3 Cheap Upgrades That Will Instantly Improve Your Turntable’s Audio Quality

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Whether vinyl actually sounds better than a digital recording comes down to several factors. Regardless of whether you think one option is superior to another, having a proper setup will make a major difference in how impressive your records sound. Naturally, unless you’re satisfied with an all-in-one record player, you need a quality turntable. A turntable, unlike a record player, lets you swap out components. Luckily, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make upgrades to your turntable that will make your records sound new all over again.

Researching different models is critical whenever you’re replacing turntable components. Naturally, you want to be confident you’re buying products that are worth your money. In many cases, it’s also important to confirm a given part is compatible with your specific turntable. Generally, though, it’s possible to make low-cost upgrades that can transform a good turntable into a great one — the key is making improvements over your existing components at a price you can afford.

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The cartridge is among the most important components of a turntable. It holds the stylus, which makes direct contact with your records. The cartridge also serves to translate the physical signals it receives from the stylus into the sounds you hear when a record is playing.

The cost of a new cartridge can vary, though it’s possible to make an upgrade for only about $100. As long as your new cartridge is an improvement over your current one, a quality model can pick up sonic nuances that a lesser cartridge might not reproduce. Because the cartridge contains the stylus, upgrading the entire unit is worth considering when the stylus has worn down and needs replacing.

As users on Reddit’s /r/turntables community point out, different cartridges can also offer different overall sound profiles. If you wish, you can take the time to experiment with various options to find one that matches your specific tastes. That said, as with any turntable upgrade, it’s important to confirm a new cartridge is compatible with your unit before buying one.

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A turntable’s tonearm is what ensures the cartridge is properly aligned with the groove when a record is playing. This is such an important component of a turntable that some audio pros even claim they’d take a quality tonearm with a low-quality cartridge over a quality cartridge with a low-quality tonearm. They explain that the right tonearm will allow the potential of a cartridge to truly shine through. On the other hand, a poor tonearm can prevent an otherwise strong cartridge from serving its purpose.

Essentially, a good tonearm will ensure accurate tracking. Along with losing tracking accuracy, a low-grade tonearm may apply unnecessary vibrations to a cartridge. As with all the items covered here, tonearms come in different varieties, so it’s vital to research your options to choose the best one for your setup.

Tonearms can vary significantly in cost. Some are only $12 to $15, while high-end models can cost literally thousands of dollars. However, unless you’re an audiophile with a lot of money to spare, a relatively affordable upgrade to a new tonearm can have a major effect on your turntable’s performance without costing more than you’re willing to spend.

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The preamp has a very appropriate name. This component of a turntable takes the relatively weak audio signal from the record and cartridge and (you guessed it!) amplifies it so that the speakers can play the record properly at a reasonable volume. If your preamp is lacking, you might notice difficulty achieving high volume playback, humming during quiet sections of tracks, limited bass performance, or a general lack of full clarity and nuance.

The good news is, you don’t need to stick with the preamp your turntable came with. Like a good tonearm, a quality external preamp can allow the cartridge to deliver on its promise. Also like a tonearm, although you could spend thousands of bucks on a new preamp, you don’t have to. Upgrading to a preamp that outperforms your current unit may cost only $100 or so. A good preamp is one of the best cheap audiophile gadgets for leveling up your music experience.

As always, research is key. Don’t read this and go buy the first new tonearm or preamp you find. By evaluating your turntable’s needs and your current setup, and by taking the time to explore your options, you’ll find that improving your turntable’s audio quality can be surprisingly easy and wallet-friendly.