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In the higher price range you'll find cartridges that are aimed at different types of DJs such as the Shure M447, a highly regarded scratch cartridge, the Ortofon Elektro, and the Nightclub, which are built to offer the best possible sound quality.
Most cartridges include a stylus, but styli are also available seperately for each cartridge
we offer.
Don't forget, if you're stuck on what gift to get for a DJ, if they play records, cartridges
are a pretty good bet.
BUYING TIPS
A stylus travels about half a mile playing one record. Like the tires on your car, styli will wear more if you drive like an idiot, so look after them. A damaged stylus could, in turn, damage hundreds of your records. Damaged records will cost a lot more in the long run than a new stylus.
When considering the ideal weight for cartridges and stylus, 3 grams is usually a good
starting point. The manufacturer will often give a recommended weight; this is more a
guide than a sure shot, and you may need to add more weight to get the desired amount
of record holding. The more weight you add the better the record holding, but the
more record wear. It's a fine balance. Use your ears and best judgement.
If your sound is distorted, the problem is usually one of two things; too much/too little
weight, or your connections are incorrect. If your deck buzzes when you touch it,
it's an issue of earthing. Check that the cartridge is correctly wired, and that the
ground is connected to your mixer.
Wire up and set-up your cartridge by following the manufacturer's included instructions.
There are different rules for different types. You'll need to re-adjust and
rebalance your deck each time you fit a new cartridge, so follow the instructions with
your deck. Don't just plug in and hope for the best!
Another rule of thumb is that you'll only get the performance of the cheapest part of
the system. While any brand of stylus will fit the same brand of cartridge, fitting a
Nightclub stylus to a Pro cartridge doesn't make it a Nightclub cartridge and Stylus.
Change your stylus every 600 hours if you mix. That’s about every six months if you
use your decks for about 3 hours a day. You'll want to change more frequently if you
scratch. If you make a habit of changing your cartridges once a year, you'll notice an
improvement in sound quality.
When you're changing your stylus on a dual deck, change both at the same time. Just
changing one will only make the new one sound better than the old one.
Eliptical tipped stylus generaly sound better than shepherical ones, and they wear
your records less, but they don't hold to the record as well. Elipticals are more
accurately cut, making them more expensive. Most DJ styli are spherical. If it
doesn't say differently then assume your stylus is spherical.
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