How long do you use a needle before you replace it? [Archive]

View Full Version : How long do you use a needle before you replace it?

MC Motion

22-09-2003, 22:41

I've only ever changed my needle when I can hear an audible loss of quality or if it starts skipping but a mate of mine changes his every month cos he says it fucks the vinyl up.

Just wondering how regulary any of you lot change your needle?

I might of caned up half of my collection cos I havn't changed them for at least 6 month's!

:shrug:

sdm

22-09-2003, 22:46

Had my needles for ages!

Even borrowed a Stanton 500 off a mate as I'm so poor ;]

Moved to the DJz forum.

MC Motion

22-09-2003, 22:52

Yeah wondered where it'd gone!!!!!

I've had mine for age's as well but he said cos there's like a ton of pressure on the vinyl, the blunter it gets the more it cuts at the vinyl.

I was a bit worried but if your risking your collection as well i'm a bit less worried!!

sdm

22-09-2003, 22:55

1992

23-09-2003, 03:10

So how often should needles be changed. I used to change mine every 3-4 months when I was listening to my records regularly but now I don't listen to them so much so I haven't changed them in almost a year. This of course is bad because I'm listening to my records more again and I still haven't changed them.

klusta

25-09-2003, 17:00

think it really depends on if your just mixing or scratching shit loads, probably once a year and some needles do wear out alot quicker than others!

couldn't really say how long, last time i got some new ones was caus I broke some

hektik

08-10-2003, 04:24

can't give a concrete answer - depending on money, the feeling i got on the fingers when i test the sharpness of the needles, usage of turntables and KIND of usage -
in connection with doubling up and training doubling-trickz i had to mark that vinyl is very fast destroyed - take a new record, put the needle anywhere on it and make just 50 baby-scratches -then check the audible difference to an unused copy.

in an interview john peel said about a record he liked much that he had bought a couple of copies cause he would play it always and the copies would go kaputt so fast.

the idea of changing the needles monthly feels fantastic - it's just the money that makes me use needles about half a year...

evolve

30-10-2003, 14:34

i have been told, that like everyone else is saying, depending on how rough you are, in general bout 800 hours. of course depending on your needles.
i think that is insane though, and you'd be spending an awful lot of money if you followed that rule of thumb.

SPo0n

30-10-2003, 18:08

how much do needles cost anyway

evolve

01-11-2003, 01:00

guess it depends on the type of cartridge you buy. noticed that most of them are about 1/2 of what the cartridge costed. say $69.00 replacement needles..$30.00.
sumptin like that.