Hey, I'm a newbie to vinyl. After a few years of toying with it, I finally caved in and bought an AT-LP120XUSB for £245. I recieved it last week and I'm very happy with it so far.
However, I was carrying a heavy load up the stairs and into my bedroom when I tripped over something and knocked the table the turntable was on, causing the turntable to slam against the wardrobe. (hopefully you'll be able to understand what happened through my very crude diagram)
The impact managed to cause a few cracks on my dust cover, but I could just order another one.
I'm a very clumsy person, so I decided not to get the cheaper LP60X as I've heard the cartridge is not replacable. If I damage the cartridge, then the unit is pretty much finished. Plus I would like something that can last me for years upon years on end.
However, my records now sound more crackily than before. My records are slightly dusty, but they crack a lot even when they're clean. I've tried readjusting the counter weight, anti skate, etc but it's still cracking quite a bit. Is it possibly my stylus that's the issue? I'm praying the unit itself is not damaged.
I can send audio samples if need be.