How Long will a Record Stylus Last? - When to Replace? 

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Best way to tell if your needle is worn, just listen to the high frequencies. A worn needle will distort high frequency sound.

One of the first things you will begin to hear if your stylus is nearing its life's end is the slow increase in sibilence. I have a good album for that to test it: my original mint Kate Bush - Hounds of love. The last song on side A is Cloudbusting. I use the first verse Kate sings, just to test my stylus. She sings: I still dream of organon, I wake up crying, you're making waves and you're just in reach. Now, her vocal is (besides incredibly good) very well recorded and very clean. Every bit of every word is crisp. A worn out stylus will immediately show its age. Killer bits are the words "still" and "just". The C in "crying" is also very revealing. Besides sibilence, another important point is in the o's of "organon". They will distort like the effect you get when playing something too loud on plastic speakers: like the speaker resonates. If you know your music very well and are used to play them on good headphones, you'll know every little sound that every instrument makes, at least I do. But our human hearing will tend to fill in blanks and correct things. When it comes to a bright and well-articulating human voice, our ears and brain will not compensate like they do with cymbals, acoustic guitar or other instrumentation. I was struggling to get good sound out of my good old ADC TRX-1 with line contact stylus, but sadly it failed here, whereas my original Technics EPC270c with an ordinary conical bonded tip played perfectly. But yes, less detail because it's a simple stylus. So I tried a nude elliptical on it and I got back a lot of detail, that with a cheaper cartridge! Sadly, they don't make styli for that ADC anymore, plus there's something of an earth fault noise in the background of the right channel, but only when the metal cart is directly mounted on the metal shell. If I isolate the metal cart part with a bit of plastic tape, that part is gone. So, besides your good explanation of how a diamond tip should look, I would have liked it if you would focus a little more on details that you can hear.

I have been collecting records for over 50 years. Back in the 1960s the iner sleve of a Lp would give advice on when to change the stylus with a diamond stylus lasting 500 sides of an Lp with a tracking weight of 12 grams !!! Thank goodness those days are long gone . I now have a Pro Ject RPM 6.1 SB turntable that has a fixed headshell . The chartarage I use is a Goldring Elite tracking at 1.75 grams. I have only changed this once in 15 years. I clean all my records with a Moth RCM 1 cleaning machine. Record cleanliness is vital for great quality reproduction and reduces risk stylus wear.

I suppose I can knock a few hours off each time I try to play a seven inch when I’ve forgotten to change it from the 12 inch setting.

Really informative video, thank you!

Very informative video. Thank you! I recently returned to vinyl after a couple of decades and purchased a used Pro-Ject turntable. I replaced the stylus on the Sumiko Pearl cartridge and noticed a significant improvement in the sound. For $69 it was a bargain in terms of peace of mind and sound. I will definitely make sure that I keep up with stylus/cartridge changes for as long as I am listening.

I`ve always wondered when to change the stylus now i `m taking serious attention to the set up of the turntable and Stylus.Back in the 80s when i got my first record player with radio and tape combined i never changed the Stylus.Thanks for doing this vid,very informative.

I haven't replaced the stylus once and it's a turntable from 1989 - it still sounds great

You cannot just look at the stylus under a microscope as the diamond will usually look normal even on a severely worn stylus. You have to know how to identify the size of the facets formed at the two contact points.

Very useful, thanks!

Well done.. nice intro as well. And ORNETTE COLEMAN?? YOU ARE MY NEW BEST FRIEND!!

The other thing i was wondering about is the life of the rubber without playing. I have a Shure M55EM the stylus was replaced about 15 years ago but has minimal actual playing.

I got a school laboratory microscope that can crank up the mag more than that, but the catch is that is critical and tricky to get the right lighting on the diamond to see the profile correctly, being a substantially transparent material.

Great informative video, I used have sure cartridge very long time ago 75ed , regards mark

It also depends a lot on the shape of the stylus (conical, elliptical, or Shibata) as well as the tracking weight applied and side thrust applied.

I recently acquired a 1968 zenith console that still had styrofoam shipping pads under the corners of the table and stylus covering on it, it appears to have never been used, upon playing a record the needle tracked perfectly, once in n a lifetime find for me

Depends on how much you work them (in the mix cutting & scratchings) concords on tec 12s

I've had an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge since 2012 and it still sounds great, I wonder if it's because I've mostly played records that are new or in mint condition.

Retipping a 6K MC cartridge once a year is a bit onerous. Again, clean records, clean stylus, proper setup. I rip many of my LP's with a high quality A/D convertor. In addition to the pictures once a year I suggest making a recording of the same album, one that has received minimal play in the interim. You can drive yourself crazy trying to determine if you're hearing very small changes in the sound. A quick A/B listening comparison is very helpful. Is the USB microscope you used for your pictures the one listed in your comments? Thanks

How do I find what stylus to purchase to replace my Shure M91ED on my Phillips 212 electronic?

If I was to replace a $300 stylus at every 1,500 albums played, and I play 5 albums per week, that's 300 weeks, that's 5.76 years. So a $300 stylus potentially can last more than 5 years. (that also equates to $1 / week!)

Yes styx fan too...and I have the excel spreadsheet tracking 3 carts...lol

Great informative video! 👌 Can anybody tell me what's a good stylus microscope to check the condition? Thanks!

Regarding changing stylus. I allow 500-700 hours and then I change it - whether it needs it or not. I keep a running total of how long a stylus has been used for (I add record playing duration until I get to 30,000-42,000 minutes and then chance stylus. I buy 3 or 4 styli at a time so I ALWAYS have a spare. Also, I wash (with cold water only [about a 1/8 teaspoon full] and a very soft damp cloth) and dry it before and after playing - I have noticed more and more just recently that brand new SEALED albums come out of their inner sleeve covered in dust!! The question I would like answering is - am I changing my stylus too frequently and should I do so after 1,000 hours rather than 700 hours?

I have 4 headshells with 4 different ortofon cartridges on. One is the ortofon mono which obviously only gets used with mono records. The red, blue and bronze are all used as I deem appropriate. They should all probably outlive me.

I actually count the records I play and I change the stylus after about 40 to 45 records played (so 80 to 90 sides). This is an old recommandation that used to be given on some inner sleeves in the past. And it is correct because I check the stylus under the microscope. Also after around 35 records the problems appear (distortion, skipping, rough start) And I listen to very well cleaned records and in VG+ to NM condition, I clean the records before playing and clean the stylus after each play.

My 2M Blue still sounds fine, been in action for about 6yrs now, I clean it before every side and I don't play rough vinyl, I spin vinyl for about 1hr a day on average

What! a diamond wears away on vinyl, surely not. just clean if it's a diamond.

One thing that matters a lot is tracking force. High compliance low dynamic mass cartridges typical of the best moving magnet cartridges of the 1960s to 1980s track at the lowest tracking force, often track well at one gram or less. Required force is even lower for dynamically balanced tone arms using sapphire bearings than statically balanced types using other bearings. This is one reason back in the day when I was buying record playing equipment I chose Empore over SME/Thorens. In my best record player Empire 698 I track Shure V 15 Tyoe V MR at 1 gram. I also have Shure V15vType II improved, Empire 999VE, Empire 999TE/X and Empire 4000/DIII (CD 4 type) Also an Empire 398 GA which used the SME anti skate design. IMO these cartridges and record players are as good as I'll ever need. I've got other TTs a d cartridges but despite having over 3000 vinyls I prefer CDs. I stopped counting those at 3000. I consider the products in today's market outrageously overpriced and not to my liking.

I use a clicker (the kind you would use to count people in a venue) to keep track of number of records played. It just sits next to my turntable.

What was the magnification rate of the USB microscope you used to take the close-ups of the stylus?

You've got me all paranoid now. I've had my Goldring 1042 for about 3 years now. It only gets played around 2-3 times a week and even then only for the duration of maybe one or two LPs. £215 is not an inconsiderate amount for me. But makes me appreciate the fact that it's not the price of a 2M Black...

Audiophiles probably never keep a cartridge long enough to wear out the stylus before buying a magazine and seeing the cartridge of the month, anyway.

For me, changing it once a year (well within useful lifespan for my playing) is just good and wise practice. Around £100 a year is basically zero relative to the value tied up in my records so it really seems foolhardy to get into a habit of trying to judge how close to the wind I'm sailing, as it were.

Looking for a good stylus that plays stereo and mono very well.

Thank you! Excellent video! Of note, if you start out with a high quality cartridge with a high quality diamond stylus, life expectancy can be much longer. Personally, I have found that I physically damage a stylus through handling, long before it could be it could be considered to be worn out. Luckily, for my Shure styli, it has been while in the 2-year warranty, so I've received free replacements. I feel that the longevity of a stylus is partially due to the fact that most of my turntables have the superior metal, tubular, "S" or "J" style tone arms, as they track better. The straight tone arms on turntable which look like they were designed and built in someone's garage, designed like Dr. Frankenstein or sol as a toy by Fisher-Price tend to be both harder on the records and styli. Remember, vibration likes to travel in a straight line so a curved tone arm literally throws vibration a curve, keeping the vibrations at the stylus. It is also a good idea to rotate your use of different cartridges to keep wear down. For tone arms with interchangeable head shells, you can swap head shells with pre-mounted cartridges in a matter of seconds. One of the signs of a good turntable is when it has interchangeable head shells. If not for spreading out the wear alone, all records are not created equal and a certain style of stylus is better for playing different records with different attributes. I play a lot of records and have found that the stylus in my Shure M97xe carts last for 1,000's of plays before I damage it. This is one of the best cartridges and you can see that many of those who make the records we buy use them also. There is a short wear-in period where I've noticed that the stylus will tend to pick up more dust. Right, a worn stylus can damage records as well as affect sound. This is a good reason that I keep extra new styli on hand to compare wear visually and sonically. With newer records costing alot and older records being valuable, it is a good idea to keep track of the stylus wear.

I don't believe an elliptical stylus lasts 1000 hours. I used the OM5e, OM10 for many years and yes, I'm the crazy guy who writes down every album I listen to :-D The estimate for both is 450 discs before showing the first signs of wear (8 months, 1 year approximately). My albums range from 30 to 50 minutes in length, with the majority being 35 minutes in length. My records are all minimally VG+, I always clean them before listening to them. Stylus too. I changed my Ortofon to the VM540ml from Audio Technica, a microlinear stylus model. Let's see if this one actually lasts as long as they say...

How can I use a usb microscope for assessing the stylus without first unmounting my MC cartridge from the tonearm?

for me as long as the tip of the needle is still sharp it is still ok not to change it and it is still ok to use it!

I thought my red m2 was wearing early or damaged...but it was a little out of alignment. Better now.

I miss Shure cartridges. The type 5 MR was a great cartridge, but all Shures were good values.

I would avoid liquid cleaning with a felt wipe or similar. All it does is push the gunk not the grooves. A wet cleaning system is better... MUCH.

why about laser disc ?

Great thing about MM is that you can replace the stylus easily and cheaply... I refuse to spend +$1K on an MC cartridge that I will have to trash a couple of months later (yes, I play a lot of records).

I can see the stylus with a proper magnifying glass. If it looks blunt I will replace it . Google shows what a worn out stylus looks like so I never let it get that bad . I have three turntables so it will take longer to wear them out . I am also listening closely for differences in sound quality.

I just got a brand new stylus and accidentally turned the table on without a record. The stylus hit the padded felt surface while it was running for a few seconds before I noticed. The needle should be alright correct? I’m sorry for such a noob question but I am indeed a vinyl noob.

do you have to replace your stylus on an automatic tonearm or just on a manual tonearm?

Most of us have no clue how many hours of play are on a cartridge. You have to average how many hours you play a year. I replace my cartridge every 7-8 years. At that point, its also about upgrading for better sound.

Can we expect from 1k+ USD stylus to perform longer than cheapest ones? Is there any stylus that is known for extreme durability? Any rankings?

If you are unlucky, then you can fall asleep and the disc has hacks on a certain specific. Place on the disc and then looks like a kind of white powder . This is obviously not good for your cartidge. Then you can count on the fact that the service life has been significantly shortened for your cartidge . And, unfortunately, may also have been injured. And that also applies to the track that has been read over and over again . Maybe for several hours that you have you slept

Ok I just bought a used table with a koetsu cartridge I'll immediately throw it probably gonna put a ortophon red on it thanks for the great tip

Back in the 1960's we had very high compliance cartridges that worked well with low mass arms. 1.5 grams was usually the highest tracking force, with 0.5 to 0.75 grams being the lowest. Today we have high mass arms and low compliance cartridges with tracking forces up to 2.5 grams. Records therefore will be damaged and stylii will wear much faster.

Good info and your background made me go throw on that Norah Jones record.

question, diamond hardest known element in existance, how can something this hard be damaged by a piece of plastic?

I change my cartridge each Tuesday.

my needle has already lasted a year and it sounds the same as new

Is Armorall an excellent vinyl protectant.

If a stylus is say 30 or even possibly 40 years old is it guaranteed that it will sound better if replaced?

The question is why on earth we will have to replace the cartridge? It cannot be because of a slitage occurring in time in the needle, because it is diamond, and we all know that diamond is one of the hardest material found in the world thus wins over vinyl/plastic. So it cannot be the reason. Then, we should look at the other components in the cartridge in this case.. Is it the coils inside the cartridge, cantilever made of aluminium, or the plastic housing? Which one to blame? Btw we are talking about something weighs around 5-7 and running under a pressure of 2 to 4 grams. I am just trying to understand the logic.

Did he say 40 minutes per side or 14 minutes? I've never seen an album that will play 40 minutes per side, 25-30 minutes is pushing it, Ultravox Vienna is a nats over 22 minutes on side one and I can remember that was pushing it, things did improve with a better cartridge, I haven't played that album for many years so wouldn't know now, but I have a much better turntable, arm and cartridge 40 years later so I would try it but only with new vinyl.

My first visit here. Good info but the never ending jazz hands was distracting.

Bottom line: it needs to go under a microscope for checking, there is no other way to be sure. Does not necessarily need to be a fancy or expensive microscope either. Trusting your ears is a bad idea and I speak from experience.

B/S just buy a stylus playing hour timer, costs about £35, having spotless ultrasonically cleaned records is critical. A quality stylus will not be played in until about 400 hours and should last 1500 to 2000 hours

I was shocked when I saw my new good ring E3 was only 500 Hours

did my comment get removed? i was trying to help the you and the vc out, wth?

300 hours for an elliptical, 500 hours for a conical, 800 hours for a shibata and 1,000 hours for a microline. At least that is the recommendation of Audio-Technica, who are a major manufacturer of turntables.

You forgot to mention that different styli have different specs. Some are good for 400 hours, others a 1000 or more.

I play 1 record per year. Good for 20 years of fun with the same stylus.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.......💚

Every three years of regular play under clean conditions.

The stylus etc. have become so expensive. The next time I need one, I'm just going to stop playing LP.

Norah Jones, "Come away with me"

Sorry I don't believe that 800 to 1000, your diamond stylus wears out but a piece of vinyl won't. The law of physics says that diamond stylus will last 5 times that. In 50 years of vinyl playing I have never changed one because you often upgrade your deck before it wears out. Looking after your vinyl & needle is essential though, treat them with kid gloves.

Maybe when the needle is gone? LOL

500 hours is a better standard and is what most manufacturers recommended before. I dont know why they changed it to 1000 hours these days but it doesnt work in practice. USB microscopes never get close enough to tell you about wear. You just see the stylus body in those pictures, the playing surface is much too small to judge.

I only play albums maybe 3 times a month ... the records are kept clean , I aint worried

I very carefully inspect each of my Shure M44-7 styli prior to each and every use! I then calibrate all environmental factors to ensure there is no excess dust or static!! After which I slap about 3.5 grams of weight on that sucker and proceed to shred all wax in the area with no mercy with my devastating cuts and scratches. Do NOT try this at home! Only under hip hop supervision.

Hmmm.... If a Stylus costs $500 to $800, keeping track of how many records I play each day is very much worth it.

When the needle on the styles has worn out it is time to purchase a Dac....⏏⏹⏺⏪▶⏩⏸