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People call the stylus a ‘’needle’’, often including the cantilever (the piece of metal the stylus is attached to) but the stylus is actually just the little tip sticking down from the cantilever.
There are two main materials used to make a stylus, sapphire and diamond. The most common material used today is diamond, The hardness of a diamond allows for much longer use and for the tip to be fashioned in a small enough size to deliver better musical performance.
A stylus touches the top of the record and rides around the disk. It picks up vibrations that are then sent to a cartridge, which then converts them into electrical signals. These signals are sent to an amplifier, which converts the signals back to sound through speakers.
The needles and plastic are always connected as one piece and it is designed to make it easy to be replaced.
If the needle starts to ‘’skip forward or bounce’’ it will need to be replaced. Make sure the grip of the Cantilever is solid and not loose. The stylus wears out over time, so replace it after 1000 hours of use or after 3-5 years, whichever comes first. If there is black residue stuck to the point of the needle, it may be a sign that the stylus was overused and not properly maintained. Replacing the stylus will ensure that your sound remains accurate and your records stay safe.
We have a wide range of stylus available in store and online. Let us bring the music back in your life – HAPPY LISTENING!