We take a look at the essential turntable accessories every record collector and DJ needs.

If you want to play records, by a turntable. If you want to play records well, this is everything else you need.

There’s more to getting a good turntable setup than simply buying a turntable alone. First, of course, you’ll need good speakers, but we’ve covered that in our Best DJ Speakers article. The rest of this equipment is just as essential to any turntable user. Here are all the turntable accessories that you need, and some suggestions of which ones to buy.

Carbon fibre vinyl brush

A lot of people like to argue that vinyl records sound better than CDs or digital tracks. Often they do, but in the era when vinyl was the only option, they usually didn’t. This is because most people didn’t really take care of their records. They let them get dusty, which compromised their audio potential.

You should avoid this happening to your collection at all costs, especially if you’re a DJ. To do this, you need a carbon fibre vinyl brush. These brushes work by gently removing dust particles from your discs with material that is not strong enough to leave scratches (like, say, a hairbrush would). The best part is, the carbon fibre material helps drain records of static, meaning they will attract less dust in the first place once cleaned.

Which one should you buy? There are so many carbon fibre brushes on the market that are all essentially the same thing that it really doesn’t matter too much which one you use. That said, make sure you don’t buy one that’s too cheap, as this will mean it’s more likely to be poorly made and scratch your records.

Cleaning fluid

Another essential part of your record cleaning arsenal, cleaning fluid is exactly what it sounds like: fluid that you use to clean your records. Using a small amount of this fluid when you clean will help remove dust, grime, and static.

Which one should you buy? There are so many different kinds of record cleaning fluid that it’s hard to know which one to invest in. Some even suggest creating your own cleaning fluid out of alcohol and water is the way to go. Others advise that any solution which includes alcohol could potentially damage your records, so your best bet is to buy a ready-made alcohol free cleaning fluid.

Slip Mats

This one’s for all the DJs. Scratching has become a fundamental part of the art of turntablism, with disc jockeys like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Skratch Bastid pioneering and perfecting the technique. It takes more than a turntable and a record to get it right, though. Most turntables will come with rubber mats to stop records from spinning. This is the opposite of what you want if you’re planning to scratch. That’s where slipmats come in. A slipmat will free up your records to slide when you scratch them, allowing you to create brand new sounds a loops on the fly.

Which one should you buy? Again, there are so many different slip mats available that as long as you’re not buying one from the bargain bin, you should be fine.

Flight cases

Like slip mats, this is once again most likely for the DJs. Touring DJs, specifically. It’s risky to take turntables on a flight in a regular suitcase. Just a little turbulence could ruin the calibration, or worse, damage the turntable. Not ideal if you have a gig when you land. Flight cases offer heavy duty protection for your turntable.

Which one should you buy? You have several options when it comes to turntable flight cases. Brands like Swan Flight create custom cases for customers. Other brands will make cases tailored to specific brands and models of turntable. Whichever one you get, make sure it fits.

Cables

Every turntable needs cables. The most important being the RCA cables that connect a turntable to speakers. Many turntables and speakers will come packaged with RCA cables, but if you want pro quality audio, it’s best to invest in new ones.

Which ones should you buy? Unlike some of the other turntable accessories on this list, on which spending more means better quality, it’s actually quite easy to spend too much on cables. Opt for long-grain copper conductors, thin shielding, and low interference. But don’t spend more than you’re comfortable with.

Turntable stabilisers

Also known as turntable or record clamps, these stabilisers do exactly what it sounds like: stabilise a record player. They are attached to the top of a turntable’s central spindle, and clamped on to secure the record-platter connection. This will boost bass frequencies, and flatten warped records.

Which one should you buy? Record clamps can go for hundreds of pounds, even though all of them do the same thing. Hovering around the £50 mark should be perfectly adequate for most setups.