Alongside the purchase of records (old, new or reissue) and a means on which to play them, you can spend as much or as little on vinyl records accessories as you choose. This article covers a selection of accessories which may either take your hobby/passion/obsession* into unforeseen directions or perhaps just make it even more of an enjoyable pastime.
*delete as applicable
Record cleaning
It is essential that your records are kept as clean as possible. It could be argued that this renders record cleaning equipment as essential kit rather than accessories. However, as with any consumable materials, there is a great range of items to suit any budget.
As discussed in my article ‘How to clean a vinyl record’, the critical items in this category are dry cleaning resources such as brushes, lint-free cloths, and static-free storage solutions. As far as wet cleaning, suitable solutions plus micro-fibre cloths are required.
Of course, you could go the whole hog and buy a record-cleaning machine. Potentially, this is a much more expensive option than a bottle of solution and some micro-fibre cloths so should be considered only if you are sure that it is the right thing for you.
Record weights
Got a warped record? Fed up with your favourite LP constantly skipping as the stylus pops out of the groove because your record is slightly bent? What about those singles where the sound is distorted and not quite how you remember it should be?
Then a record weight might just be the answer. These can weigh anything up to 760g (26.8oz), though more likely in the range of 50g (1.8oz) for a 7-inch single to 300g (10.6oz) for an LP. If you are going to use something as heavy as 760g do make sure that your turntable can cope with this extra weight.
Placed in the centre of your record before it starts spinning, a record weight will hold down your record to improve playback. It perhaps goes without saying, but the straighter your record the better it will perform as those slight warps and dips are temporarily eliminated. Once again, your records will ring out with clarity.
Slipmats
Slipmats are circular pieces of material which sit atop your turntable platter and on top of which, you put your records.
Your choice of slipmat depends upon what you are intending to do with your turntable. Obviously, any design that you can imagine could be depicted on your slipmat. You can personalise it with various designs including band logos and artwork.
However, the material from which it is made will significantly impact its functionality.
What are the functions of a slipmat?
Primarily, they are to help protect your precious vinyl record from scratches. They also help with the reduction of static electricity and help improve sound quality by damping vibrations.
All these functions relate to merely playing your records. What if you want to use your turntable as an instrument? To use your records to create something unique? Here your slipmat will assist you with cueing, beat matching and scratching.
Materials
Rubber or cork slipmats are designed to prevent a record from slipping on the turntable’s platter. Both have a damping effect however rubber, whilst being more robust, is more prone to static than cork.
If made from felt, you have a slipmat that is designed to actively facilitate slipping. For most people, it would be considered an accessory, but for a hip-hop DJ it is an essential component.
Conventional wisdom accredits Grandmaster Flash with the first use of the slipmat as an aid for DJing. By all accounts, he purchased some felt, cut it into two circles and then used his mother’s iron (turned up to eleven) with her spray starch to fashion it into what he wanted.
Cartridges and styluses
These are not so much accessories as essential elements in the setup of your record player. Grief, you’re hardly going to hear any music without them 😉
But, first, what are they and what do they do?
The stylus is essentially a needle, made from diamond, which travels along the grooves of the record. The cartridge is the piece of kit which houses the stylus. It sits on the end of the tonearm and converts the vibrations induced in the stylus by those grooves into electrical signals which can be relayed via an amplifier to your speakers.
It does this by use of a magnet which is connected to the stylus. As the stylus vibrates, so too does the magnet. The resulting variations in the magnet’s magnetic field are picked up as small voltages by electrical coils which are also housed in the cartridge. These small voltages are ultimately turned into audible sound.
If we consider that vinyl records are the ultimate in uncompressed data, there is an incredible amount of information collected by the small vibrations of the stylus. Therefore, quality matters. So buy the best that you can afford.
Note that although the stylus will need to be replaced from time to time, you would only replace the cartridge if you were upgrading your setup.
Control vinyl
Control vinyls are used in conjunction with digital vinyl systems (DVS) as a means for DJs to map digital music files with an old-school turntable/mixer setup. As their name suggests, they are vinyl records consisting of timecodes which are used to facilitate the software in determining the speed, direction and position of the playback of tracks which, in fact, may be analogue or digital.
Put simply, DVS allow DJs to operate via DJ software (such as Serato DJ, Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ or Rekordbox DVS) and digital music files, but with old-style turntables*. It is a means to preserve the feel of DJing with vinyl whilst at the same time DJing digitally. A DVS can effectively futureproof existing vinyl/mixer DJ setups.
*CD options exist too 😉
In conclusion
As with any hobby, you can spend as much or as little on record collecting as you choose. This goes for your records, turntable, amp and speakers as well as accessories such as those covered here. In the realm of control vinyl, there is a whole other hi-tech world, namely DVS equipment and software.
If you have any questions or anything else to add to the discussion, please comment below.