Cartridges & Stylus.

This is the part of the record player that you hear. This contains a diamond that goes into the groove. The shape of the diamond and the mechanism that the vibrations from the track will determine how you hear your music; there are two main types of cartridge, a moving magnet and a moving coil. The moving coil has less output but typically creates more depth in your music; the moving magnet has a higher output and is easier to drive. The stylus is the piece at the end with the diamond attached. These are very fragile and should always be handled with care. They are classed as consumable and are costly and time-consuming to get fixed.