Close-up of a vinyl record spinning on a turntable with a tonearm and stylus in contact with the record.

Turntable Jargon Explained

Parts of a Turntable

  • Close-up of a turntable playing a vinyl record, with a black tonearm and red cartridge.

    Tone Arm

    A long arm that allows the headshell to steadily move across the vinyl disc. These can be straight, curved, or angled.

  • Close-up of a turntable with a needle on a spinning vinyl record, showing the stylus and tonearm in detail.

    Stylus

    The small needle that rides along the groove of your record. This is the only part of the tonearm that makes contact with the record.

  • Close-up of a turntable tonearm with a green stylus, playing vinyl on a record player, labeled 'Technics'.

    Cartridge

    A small housing that holds the stylus and converts the needle's vibrations into a usable (audio ‘phono’) signal through a magnet or coil.

  • Close-up of a turntable's needle and tonearm playing a vinyl record, with a focus on the red cartridge and stylus.

    Headshell

    Holds the the cartridge & stylus in place and connects them to the ‘front’ end of the tone arm. The ‘red part’ shown above is a ‘headshell’

  • Close-up of a metallic mechanical timer with a black dial and white marking, set on approximately 1 second.

    Counter-weight

    A weight at the ‘back’ end of the tonearm that helps to set & change the how much force pushes down on the stylus into record.

  • Close-up of a mechanical device with a dial labeled 'Antisulk' and a gauge with a needle pointing to 2.

    Anti-skate

    Tone-arms have a slight 'pulling force' in towards the centre - anti-skate is a small outward force to counteract this and stop the needle bouncing or jumping out of the groove.

  • Audio-Technica turntable on a wooden surface with tonearm and controls visible.

    Platter

    The circular part of the turntable that you put the record on. This is the part that spins.

  • Close-up of an Audio-Technica turntable with a black platter and controls on a wooden surface.

    Mat

    Soft surface between the platter and your record. Protects the side of the record that isn’t being played, and absorbs some vibrations.

  • A blue vinyl record spinning on a turntable with a white label at the center, showing a stylus on the groove.

    Spindle

    A small spike in the middle of the platter that holds the record in place, keeping it perfectly centred.

  • Close-up of a turntable tonearm and cartridge on a record player.

    Cue lever

    Allows you to gently lower and raise the tone arm without manually 'dropping' it, which can lead to bounces, and damage of the needle and record if you're not careful.

  • Turntable with a transparent cover showing the brand audio-technica, situated on a wooden surface, with a background featuring a wall with peeling paint and a wooden cabinet with vintage equipment.

    Dust Cover

    A protective lid for the turntable that keeps dust, hair, and dirt from getting in to the body and on to your records.

  • Close-up of a turntable control panel showing the tonearm rest near the 78 RPM marking and the speed selection switch set to 33 RPM with a red indicator light on.

    Speed switches

    Allows you to set how quickly the platter spins. Measured in Revolutions Per Minute (RPM). Standard RPMs are 33 & 45. 78 RPM is for old shellac records

  • Close-up of an Audio-Technica turntable with a tonearm, pitch slider, and a small illuminated indicator light.

    Pitch/Tempto Control

    Usually sliders, to gradually speed up or slow down the ‘standard’ 33 or 45 rpm. Mostly used for DJing, beat-matching, etc.

  • A small electric motor with a brass shaft and a black connector, used in electronic or robotic projects.

    Motor

    Usually inside the body of the turntable, responsible for turning the record at a set, consistent, speed.

  • An Audio-Technica turntable on a wooden surface, with a black platter, tonearm, and various controls.

    Plinth

    General term for the large, mostly rectangular, base or ‘unit’.