as good as a little $60 tube buffered preamp. I'm using a Sure 97Xe cartridge on a Thorens TD-160 turntable. Go figure.

the most important thing that i tried to get an answer for is some turntables not having a ground wire and they for sure need one or a constant hum or buzz is heard on the speakers could you say how they replace the ground wire for nothing having need of one like in the PL-500k similar to the SL-1200 but from pioneer , i have 7 turntables and only two are more recent and thorens i bought in 82 and a thorens i bought in 91 being a fine arts by grundig "connoseur " but there is a thorens version that instead of gold and black is silver and black, theses are good turntables close to perfection. When looking for new turntables i notice some having the ground wire missing and not because it doesn´t need it but because they make noise because of the non existing ground wire like in the turntable you showed after the technics which is a type of turntable that almost no one knows how it works with it´s cartridge having a optical way of reading the grooves and auto correcting it ,the full automatic system T4P ,normally they come with the weight and anti-skating tuned from factory ,it´s a linear tracking turntable like other i have from Sharp ,and used in all tangential turntables

Genius!

Is being almost level good or are you talking dead nuts level between the hash marks . I’m about 1/8th inch off.

My turn table doesn’t sound bad it’s just that it sound different to when I would listen to it on my phone, like the artist voices sound lighter. Does anyone have a way I can fix this or is this normal

Hi, What if I have bought a second hand turntable (Note: I bought it 6 years ago, never used it but its been in and out of the box and through 2 house moves), replaced the stylus with the same but brand new Ortofon 5E Stylus, cleaned this stylus with a tiny brush, calibrated/aligned the tonearm, connected phono on the TT to phono on the Integrated Amp, levelled the turntable (with a spirit level), connected the ground cable, cleaned the record (its spanking clean), and still it sounds terrible, with so much noise.... Where do I turn to next?

Holy shit. Where did you get that Minor Threat illustration??? I need one!

solder the end of your ground cable so it makes easier to connect ...

I just recently got a Victrola suitcase record player as well as two records. The first few runs were great but then I ran into some problems. When playing a scratching sound would start but only when the singer was singing. When it was just music the player would be fine. Do you know what the problem could be?

My old Technics changes speed, the strobe light burned out years ago, so i cannot check the speed.

one change of a switch on the back of the turntable and it worked!!!!!!

Hey man...turntable on top of the amplifier? Realy?

A new needle really helps.

That's true.

welcome to the year 2022 ...

7:55 fixed my problem. Just had to flip that stupid switch.

My turntables have this very issue, but none of the troubleshooting from this video helps in any way shape or form

Or replace the cartridge after several plays.

My record player sounds like it’s playing 2 songs at the same time. One is playing like normal but in the quieter parts on the song I can hear another song that’s on the other side of the record.

replace the worn out belt.

Mine is playing double sound when I pull the volumen all the way down I can still hear the song on top of the turn table :( any ideas ?

I hooked a little Pro-Ject pre amp to my Yamaha reciever and then searched for 2h why it'a making a HORRIBLE sound. And somehow this video gave me the answer😂 fml

Thank you sir, the ground wasn't connected all the way!!! 😅

Hi thanks for this vid, it helped me alreddy much, but all doh my mass connection is connected verry good and still I have a lot of Hum and brrrrooooooeeeeemmmmm. S.O.S

I hate the harsh "sssss" sounds on some tracks/albums

get a "bubble level". A loose belt shouldn't make yout tt run fast

Save my djing night

different cartridges sound different

Audio Techica sounds bad

Just saying. If your turntable is hanging upside-down inside the ISS, the needle won't be inverted.

This didn’t fix any of my problems.

OK, just remember, you're getting these tips from an "EXPERT." So let's review: "5 Reasons Your Turntable Or Record Player Sounds Bad" 1) Dirty stylus. 2) Flat Turntable 3) Belt Drive 4) Preamp 5) THERE IS NO NUMBER 5! That's what you get from a YT video, the inability to count to 5.

It sounds bad because it is the same technology as running your finger nails down a chalkboard.

Dude, I get why people do vids like this, but if you do not know these very basic fundamentals of turntable ownership I despair. I bought my very first proper hi fi turntable (Transcriptors hydraulic reference) at the age of 16 (48 years ago) and we had to get off our butts and visit these things called hi fi dealers (years before computers or youtube) who advised us how to set up, use and look after our turntables AND the records we played on them. I get the impression that the youth of today is somewhat lacking in the finer details of hi fi ownership. Why I don't know, but what I do know is the youth of today are buying very poor quality turntables fuelled by the likes of youtube, amazon and ebay which do not do justice to the vinyl LP. God only knows what amp/receiver these turntables are plugged into and the speakers that they are using. God help the future of Hi Fi.