Correct pressure of the stylus on the record (called VTF, Vertical Tracking Force) is vital, both for best sonics and for the protection of your vinyl.
A very common misconception is that light-as-possible VTF's will reduce record wear. Not true! Records slightly worn by excessive VTF's are rare, or at least very hard to identify as such. Records destroyed by inadequate VTF's are numbered in the millions, maybe billions. The problem with too little VTF is that the stylus (a sharpened diamond) cannot maintain steady contact with the groove walls during higher amplitude passages in the music. So it loses contact momentarily and then crashes back into the vinyl a nano-second later. Picture a diamond chisel ricocheting between two plastic walls and you'll easily imagine the problem.
All cartridges come with a range of VTF's specified by the manufacturer. Most cartridges sound best and track cleanly in the UPPER half of that range. Trying to play in the lower half presents serious risks to your vinyl.
Look up the range for your cartridge and adjust accordingly. Also, don't trust the VTF dial on your tonearm (if it has one). Pick up a decent VTF scale and measure directly. Good digital ones can be had for well under $100 here or on ebay.
The excessive background noise on many used records is caused by two main problems:
1. The record was/is being played without being cleaned. NO record should be played before proper wet cleaning and vacuuming. Scraping microscopic grunge against a plastic groove with a diamond-edged tool will have predictable and permanent results: scratches and gouges that cannot be repaired. Assuming your cartridge isn't worn out, your next analog investment should be a record cleaning machine. (RCM). Search this forum for many discussions about those.
2. The record was/is being played by a mis-tracking cartridge due to inadequate VTF, as discussed above. If a previous owner did this, the vinyl damage is permanent and cannot be undone. If you are doing this, stop now!
Since there is a great deal to learn about, I'd suggest picking up a copy of Michael Fremer's DVD on 21st century vinyl playback. It's a good, basic info source for vinyl newbies.
Welcome and enjoy the music!
Doug
A very common misconception is that light-as-possible VTF's will reduce record wear. Not true! Records slightly worn by excessive VTF's are rare, or at least very hard to identify as such. Records destroyed by inadequate VTF's are numbered in the millions, maybe billions. The problem with too little VTF is that the stylus (a sharpened diamond) cannot maintain steady contact with the groove walls during higher amplitude passages in the music. So it loses contact momentarily and then crashes back into the vinyl a nano-second later. Picture a diamond chisel ricocheting between two plastic walls and you'll easily imagine the problem.
All cartridges come with a range of VTF's specified by the manufacturer. Most cartridges sound best and track cleanly in the UPPER half of that range. Trying to play in the lower half presents serious risks to your vinyl.
Look up the range for your cartridge and adjust accordingly. Also, don't trust the VTF dial on your tonearm (if it has one). Pick up a decent VTF scale and measure directly. Good digital ones can be had for well under $100 here or on ebay.
The excessive background noise on many used records is caused by two main problems:
1. The record was/is being played without being cleaned. NO record should be played before proper wet cleaning and vacuuming. Scraping microscopic grunge against a plastic groove with a diamond-edged tool will have predictable and permanent results: scratches and gouges that cannot be repaired. Assuming your cartridge isn't worn out, your next analog investment should be a record cleaning machine. (RCM). Search this forum for many discussions about those.
2. The record was/is being played by a mis-tracking cartridge due to inadequate VTF, as discussed above. If a previous owner did this, the vinyl damage is permanent and cannot be undone. If you are doing this, stop now!
Since there is a great deal to learn about, I'd suggest picking up a copy of Michael Fremer's DVD on 21st century vinyl playback. It's a good, basic info source for vinyl newbies.
Welcome and enjoy the music!
Doug