Do You Need A Dust Cover On A Turntable? Get The Correct Answer Here!

If you've ever owned a turntable, you've probably been annoyed at least once because the dirt is too thick and takes a long time to clean. 

Not only that, but this dust can also create severe scratches. So, you may wonder: 'do you need a dust cover on a turntable?'

If you also have questions regarding this topic, TheAudioCritic will help you with the article below.

Do You Need A Dust Cover On A Turntable?

The short answer is yes. The dustproof layer will do an excellent job of preventing dust from accumulating on the disc player. 

These outer layers of cloth will prevent dusting from penetrating further into the internal components of the turntable. So you can save a lot of time on cleaning.

Not only that, the cover will ensure that dirt does not scratch the vinyl. The sound will not crackle even if you don't use the device often. To save maximum cleaning time, you should not ignore the dusting cover.

This item is also quite useful if you want to prolong the life of the turntable.

Instead of using chemicals to clean the turntable directly, you need to handle the dirt on the cover plate. You also don't have to worry about dirt scratching the vinyl, affecting the sound and longevity of the device.

How Does A Turntable Cover Work?

Dusting covers, regardless of thickness, have a particular ability to prevent dust. 

This item will act as a diaphragm, preventing dusting in the air from settling and accumulating on the turntable.

These covers do not remove dirt, and only dirt is retained. However, with the appearance of this item, you will save a lot of cleaning time.

It is easier to remove the dust layer on the cloth than to clean the individual parts of the turntable.

Do Turntables Need Lids? 

Yes. Your device needs lids because in the air, hundreds of thousands of small dusting particles can enter the machine.

The lid is small, but it makes a big difference. This accessory will prevent the ingress of dirt, maintaining the beauty and smooth operation of the turntable.

Using the lid is quite simple. When you play the recording, you can open the cover. During playback, the amount of dust accumulated will not be significant.

Closing the lid during this process could damage the stylus or accidentally miss a recording when lowered. In addition, closing the cover during music playback can also lead to problems such as bass resonance, affecting speaker volume.

Does Dust Affect Vinyl Records?

Dirt can affect vinyl recordings more than you ever imagined.

In the beginning, when dust appears, you may not notice anything out of the ordinary. However, over time with use, the dusting layer between the stylus and the profile gets thicker, and you will see a change in the sound.

On the surface, you will notice unusual squeaky noises. Meanwhile, when playing the recordings, you may see strange sounds.

Abnormalities don't just manifest through sound. Dusty logs can wear out quickly. Even these recordings can damage your tracks.

Should You Leave A Record On The Turntable With A Dust Cover? 

It would help if you did not leave recordings on the turntable even when not in use. Maintaining this habit can result in imperfect sound.

You should leave the record on the turntable when you want to use it. In any case, even with a cover, you can damage the surface of the record when left on the disc for a long time but not in use.

Is It Ok To Touch Vinyl?

You should not touch the surface of the record.

Human hands have moisture, sweat even oil. And touching the record directly will inadvertently cause these substances to transfer to the disc's surface.

Touching the surface will also increase the risk of dirt sticking to the recording. And as you know, dirt can scratch and damage your vinyl.

To avoid these unfortunate mistakes, you should only touch the record's outer edge. You can also use cotton gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints.

Will Dust Scratch A Record?

Dust can scratch the recording. Of course, a thin layer of dust formed in a short time cannot cause serious problems. However, if you let the vinyl get dusty for a long time, your recordings could be in trouble.

There are two leading causes of scratches. First, dust quickly penetrates vinyl grooves. After a while, the dust will begin to compact and become sticky.

As a result, when playing, you not only notice the less detailed sound but also see a lot of scratches.

Second, dust will accumulate on the tip of the pen and needle. This phenomenon causes the cell to lose traction, possibly skipping the groove. 

The sound will be increasingly muffled, while the record will wear out. In particular, the dirt particles with many angles can quickly scratch this relatively soft material if you move the profile.

What Happens If You Play A Dirty Record?

Playing a dirty record brings more problems than you think. The problem will appear first on the surface of the needle. Dirt accumulating over a long period will wear down this surface. 

Even the impact of dirt on the stylus can have more severe consequences than playing scratched recordings. Playing recordings covered in the dirt will also destroy the tapes. Vinyl is a relatively soft material that is easily scratched.

Conclusion

Unless you live in a vacuum, you cannot store the turntable without the dirt appearance. In everyday life, you can only limit the influence of dirt on the device by supporting items, and the cover is such an item.

Thus, many incidents above have proven the usefulness of a cover. If you don't want to get into trouble like wasting time cleaning, accumulating dirt, and damage to the device, you should prepare a dust shield.