Sony PS-LX5 turntable

I'm looking to replace the needle for my Sony PS-LX5 turntable and don't really know what I need to buy or where to buy it. Are there any retail outlets in the Detroit area where I can pick something up?

It has the original needle and it still works but I don't want to risk ruining my records with a 25 year old needle.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Welcome to AK!

With this turntable you can use just about any cartridge. Go to any Best Buy or Circuit City and get an Audio Technica AT92E (also called AT92ECD), or AT3003, all functionally equivalent. I believe it's cheaper at BB. It's a decent cartridge with a narrow, elliptical stylus that will work beautifully with your low mass tonearm. For less than $50 you'll be listening to good music and treating your records well.

ok i bought the AT3003 and install it and it plays fine.

I'm a little concerned that the underside of the cartridge is extremly close to the record. Is this normal or should there be more clearance?

Looks like you've already made your purchase, but in the Detroit area, you need only drive over to "audio row" on Woodward between 13 Mile and Maple. I reccommend Audio Dimensions, but go when you're not in a hurry, as usually there's only one person minding the store at any one time, and its first come first served.

However, its worth your while. Take your turntable with you, and they will typically mount and aligh the cartridge for you if the store isn't too busy.

About your cartridge clearance concerns, as long as the cartridge isn't making contact/rubbing on the record, you're fine. You might want to check for an adjustment variable called Vertical Tracking Angle: a measurment that determines the angle that your stylus is tracking in the groove. Do a search here in the forum, lots of discussions about VTA. Not sure if your turntable as an adjustment for this. If not, you can possiblly vary the thickness of the platter mat to tweak VTA.

The PS-LX5 doesn't have VTA. But you might want to make sure you're tracking force is set correctly. If set too heavy, it could make the cartridge sag more.

Hi all,
first of all, thanks for all the suggestion I've found in this forum, you're all great!
I've found in my attic this turntable (it was my father's).
I'd like to hear some of his old lp's: can you help me to set the antiskating and arm's weight properly? I don't know where to start.
The Cartridge is a sony XL-200 with a diamond stylo: is it ok?
thanks to all