[Guest]

Hello, I've been the proud owner of a Philco 48-1270 cabinet radio/phono in bleached Mahoghany for about 10 years now. This is the M-4 changer with a single speed 78rpm turntable with a dynamic-magnetic cartridge. Over the past few years I've noticed a degradation in the quality of sound reproduction when playing records. The cartridge seems to pick up the highs and lows properly. But the mid-range elements drop out considerably. The sound coming from the speaker is normal when listening to FM radio broadcasts, so I don't think it's a speaker issue. The 78's I play are free from scratches and excessive wear, so I'm guessing it might be a worn needle? My questions are: were these lifetime needles? I notice on the side of the tonearm, the words: "Do not remove or replace needle". When I purchased the unit from the original owner's estate, she (or someone) had removed the needle from the cartridge and stored it inside the metal tray on the bottom side of the tonearm. i simply replaced the needle & it worked fine for the first six years or so. Should I start my troubleshooting with a new needle? If so, what is the brand/model/serial number I should look for? The current needle is a sharp "J" shape with the needle mounted on the underside of the curve. I've yet to find one like it in any manual.

Thanks in advance!