Tagged: turntable setup

16 articles we've published with this tag.

Why your turntable's earth wire isn't optional
Turntable earthing fixes most phono hum problems. Here's how grounding actually works, why it fails, and how to track down a noisy connection.
By Marcus Vale
Turntable mats and platters: what actually changes the sound
Felt, rubber, cork or acrylic — turntable mats and platter materials change the sound more than most upgrades. Here's what actually works.
By Dave Okafor
The turntable-first system: why the front end should eat your budget
Priya Anand on why vinyl systems reward front-end spending over amp wattage, and how to split a hi-fi budget so the stylus does the heavy lifting.
By Priya Anand
Azimuth and VTA: the alignment steps most setup guides skip
Overhang and tracking force get all the attention, but azimuth and VTA are where a properly set-up turntable actually separates itself from a mediocre one.
By Marcus Vale
Cartridge tracking force: why "close enough" costs you detail
Tracking force outside the maker's range doesn't just risk your records — it quietly wrecks the detail and channel balance you paid for. Here's how to get it right.
By Eleanor Shaw
Cartridge alignment: the free upgrade most turntable owners skip
A protractor and twenty minutes will do more for your vinyl sound than most cartridge upgrades. Here's how to actually get alignment right.
By Dave Okafor
Turntable wall shelves versus stands: what actually kills footfall bass
Footfall bass in vinyl playback usually isn't the turntable's fault. It's the floor. Here's how to work out whether a wall shelf or a proper stand fixes it.
By Hannah Reid
Phono stage loading: why 47k ohms isn't always the right answer
Most phono stages ship set to 47k ohms and most cartridges never get properly matched. Here's what loading actually does and how to hear it.
By Theo Mensah
Plinth-to-wall distance: the turntable spec nobody checks
Where you put the turntable on the rack matters as much as the rack itself. Here's how boundary distance and shared surfaces feed feedback into the cartridge.
By Hannah Reid
Levelling a turntable properly: the ten-minute job most people skip
A turntable that isn't level throws off tracking force, anti-skate and bearing wear. Here's how to check and fix it properly, not with a marble.
By Jonno Fraser
Anti-skate: the setting everyone guesses and almost nobody sets right
Anti-skate isn't a "set and forget" dial. Here's how to actually get it close on a budget turntable without a test record.
By Dave Okafor
Turntable and subwoofer in the same room? Here's how to stop the feedback loop
A subwoofer and a turntable sharing a room can turn a great pressing into mud. Here's how to place both so bass and vinyl actually get along.
By Priya Anand
Cartridge alignment: why the last half-millimetre matters more than the cartridge
Overhang, zenith angle and azimuth decide more about vinyl sound quality than the cartridge you buy. Here's the engineering, explained by a digital guy.
By Theo Mensah
Phono preamp gain and loading, explained by someone who'd rather not own a turntable
Gain and loading settings on a phono stage aren't optional extras. Here's what they actually do to your cartridge's signal, explained without the mysticism.
By Theo Mensah
Where a vinyl system's money actually goes: spending in the right order
A former record shop owner on the real spending order for a turntable system, and where extra dollars stop buying you anything.
By Priya Anand
Sealed vs ported subs with a turntable in the room: what actually changes
Ported subs and suspended timber floors don't always get along with a turntable. Here's how sealed vs ported bass actually behaves when vinyl is in the signal chain.
By Priya Anand