Although vinyl records belong to the products of the last generation, but in the hearts of many music lovers, the sound played by them is always irreplaceable by CDs, so brands like Sony and Audio-Technica continue to produce new vinyl record players to this day. But the professional knowledge of the specifications such as turntable, arm, and equalizer always makes beginners feel unsure of how to start.

Therefore, this article will explain in an easy-to-understand way the key points to note when buying a vinyl record player; Whether you are a beginner or a veteran vinyl player, I believe you can find the right product for you in this article!

一，Guide to buying a vinyl record player

If the device needed to listen to vinyl records is disassembled, it can roughly contain five parts: turntable, needle, phono amplifier, preamp, and audio, etc. The following will introduce their respective purchase methods.

1.Check the rotating method of turntable

The turntable that rotates vinyl records can be divided into two different types of operation.

1) "Belt-driven" type that does not jump easily

Belt-type vinyl record player

The belt drive refers to the way in which the torque generated by the motor is transferred to the turntable spindle through the belt. This type has the advantage of not easily disturbed by external vibration or sound, so that the rotation of the turntable more stable; and because the structure is relatively simple, so that the market has a wide range of goods to choose from and cheap.

However, the belt will naturally produce wear and tear in the process of use, and if unfortunately it breaks when playing music, it may cause the needle to scratch the record because of the instant impact. Therefore, when using this type of product, be sure to check the condition of the belt regularly and replace it at the right time.

2) Direct drive type" with progressive acceleration and stop

Direct drive refers to the operation of the motor and the turntable's spindle, directly combined together; its acceleration and deceleration process from start to shutdown is more stable, but also do not need to worry about the replacement of the belt situation. However, its disadvantage is that in the case of low speed, the noise called "groove effect" will occur, although the higher-end models can effectively deal with this problem, but the entry models are often quite obvious sound. Therefore, when selecting a low-end machine, it is recommended that you first go through a test run and confirm the volume of the cogging effect.

2. Careful selection of needle and arm

In order to read the sound information in vinyl records, in addition to the needle that actually touches the grooves of the cartridge, the arm that ensures the needle falls vertically from above and the needle head that fixes the needle to the arm are structures that need attention. Some record players on the market do not come with a needle, so it is important to know the detailed specifications of the product before purchasing.

1) Needle head: MM type for beginners, MC type for experts

The needle head, which is responsible for fixing the needle to the arm, can be divided into the "MM" type, which uses a magnet to generate vibration, and the "MC" type, which uses a coil to operate. Generally speaking, the MC type can produce slimmer and higher quality sound, so all medium and advanced models use this type of needle head. However, because of the high price and the need to commission the manufacturer when replacing the needle, it is more suitable for senior players who are used to using vinyl record players.

On the other hand, the MM type not only allows you to replace the needle by yourself, but is also cheaper and suitable for beginners who are new to record players. However, since this type of needle is only found on very low-end products, you will need to make your own choices in this regard to match your listening needs.

2) Singing arm: Choose according to the features you value

The arm is responsible for supporting the needle and the needle head to ensure that it can be aligned with the groove of the cartridge and give the needle the right amount of pressure. The arm can be further divided into two different types depending on whether it is integrally shaped with the needle head and needle.

The detachable arm, because of the freedom to replace the needle head and needle, so you can adjust the type of needle head at any time with the sound quality you want to listen to, but the price is also relatively high; some of these products can also adjust the needle pressure, want to get it is to prepare a certain budget. Therefore, if you do not have a plan to upgrade the needle and needle head, you can also consider directly buying a cheap integrated form of arm.

3. Pay attention to the presence or absence of a phono amplifier

After the needle slides through the groove on the vinyl record, it will transform the vibration signal picked up through the phono amplifier into music that can be recognized by the human ear. There are two types of phono amplifiers: built-in and external, and the different types can affect whether or not a preamp is needed, so it is important to make sure when purchasing one.

Incidentally, the reason why a phono amplifier is needed when playing vinyl records is because the pitch and volume of the turntable is presented through the rise and fall of the groove. Therefore, the thickness of the turntable will not be able to provide such a large undulation when it needs to show the bass and loud volume; and when playing the treble, the undulation is too small and easy to produce noise. Without the assistance of a phono amplifier, the music played will be uneven in volume and full of noise.

1) Choose the built-in or external type according to your budget

The built-in phono amplifier is already installed inside the body, so you don't have to buy an additional one, so it can effectively save the budget of beginners. However, because it cannot be replaced by a higher-grade phono amplifier, the built-in type usually cannot meet the needs of professional players.

2) Decide whether to buy a preamp from the matching audio

An audio preamp is also an indispensable device for playing vinyl music, but whether or not you need to buy one depends on the stereo that comes with the record player and whether or not it has a built-in phono amplifier.

For example, if the audio is equipped with a LINE or AUX jack, then only the phono amplifier in the record player can be connected for playback; and a preamp with its own PHONO jack means that it has a built-in amplifier, so even if the record player itself is not built-in, it can still be connected. However, if neither the vinyl record player nor the preamp contains a phono amplifier, you will have to purchase an additional amplifier.

4、USB port which can be connected to computer and cell phone

If a vinyl record player comes with a USB connection, that means it can digitize the sound of the turntable and transfer it to a computer or cell phone; some can even write directly to a USB stick, so that the sound quality of the vinyl can be carried around with you. However, the product usually does not come with a USB cable, you have to pay special attention when buying.