Sound Advice: Get most out of turntable with stylus upgrade

Don Lindich, Tribune News Service on Feb 11, 2026

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Q. When playing vinyl records on a turntable, to what extent is recommended tracking force an indicator of cartridge and stylus quality? In other words, is a stylus with a lighter recommended tracking force better than one with a heavier tracking force?

—B.H., State College, Pennsylvania

A. Yes, that is generally the case. High-end cartridges have elliptical or exotically shaped styluses (needles) that require less tracking force than entry-level models, which typically have a conical stylus. Most high-end cartridges track from 1.8g to 2.5g. Conical styluses often require significantly more tracking force, up to 5.0g, which can cause wear on your records. While a conical stylus can sound quite good, it's the most basic stylus shape and a better stylus makes a world of difference.

The most vivid example of this is demonstrated with the world's most popular phonograph cartridge, the Audio-Technica AT3600L. It was introduced in the 1970s and has sold millions of units since then. The AT3600L is preinstalled on many turntables in the lower and middle price ranges, and numerous high-end manufacturers have rebranded or modified the AT3600L to use on their expensive turntable offerings. In its stock form, the AT3600L is a diamond in the rough, no pun intended.

I like to make automotive analogies because they make audio concepts easier to understand. Imagine there is a brand new Porsche 911 in your driveway. You're excited to take your car for a drive, then you see that there are four space saver "donut" tires on the car.

How do you think the sports car will perform on four narrow spare tires, compared to properly sized, high-quality performance tires? So it is with the AT3600L, as the stock conical stylus really holds it back. Upgrading the stylus will make a very dramatic sound quality improvement, and it is very affordable to do so. Years ago LP Gear introduced a $40 carbon fiber-mounted elliptical stylus for the AT3600L that transformed it from entry-level to a top performer, which was lauded in in the audio enthusiast press and compared to cartridges costing $500 or more. I was skeptical of these these claims, but hearing the upgraded AT3600L made me a believer. I gave several of these styluses as gifts to friends and colleagues who I knew were running a stock AT3600L. Every single recipient called me immediately, shocked at the sonic improvement.

This critically acclaimed LP Gear stylus has now received its own upgrade to the new ALN3600LE elliptical stylus. The ALN3600LE is $39.98 and installation is very simple, as the old stylus assembly snaps off and the new one snaps on without touching any wires or screws. The new stylus uses a traditional aluminum cantilever to hold the "needle," but it has been tuned to improve on the sound of the carbon fiber predecessor, smoothing out high-frequency reproduction and extracting even more detail from the grooves.

There's a good chance your turntable already has an AT3600L, and if it needs a new needle or if you just want to make your turntable sound a whole lot better the ALN3600LE is the best $40 you will ever spend. I can't imagine running a stock AT3600L, knowing the difference that the affordable stylus upgrade makes. The ALN3600LE sells for $39.98 on lpgear.com. If you are unsure if your turntable has the AT3600L and can't determine it on your own, snap a picture of your cartridge and send it to me through my soundadvicenews.com website. I will reply and confirm whether the upgrade will work or not. It's some extra work for me, but I consider upgrading those cartridges a public service!

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