The Best Vinyl Accessories to Jazz Up Your Analog Audio

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 trust myself. For less than $15, use this tiny little scale to get it right. Peace of mind doesn't often come this cheap.

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.

Record weights hold your records to the platter more securely, and the added mass may 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 you like (or drill a hole in a hockey puck) and move on.

There is a lot of debate about what the best material is for optimal anti-slip and antistatic performance, but between cork, felt, and rubber, I'd choose the latter. It's the most durable, it 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 on your disc.

Crate digging and used record shopping is one of the joys of the analog audio hobby, but the vast majority of records you'll pull from the bin are pretty nasty. Before you give something a test play, save your gear by giving it a once-over with this lint-roller-like device. It will get all the biggest, grossest stuff out of the way of your stylus, so you don't mess up your (or the shop's!) gear. 

A record roller is fine for surface cleaning, but 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, 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!

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.

If you need to clean more than one record at once—say, you've never actually cleaned any of your discs and have hundreds—the best way I've found is to use an ultrasonic cleaner like this one. It heats a cleaning solution and vibrates at a very high frequency, allowing grime to simply fall off the surface of the grooves. It works amazingly well, and you can load up to five records at once on the rotating spindle, for easier batch cleaning. Even better, when you're not cleaning records you can take off the motorized spindle and use it to clean anything else you want, from rings to old silverware.

The paper inserts that come with most records are annoying to get in and out of sleeves, and they're not as good at protecting your vinyl as aftermarket ones like these. A rice paper lining means your discs easily slide in and out of these jackets, and arrows printed on the sleeves let you always know which way is which.

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.

If you're always buying new records, it can quickly become hard to find a place to store them all. This cube-shaped bin from Tavenly is a great expandable solution to the LP hoarder problem—it is even strong enough to double as a stand for your record player, if space is limited.

If you bring your records to a club or parties, you probably want to keep folks' grubby hands off your collection. For that, we recommend this adorable teal lockbox. You'll know it's yours from the color (and the label you can put on the front), and it will keep your records safe from spills, tumbles, and competitors trying to bite your style.

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 built-in phono preamp, 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, which allows 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.

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.

If you are looking to upgrade your overall listening experience, we really love these gorgeous French bookshelf speakers from Focal. They sound smooth and warm, with a buttery low end that never becomes muddy. They work very well with any modern amp, which means that you'll have no problem powering them with nearly anything you have on hand—no upgrade there. The classic wood finish also works very well with analog audio.

These open-backed headphones from Sennheiser are considered audiophile classics. They sound shockingly good for the money and are the perfect accessory for late-night listening if you live in an apartment, condo, dorm, bedroom, or other shared listening space. These are among the most comfortable headphones you can buy, which makes them fantastic for extended listening sessions. Because they’re open-backed, you'll get much more of a soundstage in your music, but the downside is that noises from the outside world will leak in.

If you are still rocking the cartridge that came with your turntable, this nice cartridge from Ortofon is a great upgrade or replacement if yours seems like it's getting tired. Most manufacturers recommend replacing your cartridge after about 200 hours of playtime, so if you listen to a lot of records often, it's worth swapping out yours. Worth noting: your stylus will last longer if it is always spinning across clean records!

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.

The biggest problem with most “now playing" record holders is that they're not thick enough. Special edition music releases with multiple disks make the whole thing much chunkier than normal. You won't have any trouble fitting them on this gorgeous LP holder from Koeppel design, which can hold up to 10 records for easy analog playlisting. It even has “Now Spinning” etched in the top.

I've never found that shock-absorbing feet for my turntable make it sound better, but I have found that they make for a better time for those who have heavy-footed neighbors. Feet like these can help reduce skips and bounces, and these are a good, cheap option. Don't be fooled by versions that cost many times as much. These are just fine.

One analog format compliments another, right? Below are some books about records:

Dust & Grooves, by Elion Paz (forward by RZA) : This coffee table book showcases some 250 record collections, including those of famous musicians like Questlove and RZA.

Vinyl Junkies: Adventures in Record Collecting, by Brett Milano: This early-2000s book features interviews with indie rock heroes like Thurston Moore, Peter Buck, and cartoonist Robert Crumb, among others.

Around the World in 80 Record Stores, by Marcus Barnes: This book showcases some of the coolest and most specialized record stores, boasting picks from “Iceland to India.”

A Record of My Vinyl: A Collector's Catalog: This is a blank book with spaces for personal liner notes, disc cleaning tips, tips for evaluating records, and a few perforated pages that you can tear off and take with you to the record store. It's a helpful accessory if you want a specialized notebook for your stuff.