Audio News

DJ Needles, most commonly known as the stylus or styli, are some of the most important parts of the turntable. From the end of the tone arm to the vinyl, there are a total of three parts which collectively make up the extension. The first is the head shell followed by the cartridge and then finally the needle. With every turntable a standard pair of needles and cartridges is provided, though you do have a variety of other advanced options to choose from.

Selecting the right needles or styli and cartridge is no big deal, as there are only two types of styli currently available on the market. The needle diamond tip can be either spherical or elliptical, with each one capable of performing a specific function, and the decision is based primarily on preference. Similar to how the decision between vinyl turntables and CD DJ turntables, such as the Technics SL-DZ1200, is based on personal taste and goals. The Spherical styli are best suited for a scratching and battle DJ. The main reason for this is that they stay in the groove of the record much better than the elliptical, thereby having the highest skip resistance and a very high output based application. Elliptical styli, on the other hand, are more suitable for beat mixing and hi-fi systems where the main function is playback. They deliver amazing playback sound quality, which is quite true to the original sound recording, since they have a lower tracking force that is easier on the vinyl.

If you are DJing at clubs and parties, you will need a more durable and robust pair of DJ needles. The selection of your needle will totally depend on the style of music you intend to play and also on the type of DJ you want to be, like a battle or mix DJ.