OT: Where do you find phonograph needles?

**Alien_Shore** · May 24th, 2012, 04:24 PM

A friend asked me today where to find some stylus' for his turntable. I don't think he has anything fancy, just consumer grade 1980's type turntable....

**bowtie427ss** · May 24th, 2012, 04:41 PM

Needle Doctor

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · May 24th, 2012, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

Needle Doctor

I think that's where I got one before I got frustrated and gave up....... I decided I'm a CD person.

**juniper** · May 24th, 2012, 05:37 PM

Needle Doc does a great job, for a budget cart have him try a ortofon 2m red, inexpensive but certainly doesn't sound it, very easy to install and sounds suprisingly good for the price (the bass is so clean it is amazing) In A-B testing it surpassed most of my reference cd's easily. Good luck!!!

**Alien_Shore** · May 24th, 2012, 07:48 PM

I knew you guys would give me excellent advice.
THANKS!

**voice of the theater** · May 24th, 2012, 08:43 PM

I've purchased phono cartridges from them before and their service was excellent. Also bought a new stylus cleaner from them. As far as recommending a particular cartridge, I'm hesitant to do that as many "high end" cartridges have a very different character/response curve from each other and personal preference/taste is a huge determining factor in phono cartridge selection IMHO. I like (well mastered/remastered) CD's and DVD audio but still enjoy much of my "old" vinyl too. I have friends who used to say I was like a surgeon with my vinyl (keeping it clean and static free--VRP record sleeves and discwasher "anti-static turntable mat" etc.) but it paid off. My old vinyl still sounds mint (I was also known at my local record store for returning/exchanging a lot of vinyl that wasn't "quiet" enough for me). I've since sold a bunch of it, but kept a good chunk as well--kept all the stuff that was "important" to me or that I couldn't find a good sounding CD version (mastering job) of.....

**Alien_Shore** · May 24th, 2012, 10:16 PM

I was much the same, VOTT. back in the 70-80's our local record store was a very cool place to hang out. They had kick-butt sound system in there, and it was always just a great place to go and talk shop, peruse the latest releases, listen to some great sounds, and blow most of my scrawny paychecks. I would always pick up a handful of those VRP sleeves, and these clear plastic bags for the outsides of the record covers too. My big mistake was giving almost my entire collection to my son back about 10 years ago. The whole collection (probably upwards of 150 LPs) was stolen from his apartment. Ugh.