Whether you’ve just started spinning analog audio or you’ve been building a collection for years, good vinyl accessories can take your enjoyment—and your records’ longevity—to the next level. I’ve spent the better part of the past decade messing with some of the most lauded tools for cleaning, setting up, and maintaining record players, and these are my favorites. Plenty of these accessories are affordable, and they make great gifts too!
Before you dive deeper, I recommend watching this video on proper turntable setup. Many of the accessories below are meant to aid you in making sure you’re getting the most out of your gear. For more, check out our Best Turntables guide and our how-to article on upgrading your home audio.
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Photograph: Boundless
A Quality Brush
Boundless Audio Record Brush
A nice, anti-static carbon-fiber brush will help you dust off your records before a spin. I like this one from Boundless because it has a sleek gray color, but any similar-looking brush will do. A tip for gift givers: You can never really have too many. I lose them about as often as I misplace my TV remote.
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Photograph: Amazon
A Stylus Scale
Musou Digital Turntable Stylus Force Scale
Every stylus has a recommended tracking force (the downward pressure it exerts on your record). The tracking force is typically set by turning the counterweight on the back of the tonearm. You’ll often find markings on turntables to indicate relative tracking force so you can set it manually, but I never really trust myself. For less than $20, use this tiny little scale to get it right. Peace of mind doesn’t often come this cheap.
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Photograph: Momila
A Stylus Cleaner
Momila Stylus Cleaner
Even with clean records and a dust brush, your needle will eventually get a bit gunky. There are brushes and cleaning solutions to deal with this, but I’ve always found it scary to rub them on my delicate stylus. Instead, I like gel-based cleaners like this one from Momila. You drop your needle into the sticky goo and it gobbles up any junk around it. You’ll get a few hundred drops out of one before it needs replacing, and it comes in a cool hexagonal case for storage.
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Photograph: Craftsman
A Good Level
Craftsman Torpedo Level (9-Inch)
A key component to records sounding good is a proper turntable setup. For that, you’ll want to make sure you have a good level. If your turntable isn’t perfectly flat, you can typically adjust it using the feet attached to the bottom. In a pinch, you can use playing cards or another object to adjust the feet even higher if that’s necessary for level playback.
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Photograph: Amazon
A Record Weight
DJGearIX Record Weight
Record weights more securely hold your records to the platter and can add mass to help with bass response. You’ll find super expensive ones when you shop for ’em, but don’t be fooled: They’re basically just hunks of metal with a hole in the bottom. Pick one that looks how you like (or drill a hole in a hockey puck!) and move on.
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Photograph: Amazon
A Rubber Mat
Momila Rubber Platter Mat
There is a lot of debate about what the best material is for optimal anti-slip and anti-static performance, but between cork, felt, and rubber, I’d choose the latter. It’s the most durable, sticks to the surface of your records for good grip, and this one even has some grooves to make it easier to lay perfectly flat to your disc.
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Photograph: Vinyl Vac
Cheapest Record Cleaner
Vinyl Vac 33 Combo Record Cleaning Kit
The only way to really get into the grooves of a record is with a cleaning solution that is then sucked out by a vacuum. Grooves are too small for the fibers of cloth to reach all the way inside. If you’re on a budget, the best way to go is to get a small wet/dry vacuum, an old broken turntable, and this Vinyl Vac kit. It attaches to the hose of your vacuum to suck all the gunk out when you’re done wiping down a side with the included solution. I’ve used this method many times to great effect. You’ll be surprised how great clean records sound!
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Photograph: Pro-Ject
Best All-In-One Cleaner
Pro-Ject Audio VC-E Record Cleaning Machine
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route mentioned above, then try the Pro-Ject Audio VC-E. It’s not cheap, but it spins in two directions to ensure full suction from the powerful internal vacuum, and it has a nice screw-down clamp that keeps a record’s label dry while you’re giving it a wash.
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Photograph: Joseph Shin
A Record Display
Flipbin Model 33
The Flipbin is an attractive combo of a storage case and a “now playing” display for your records. Each colored bin holds around 33 records—depending on thickness—and is made of durable metal that will last a lifetime.
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Photograph: Pro-Ject
An Outboard Phono Preamp
Pro-Ject Audio Phono Box DC Preamplifier
Turntables put out a low-level signal that needs to be amplified to the “line-level” signal your amplifier is used to seeing. Most cheap turntables have a middling phono preamp built in, but this button-less box from Pro-Ject is a great upgrade. It’s also great if you have a turntable without a phono preamp built in, allowing you to connect it to any amplifier, even if it doesn’t have a dedicated phono channel. I like this model, which adds a bit more clarity than what you’ll hear from typical built-in preamps.
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Photograph: Cambridge Audio
A Better Preamp
Cambridge Audio Alva Solo
The Pro-Ject Phono Box sounds solid, but if you want even more clarity and life in your music, I recommend this excellent preamp from Cambridge Audio. It has great subsonic filtering for more worn discs, and it feels like every record you play through it has a bit more shine.
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Photograph: ATS
Acoustic Treatment
ATS Acoustic Panels
Your room matters just as much as your gear. Consider adding acoustic panels like these to the first reflection points—where the sound energy from your speakers first hits the wall and reflects back to your ears. Doing so will open up your soundstage considerably and help the speakers better disappear into your musical space.
