[MrFixr55]

Hi Lawrence,

Is the cartridge original? Do you have a pic of the cartridge. If this is a 78 RPM Only changer, there may be a limit to what you want to do. Generally, the cartridge has to put out about 1V for this amplifier (a rather good amp BTW, with 1 stage of amplification, a cathodyne phase inverter, 2 6V6s (Beam Power baby brother of the 6L6). Generally, these phonos used a crystal cartridge which is not a HiFi device to say the least. If you replaced the cartridge with a ceramic cartridge, the fidelity would be somewhat better but the output voltage is a lot lower (about 0.1 -0.5V). It may be nice to add a preamp and a GE RPX or similar monaural magnetic cartridge. It is somewhat period correct (I believe that the RPX came out in the late 1940s or early 1950s and the RPX II came out around 1956 or so.) I said add a preamp. There needs to be at least 2 tube stages for the RPX. Alternatively, a solid state preamp, the type sold often in the 1970s would work. This would definitely boost the fidelity. There are some modern magnetic cartridges that may work here, that were made for "Scratch DJs" and "Turntablists". However, you would need a needle meant for 78RPM records and the higher tracking force encountered with turntables of this vintage. The advantage here is that with a stereo cartridge, paralleling the outputs in phase allows playing lateral groove (Victor and Columbia and most other brands) records while paralleling out of phase allows you to play vertical grove (Edison) records.

You would be surprised how good a 78 RPM record in good condition sounds with a good cartridge and amplifier.