Why Is My Victrola Record Player So Quiet? (Easy Fix)
If you’re concerned and asking why is my Victrola record player so quiet, we can help you!
Well, if you’re a vinyl records enthusiast and the Victrola player is whispering instead of singing, we are here to assure you that there is an easy fix.
In this quick guide, we will go through all the possibilities known to cause quiet audio output and help you diagnose and resolve the problem.
Straightforwardly, here’s why a Victrola record player may be quiet:
Why is My Victrola Record Player So Quiet? – Quick Fixes
Before you start: Have you tried turning the Victrola record player off and on?
1. Turn Up the Volume Knob
The first and most important thing to check is the Volume Knob of your record player.
If you’re using the briefcase-styled Victrola record player, the volume knob is located on the right side, just above the headphone jack.
Turning the knob to the left towards “MIN” decreases the volume, therefore turning the knob to the right towards the “MAX” increases it.
Hence, rotate the knob clockwise while the vinyl record is spinning to check if this helps.
Important: Speaker’s Volume
If you have connected speakers through the headphone jack or the RCA output of the Victrola record player, you need to check their volume as well.
With most external speakers, you should either have a remote, dial, or some kind of volume controller, allowing you to boost the volume.
Note: If rotating the volume knob doesn’t affect the volume at all, then the problem is either with the tonearm or cartridge/stylus.
2. Inspect & Clean the Stylus
The stylus or “the needle” is the pointy part on the bottom of the cartridge that makes direct contact with the vinyl record.
Hence, if the Victrola record player is very quiet, there are a few possibilities directly related to the stylus.
- Misaligned Tonearm: The entire tonearm along with the cartridge and stylus might be misaligned impacting the way the needle contacts the vinyl record.
- Damaged Stylus: The stylus might be damaged, bent, or simply worn out, preventing it from picking up the grooves on the record properly.
- Dust & Obstruction: The needle could be dirty and covered with dust accumulation, which can make your Victrola record player sound very quiet.
A quick visual inspection must help you find out what’s causing the quietness, so check the needle closely and if needed, clean it.
Cleaning the stylus is possible with clean lukewarm water and an ear stick, but ensure to be extremely gentle to prevent damaging the tonearm.
Quick Tip: We also recommend checking whether the stylus is properly fitted, as it needs to be clipped to the cartridge, otherwise the output might be quiet/muffled.
3. Inspect & Align the Cartridge
Another very important factor is the cartridge, which houses the stylus and converts vibrations into electrical signals.
If we put the possibility of a malfunctioning cartridge aside, the only thing to inspect here is whether the cartridge is misaligned or not properly attached to the tonearm.
There are three simple things you can do:
- Verify that the cartridge headshell screws are tight.
- Put the alignment protractor to the Victrola spindle.
- Check whether your cartridge is properly aligned.
You will see two grids on the protractor. If your cartridge is properly aligned, it will stay parallel to the lines of the grid when positioned in the center of both grids.
If you notice that the cartridge is not parallel, rotate it until it is precisely aligned.
Important: At this point, it’s recommended to adjust the VFT, so continue with the next step!
4. Adjust the Victrola Tonearm
The adjustment and balancing of the tonearm via the counterweight unit is a very important factor, which can impact the sound quality and volume of the playback.
To perfectly recalibrate the tonearm, you will need an Allen Wrench, located in the accessory box of the Victrola player.
When you have the wrench follow these steps to adjust the tonearm:
- Locate the counterweight on the back of the tonearm.
- Insert the wrench into the fitting of the counterweight.
- Rotate a quarter of a turn, counterclockwise to loosen it.
- Gently, remove the tonearm from the tonearm holder.
- Rotate the counterweight until the tonearm is balanced.
- While holding the counterweight, rotate the number ring.
- You must set the number ring to precisely “0” on the top.
- Rotate the weight and ring counterclockwise for 1.5 turns.
- Starting from 0, surpassing 0 again, and setting it up on 1.
- Then, hold the weight and tighten it with the Allen wrench.
Finally, you can position the tonearm on the tonearm holder and adjust the anti-skate knob to the recommended value of 1.5.
That’s it. Now, play your record and test!
5. Connect Speakers (Workaround)
The Victrola record player, unlike many other record players, is an all-in-one product, featuring a built-in stereo speaker.
This is good, as you don’t need to connect output speakers to listen to your record player.
However, over time, especially after prolonged listening at high volume, these speakers may get worn out and start sounding muffled/quiet.
Sadly, if that’s the case, there is no way to solve the issue, besides servicing or replacement, so connecting a speaker may be a good workaround.
This will instantly bypass the built-in speakers, and if the Victrola record player quiet sound is coming from them, the problem will be gone on your external output device.
5.1 Connect AUX Speakers
If you take a look below the volume knob on your Victrola record player, you’ll notice an AUX output port allowing you to hook up any AUX speaker.
Those include headphones and external AUX speakers, providing you with instant external output, bypassing the built-in Victrola output.
5.2 Connect RCA Speakers
On the back side of your Victrola record player, you’ll find two output ports, one red (right) and one white (left).
This output is for RCA cable, including devices such as portable speakers, TV speakers, amplifiers, and even some headphones.
So if you have an RCA output device, you can use this port to bypass the built-in unit speakers!
5.3 Pair Wirelessly (Bluetooth)
If you didn’t know, the Victrola record player also supports Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to output music to your wireless devices.
Those include your smartphone, Bluetooth speakers, and other wireless devices.
To pair the Victrola record player wirelessly, you need to find the knob above the volume knob and rotate it to BT.
Then you need to discover Victrola’s wireless profile through your wireless device and select it to connect.
That’s it. If the sound is too quiet even on external output, the fault is probably from your record!
6. Test a Different Vinyl Record
If you’ve tried everything, but the audio from your Victrola record player is just too quiet to no avail, the problem is probably from your record.
So, try a different one and make sure that it’s not covered with dust/liquid or other obstructions that can prevent the stylus’s proper contact.
If you experience this problem on multiple records, we recommend taking your Victrola player to servicing or attempting to claim your warranty.
Victrola Record Player FAQ:
Q: Will scratched records affect sound quality?
A: Yes, scratched or dusty record grooves can cause audio distortion and muffled audio output.
Q: How often should I replace the Victrola stylus?
A: It’s recommended to replace your Victrola record player stylus after around 900-1000 hours.
Q: What to do If my Victrola player skips or jumps?
A: First, clean the stylus, balance and align the cartridge, and make sure the turntable is leveled.
Finn Wheatley, a Master’s graduate in Computer Science from UCL, London, honed his skills at small data science consultancies. There, he helped large corporations enhance their data capabilities by deploying cutting-edge machine learning analytics and resolving technical hurdles.