What cartridge/ needles do I need?

[ChrisKhole]

I am new to Hifi systems. I kinda got in over my head. I work on guitar amplifies. Mostly vintage tube amplifies. A friend asked me to look at this old console stereo. It's an Firestone Air Chief 13R10.
I replaced all the wax caps with poly caps, installed new electrolytic caps, new speakers, replaced out of tolerance resistors and got some new (nos) tubes.
Everything seems to be fine now except that the FM is too quiet. But I think I know why. The FM amp and conv are a 17C9 tube. The replacement I bought... one half tests fine on my emissions tester/ one half doesn't. I ordered another one. We will see. But the needle on the phono player looks pretty terrible. The Photofact
Says it takes a RC-88 cartridge, NE-16/NE-17 needles. Where can I get a replacement? Do I need to replace the whole cartridge or just the needle?

 

[beat_truck]

https://www.thevoiceofmusic.com/

They will have what you need, are priced right, and stand behind their products.

That looks like a crystal cartridge. I wouldn't be surprised if it is dead too. If it doesn't produce any sound when you rub the needle, it probably is.

 

[ChrisKhole]

No, it works, just seems like it should sound better. And it skips around too... making it slides to the wrong part of the song... there is no way to adjust the stylus weight or balance...?

 

[beat_truck]

At minimum, the needle is probably shot. Those cartridges weren't very compliant to start with, and age may have hardened the suspension even more, so it may never track very well. Honestly, even with a new needle, it will probably never sound very good either.

 

[ChrisKhole]

So what are my options? Is there a way to make this thing sounds any better?

 

[tubeactive]

It can take some hours of music passing through, for the new parts to "break-in" and sound right.

In the meantime, order new styli, so u can spin some discs...That's the ubiquitous, "set-screw with pitchfork" stylus # N8-7D for the diamond stylus, 7S for the sapphire. Sapphires do not last long, but they sure sound better on scratchy discs...

Some of the Vaco carts have decent sound. If the owner has no 78s, consider getting one .7 mil conical, diamond needle, plus one .7 mil or 1 mil sapphire tip for the more worn discs, installed at the 78 position.

Pictures of rcvr underside, record player and speakers can help viewers add info....

It sounds like u replaced a bunch of caps n resistors...How about beefing up the power supply capacitance banks ? Extra energy storage can improve sound dramatically...

 

[beat_truck]

These should fit your present cartridge.
https://www.thevoiceofmusic.com/cat...fgNameNeedles&MfgName=Vaco(Varco)&Categories=

I would not play any records I cared about on that machine. Especially stereo records and / or styrene 45s.