In stock at
Melb warehouse
Sold out
50 day returns
$7 shipping &
1 day despatch
Authorised retailer
Product details
Getting the balance right on your tonearm can make a world of difference to how your music sounds and how long your records last. It’s a fiddly process, and most of the time it gets lumped in the Too Hard basket.
This little pressure gauge is an easy way to make sure your tonearm is balanced properly, so your cartridge is getting enough pressure to keep it firmly in the groove without pushing down too hard on your records. Get the balance right, and you’ll find your records sound more lively and detailed, with less distortion or skipping.
Make sure you check the tracking force of your cartridge to be sure you’re using this pressure gauge properly.
In the box
Stylus pressure gauge
More from Instant Classic
Why buy from Instant Classic?
Instant Classic is an online record and music system store from Melbourne, Australia.
We offer great upfront deals as well as Australia's first hifi subscription service. Our returns are no-fuss and we're all about treating our customers how we'd like to be treated.
We're available by email, phone, livechat, WhatsApp - whatever your flavour is. We're online during business hours of course, but we aim to get back to you pretty fast at any waking hour. Usually you'll hear back from us very quickly.
If you don't like your purchase for whatever reason within the first 50 days, we'll take it back! None of this 'product must be in brand new condition' nonsense - we want you to be happy. Just make sure it isn't damaged.
Learn more, or if we haven't yet answered what's on your mind, contact us.
Is analogue better?
Vinyl is a cost-effective way to get into proper audio. Some experts argue it it gives a better experience than digital, with a lack of compression and a naturalness that’s hard to replicate.
Digital relies on a computerised interpretation of sound-waves. Turntables and records, however, maintain analogue integrity by translating these sound-waves into physical grooves and vibrations rather than 0s and 1s.
I liken turntables to coffee. They can be terrible or wonderful.
Rightly done, they'll produce a brilliant sound and last you a long time. But the bad ones sound gross and can damage your records.
It's all about materials and construction. A turntable is a mechanical instrument that needs to measure record grooves in a delicate way.
What to *avoid* in a turntable
This product page will run through what makes the Primary E such an ace deck for the money. But what shouldn't be inside a turntable is just as important as what is. Here's a summary of the things to avoid, and we've got more detail here.
Inbuilt speakers. This is baaaaad. They're small and tinny, so you'll be strangling whatever signal does come out of the record. But also the vibrations being inside the chassis create a feedback loop which goes back into your records.
A tonearm that's too short or made out of the wrong materials - this will interfere with the accuracy of what's embedded in the record. Small platters are bad too - they'll eventually warp your records due to the edge overhang.
Stylus and cartridge that put the wrong pressure on your records or are made out of bad materials. These will distort your sound and potentially damage your vinyl.
Cheaper motors that don't spin precisely in time. You'll hear higher or lower pitch in your music.