DJ Tutorial: All About DJ Stylus, Styli, Needle, Cartridge Set-up - The DJ AOT Show Ep. 8

This video is an introduction to DJ needles/stylus/styli and cartridges, a guide on how to set-up the stylus/needle on a Technics SL-1200, and a guide to how to setup your turntable for scratching.

1. Parts of a DJ needle 00:45
2. Different DJ cartridge types 01:59
3. How to set-up the stylus on a Technics SL-1200 MK2~6 02:37
4. Setting up tone arm weight 05:03
5. DJ needle weight introduction 06:05
6. DJ tone arm height 07:13
7. DJ needle weight setup 07:54
8. Closing statement 08:30

DJ needles in this video:
*Shure M244-7
*Ortofon Concorde Q.Bert

[babaloo]

I like how you drag the needle across the record. Good scratching.

[seguelawrencedoering]

Thanks for a rightous video on needles, headshells and cartridges.  Learned A LOT.  Thanks also for getting straight to the point in easy to understand language without all the hype, slang, and background music.  Look forward to your next videos.

[brianmcnamee]

DJ Marc, you are doing a powerful job of educating me and I am sure others about how to return to listening to vinyl.  You are doing an excellent job of parsing the technical language that confounds us all with respect to turntable components especially as it relates to the tonearm, cartridge, and needle.  Bravo!!!  Thank you so much!!!

[pcallas]

I find if there's a skip on a record, taking the weight off will actually make it not skip.  You would think it would be the opposite, but I found  after years of playing records myself if it recommends 1.25 grams of tracking force and it is skipping there, take it down to maybe 1 gram and see if the skip doesn't go away.  I can't imagine the tracking force with the counter balance turned around.  You also want to make sure that if you're tracking heavier that it is a conical stylus (needle), not elliptical, which requires a lot less tracking force.  That will dig your record groove and wear it out much quicker.  Cheers.

[KIDROCKABILLY]

now i have a problem, i just bought a numark tt1625 not the best but i needed to start off, it came with a broken needle, i ordered the needle and it came today, i put it on the cartrige and put the dj needle back onto the tone arm, i pressed play and put the needle on the record and sound came out of the dj needle is that normal ? then i put the oudio up on a hercules rmx dj controller, and there is a loud buzz and sound is distorted, and i can figure it out any sugestions?

[Joslynn]

Can any turntablists help me out??? I’ve got new turntables and I’m still learning how to use them. I’ve noticed a buzzing sound when the needle hits the record but the sound coming through the audio is fine. I’m having trouble finding an answer online.

[alexandrosmalouhos]

Can someone plzzz tell me which is the name of this (White) tool at 3:37 minutes ???plz

[Sunjammr]

The combination is specifically designed for the cartridge body to be mounted precisely parallel to the axis of the headshell, at a distance such that the stylus is precisely tangent to the record grooves at two points along the records axis. Mounting the cartridge at an angle to the headshell defeats the geometry meticulously designed into the system and results in mistracking and record damage. Tracking force is specifically engineered to work over a narrow and clearly defined range of force for every cartridge. Operating a cartridge above or below it's VTF range only resuilts in distortion and record damage. Your 'metal mechanism' is a spacer, not a weight. It's purpose is to permit cartridges to be mounted parallel to the record in tonearms without vertical tracking angle adjustments which would otherwise rest too low. This video is fraught with misinformation, misunderstanding, and complete ignorance of the mechanics and physics of turntables, how they work, phonograph records and how they are designed to be played.

[mschildgen]

Nice description of why not to buy any used records which have seen a "DJ needle" before....

[music]

putting that weight between cart and shell would change the angle of the stylus tone
arm?

[vindiesel]

Some Djs angle it because the m447 Manuel says to do it on a curved tone arm

[djkadakamc]

Love the ending part about too much weight will ruine faster the vinyl

[KIDROCKABILLY]

ground is in right and is in a phone input

[MarcAntomattei]

Sorry for the late reply and big problem. If you're talking about what I think you're talking about the Hercules DJ Console Rmx, then that won't work with your turntable... AT ALL! The Hercules Rmx is a midi controller, it only controls digital music through software only. It is not a proper DJ mixer, in fact it isn't a DJ mixer at all. I have no idea where you found or think you found a ground at on there. Please buy a proper DJ mixer new or used from Pioneer, Technics, Vestax, ADJ, etc.

[MarcAntomattei]

Yes, you definitely need to add more weight.

[juicy_rickys_world]

bro don't angle your cart like that. You are just fucking up your records. use an overhang/cartridge alignment tool. M44-7 shouldn't skip really AT ALL if set up correctly.

[rbior]

You've got your cartridge angled the wrong way, and your needle is nowhere near the groove on that spacing tool. Putting the counterweight on backwards totally defeats the purpose of applying the correct tracking pressure. You shouldn't be making instructional videos