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Is this level of "needle talk" normal?

Hi there, new to vinyl records so kindly forgive my ignorance. I'm experiencing what I believe is called "needle talk". More plainly, I can hear my music playing directly from the stylus/cartridge absent any electronic amplification (speakers off). Having zero experience with turntables I don't know what level of this is normal etc. Below is a video detailing what I am experiencing. It is audible within about 10 feet of the turntable with the speakers off and dust cover up.

http://youtu.be/pPVMSeljrYE

If you listen closely you can clearly follow along with the song and distinguish the vocals. Is this normal? I know I have a relatively low quality turntable but I've seen no other reports of people complaining about this with my model or the others based on the same chassis.

Any information would be helpful. Thanks!
rmskjv
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,981 posts
 
The cartridge is a transducer. It changes mechanical energy, (the signal) into electrical energy. The speaker is the other transducer which changes the electrical energy (signal) back into mechanical energy, so that we can hear it.

This is quite normal.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Agree, this is normal...
1. The stylus traces the modulated groove.
2. The cantilever, which is rigidly attached to the stylus, vibrates accordingly.
3. The vibrating cantilever imparts these vibrations to the air (like a tuning fork, but on a smaller scale).
4. You hear the vibrations.

For clarity, Mofimadness' explanation of how a cartridge works is correct for a system that's powered up. Of course this isn't relevant for the question you posed.
s1nn3r's avatar
s1nn3r
162 posts
 
There's nothing to worry. You're cartridge is operating normally.
mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,981 posts
 
Doug...what I so ineloquently was trying to explain, is that
with a transducer you need the "mechanical"
movement to be transduced. This would be exactly what you
stated, (much better than I did).
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