MIL wants new needles for her record player, she has a GE. They are usually universal aren't they? I remember buying Diamond brand back in the day.
Adam, they aren't always universal, the stylus depends on the style of player. Your best bet is to get the one you are replacing in your hand so you can compare, then take a look here: http://www.needledoctor.com/Online-Store/General-Electric Those guys are super helpful, if you have any doubt, give 'em a call.
Not sure, but I remeber there being a choise of diamond and ceramic styluses. Also, on my system, there is a selector switch for MM or MC in regards to the turntable. I think it is for magnetic or ceramic stylus??
Some people spend crazy money on cartridges...in the thousands. I know there are differences...not sure other than to google that machine and find out the specs.
Last time I bought one, atleast 2.5 decades ago, there were many to choose from. But I don't remember why. Can you google the make of the stereo for the correct specs?
In the days of laquer 78's ... the needles where really needles, made from steel. Since 33s and 45s arrived they have all been diamond tipped styluses. As mentioned above, MM and MC stands for moving magnet and moving coil. Most phono capable amplifiers should have the switch for it, that's not that uncommon, although moving coil cartridges themselves are not seen much except on higher end gear. The way it works is very simple, as the stylus rides the waves of the groove it moves up and down, moving a magnet across a coil of wire generating a small electrical current. (This is the same way an electric generator works, its just moving back and forth rather than round and round). In a moving magnet cartridge (most common) the stylus or "needle" is attached to a magnet and the coil of wire is fixed to the head. In a moving coil cartridge, the coil of wire is attached to the sytlus and the magnet is fixed. Moving coils are more expensive because its harder to make that tiny delicate coil of wire move with the needle. They also generate a lower voltage, which requires a higher level of amplification to get the same volume from the speakers, which is the reason for the selector switch on the amp - it just passes the signal through an extra gain stage. The benefit supposedly is that the needle itself weighs less, and thus has less momentum to fight to move along high speed changes in the shape of the record groove, which equals better high frequency response and less distortion. The other thing people always wonder is how you get two stereo sound channels (left and right speaker) from a needle moving up and down. the secret is actually very simple, it move side to side as well Look at the picture below and you can imagine how the needle follows the groove... The groove itself is a V-shape and the left side wall has one stereo channel of sound shaped into it and the right side wall has the other.
This thread got me to thinking, I've never changed the stylus on mine and its over 15 years old... I looked on needledoctor $275 just for the stylus!!!!!
