Will a turntable damage my records?

It is the question we hear most, and it deserves a straight answer: a turntable can wear records out, and a well-made one hardly does. The difference is in four parts.

The cartridge

A ceramic cartridge needs a heavy tracking force to stay in the groove. Reviewers who have measured budget suitcase players report tracking weights far above what a record is designed for, and the weight cannot be adjusted. A magnetic cartridge, like the Audio-Technica AT-3600L on the Heirloom One and Four, tracks more lightly and follows the groove instead of ploughing it.

The stylus

A worn or chipped tip is the most common cause of damage, whatever the turntable. Replace it roughly every 500 hours of play: that is two albums a day for about a year. Styluses for every model we sell are available from us.

The platter and drive

A light plastic platter wobbles, and a wobbling record makes the stylus skate. A belt-driven turntable keeps the motor away from the platter, so what the stylus feels is the music, not the motor.

Dust

Grit in the groove is ground in by any stylus. A dust cover between plays and a quick brush before each side do more for your records than any gadget.

Six habits that help

• Hold records by the edge and the label.
• Brush before you play, following the groove.
• Store them upright, never stacked flat.
• Use the cue lever to lower the arm.
• Close the lid between plays.
• Change the stylus on time.

We will not promise that any turntable is incapable of harming a record. We will say that every one we sell has a proper tonearm and platter, and that the One and Four carry a cartridge chosen for exactly this reason.