Why does my turntable sound distorted

This problem is usually caused by multiple phono stages being connected. A phono stage boosts the very soft signal that comes out of a turntable up to a level that your amplifier or powered speakers can work with called "line-level". If, for example, your turntable has a built-in phono stage and is then connected to the PHONO input on your amplifier, that signal boost happens twice, leaving you with an extremely loud, distorted sound. If you find your turntable sound is distorted like this, the best option is to plug the turntable into one of the line-level inputs on your amplifier usually marked as AUX or CD or TAPE inputs.

Oftentimes the root cause of the issue is quickly identifiable, and while the fix can be as simple as leveling your turntable, it can also range right through to replacing parts or equipment. Understanding the different ways in which a record player sounds bad can help greatly in getting to the cause.

As touched on above, there are any number of things that can negatively impact the playback sound quality of a record, but the following is a list of factors you can easily check to try and quickly get to the bottom of an issue. A lot of sound issues with a turntable can be solved with relative ease — they just require patience and a methodological approach to working through possible causes.

Records need to be stored carefully , in an upright position and not stacked to avoid becoming warped or misshapen, and they also need to be kept in protective sleeves to ensure no dirt, dust or other contaminants get embedded in the record grooves and result in surface damage such as scratches. A wet clean from time to time, using a carefully chosen solution, is essential to keeping your records in top shape and sounding good too , so consider this as an important factor in eliminating bad sound on playback.

Crackle and pop are hallmarks of vinyl records and a little bit is always to be expected, but an excess can ruin the listening experience and can also be a sign of damage being caused to your records. To understand why it happens, and how you can minimize it greatly, check out this guide I put together on dealing with the issue. These kinds of players also tend to use cheaper components , such as a poor quality stylus, and neglect important factors such as tracking force , which will damage your records.

They even teach you how to use them. You will be amazed at how clearer the sound can be when you have it aligned just right. While there are some very low-cost record players out there these days and these can be great for getting back into or even getting into vinyl in the first place.

The ones that tend to have built-in speakers can be a little on the tiny side, especially when you have the sounds rocking really loud. Is there anything you can do? Well yes, yes there is! You can, first of all, make sure your cartridge is just right as we looked at above. However, you might want to also invest in a new set of speakers, receiver and of course make sure it is all hooked up just right.

I found an interesting forum post on a site called The Audiokarma Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums that goes into this in more detail so you might want to take a look at it.

My record player sounds wavy is another way I have heard a fuzzy and off sounding record player be put. If you look on a site like Vinyl Engine which is a great site by the way you can see that there are many things that can be causing this, some of which are pretty serious.

Before you start freaking out though just check and see that it is all aligned properly. You can print out record aligning tool for free online and you can use this to make sure that the arm is not bobbing around like it is rocking out to the music as if it were in mosh pit.

Sometimes tightening it up or even just moving it a little bit can make the world of difference to the sound that you are getting. Again check that link if you do think it is more serious, but most of the time if the sound is fuzzy and wavy it is due to something not being tight or lined up just right in my experience.

Of course, all of the things we have looked at today are pretty easy fixes and I would say most of the time it tends to be a small adjustment that needs to be made or something needs to be cleaned.

If it is a more serious problem like something with the belt or an electric issue. I would advise letting someone else take a look at it if you do not know what you are doing.

I have been collecting vinyl for years and I still would never try and do something with the electrics of any of my record players! Vinyl records are like magnets to static electricity and every vinyl enthusiast has heard one of these static pops from time to time. The easiest way to prevent this if you ask me is by getting special anti-static record sleeves.

They come in a massive pack and the asking price is cheap. If you want more tips on how to prevent static build up happening and spoiling your vinyl experience.

One site that I like is called, Vinyl Me, Please and they get pretty in depth with some solutions on how to not just protect your vinyl records , but your player as well. So as you can see there is no need to go out and buy a new record player if your record player sounds fuzzy. Log in or register to post comments. September 7, - pm. Last seen: 9 years 2 months ago. Joined: Jul 24 - am. What steps should I take to diagnose this issue?

September 9, - am. Last seen: 11 hours 59 min ago. Joined: Apr 4 - am. Sound Problem. Setting the tracking force too light causes distortion and excess record wear. September 10, - am. Last seen: 1 month 1 week ago. Joined: Aug 18 - am. It's the recording. Good luck.

The cartridge is the Ortofon. September 10, - pm. Is it easy to damage the. September 12, - pm. Last seen: 1 month 3 weeks ago. Joined: Jul 9 - pm. September 13, - am. Last seen: 8 years 1 month ago. Joined: Dec 19 - pm. I would get an appropriate alignment protractor and. Last seen: 3 years 9 months ago. Joined: Jan 31 - pm. When I had a similar problem,.

When I had a similar problem, I found the cause was a screwed up azimuth setup. September 16, - am. October 1, - pm.