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What do I do if I only hear the left or right speaker channel from my record?

 



What To Do When Your Stereo Record Player Plays One Channel: Turntable Fixes and Troubleshooting

If you can only hear the left or right channel of your records, it may be an issue of a loose connection, or damaged stylus.

In a record groove, the left and right channels are located on the left and right sides of the grooves. If the stylus isn't tracking correctly, it may miss one side entirely.

 


To correct this, follow these steps:

Speakers:

  1. Test the speakers with another audio source to confirm they are working correctly.

Cables:

  1. Unplug the RCA cables from the turntable.
  2. With the speakers on, touch each end of the RCA cable with your thumbs.
  3. If one speaker doesn’t buzz or hum, the issue may be the cable.

Headshell/Tonearm:

  1. Disconnect the headshell from the tonearm.
  2. Clean the contacts on the headshell and inside the tonearm with 90% isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab.
  3. Once the contacts are cleaned inside the tonearm, try touching each of the top pins inside with a small screwdriver, one speaker should buzz at a time.
  4. Lightly crimp the connections between the cartridge and headshell.
  5. Inspect the stylus tip. It should not be twisted or bent and should be free of dust and debris.
  6. Clean the stylus using a stylus brush.
  7. Reconnect the headshell, tightening the tonearm locking nut as tightly as possible.