Many turntables make a portion of their sound in the low range. This can result in your records sounding too quiet and small, when they were originally mixed to be listened to with speakers that pump out more bass.
You can fix this quickly by adding weight to the platter using a record weight or simply placing something heavy on top of them when you’re not using your turntable.
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Ways to Make Turntable Louder:
1. Using a Record Weight:
Place a platter weight on your turntable when you’re not using it. This will eliminate unwanted vibrations from the platter and will give it a more heavy sound. It does however, take some weight away from the tone arm, so be careful that you do not go too heavy on it.
2. Using a Stereo-Foam Mat:
Stereo-foam is many times used to make speakers wireless for home stereos sound better, but it can also improve the quality of your record player by reducing unwanted vibrations to your turntable.
Place this mat under your records to prevent them from moving around too much during playback. Be sure to place it directly on top of the turntable so there is no gap in the middle of the mat.
3. Using a Suspended Platform:
Suspending your turntable off the ground will drastically reduce vibrations that are being picked up by your tone arm. Or, you can just use an old piece of wood to create a makeshift platform under where your turntable will be placed.
This will give you adequate clearance under your turntable for any stray vibrations to escape.
4. Using a 2-Pronged Record Brush:
The brush side of the record cleaning tool is often overlooked, but it can make your records sound better. Its job is to pick up any dust particles that are on the grooves of the records that would otherwise scratch the surface of your vinyl albums throughout playback.
5. Only Play Heavy Vinyl Records:
The number one thing that will improve the sound quality of your cheap turntable is to only play vinyl records with heavier weight jackets. Lighter weight vinyl can become unbalanced when placed on a standard tonearm and this will create an unwanted rumble effect in the sound when you play it back on your turntable.
Heavy vinyl records are less likely to experience this rumbling effect. This includes 180 gram vinyl records.
6. Make Sure the Tonearm is Securely Installed:
If you hear any rumbling noise while playing your record this could be due to the tone arm being improperly attached to the turntable. If it is shaky, warped or unevenly balanced you risk damaging your records and/or needle during playback. Make sure that it is securely attached before you play any of your albums.
Reasons for Turntable Too Quiet:
The majority of turntables are not made with the intention to produce the kind of deep bass that is heard in a car stereo. While many turntables will have enough horse power to play back higher pitched bass, this is just not how most turntables are designed to work.
Many factors can cause your turntable to be too quiet. These include:
1. Low Sound Quality Pre-Amplifiers:
These are commonly found in entry level turntables and are responsible for producing the low rumble you hear on most standard records. If your turntable has low quality pre-amps, it may be time to upgrade its performance.
2. Low Sound Quality Cartridge:
Just like a poorly designed pre-amp, a poorly designed cartridge can also produce an unbalanced sound in your vinyl records due to the pre-amp’s lack of power. This is commonly found in entry level turntables and may need to be replaced should your records sound too quiet.
3. Worn Out Platter:
If you have been spinning vinyl for a while and notice that it is getting louder or quieter while changing the volume then this could be due to a warped platter that is vibrating during playback. The platter may need to be replaced, but it can also just be resurfaced using an abrasive wheel and some sandpaper.
4. Bad Tone Arm:
If your tone arm is not aligned properly you will not be able to amplify the bass properly. This is why it’s important to have a sturdy, well built tone arm that can stand up to constant wear and tear of playing records. If your tone arm is damaged, warped or has lost its ability to hold the needle in place then it may be time for you to look into getting a new one for your turntable.
5. Low Quality Cartridge:
Just like a quality pre-amp your tone arm will need to be designed by an expert who knows exactly what it is that they are making. This is why it’s important to stick with high quality brands which are capable of producing high quality turntable components.
Conclusion:
In summary, if your turntable is producing a low sound when you play vinyl records, the problem could be the tonearm or any one of the other reasons mentioned above. How to fix this issue will vary depending on the type of turntable you have, but in most cases it can be fixed by following these tips and tricks.
For example, using a standard platter weight to correct any unwanted rumbling sounds or upgrading your cartridge if you’ve been using a standard one from your turntable.
FAQ:
Q: How can I improve the sound of my turntable?
A: This can be done by upgrading to a cartridge with higher output level, upgrade the preamp to one with higher gain, upgrading to a more powerful receiver and choosing speakers with higher sensitivity (dB/W). How can I improve the sound of my turntable?
Q: Why does my turntable sound so low?
A: If the sound from your turntable is way too low, almost zero, this is almost certainly because you haven’t included a phono preamp in your setup. Or because you haven’t used the right inputs and outputs to connect the phono preamp. The cartridge on your turntable outputs what is called a phono level signal.
Q: What is a turntable and how does it work?
A: Think about it: turntables are electro/mechanical devices that transform LPs’ grooves into sound. OK, that’s not exactly right, it’s the phono cartridge’s job, but the turntable provides the platform to make that happen.
Q: How does my turntable output line level signals?
A: The cartridge on your turntable outputs what is called a phono level signal. And your CD player (if you still have one) or iPhone outputs a line level signal. A line level signal is about 100 times stronger than a phono level signal.