For several months, I had been having issues with my turntable, seemingly as a result of my attempt to replace the needle. After I installed the new needle, the sound quality was suddenly off, and I could only get the music to play from the right speaker. After much trial and error, I decided to take it to a specialty shop for a diagnosis. Through another vinyl-collecting colleague, my friend Karen learned of a great recommendation for Madison’s resident turntable expert. In just a few days, he evaluated my turntable, gave it a tune and a new needle, and now it’s playing better than ever.Apparently I had purchased and installed the wrong needle for my turntable, which is why I was having sound issues. He also reported that my turntable is in great working condition, and that it’s a classic Technics, likely from the 70’s. I had always been convinced that I needed to splurge on a better turntable (in my mind, the dream was the $1,200 Rega P3), but he assured me that my turntable is perfect.
Which is actually funny, since I found my current turntable in the dungeon-like basement of Karen’s former appartment. I had found it sitting on a table, next to the laundry room, with a simple sign stating, “Free. Take me if you wish.” Thinking that it looked better than my turntable at the time, and knowing that my conscience would not allow me to leave this beautiful turntable stranded in a dingy basement, I took it home and made it my own. Unsure of its origins, however, I was always apprehensive about its quality and performance. Now I can rest assure that I have a solid turntable.
So although it was a process to get to this point, and I was forced to go months without my beloved turntable, I guess I’m always learning. And now she's truly ready to spin, and I’m more excited than ever to break out my favorite records.
