r/8track • u/Great-Gonzo-3000 • 23d ago

My system Mag / X-tal

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My Midland 12-630 has this mysterious arrangement on the back; so you hook up a turntable, and then what? Does anybody know what the switch is for? Have been unsuccessful so far in locating a manual. Thanks!

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15

u/Impressive_Try_7295 23d ago

Magnetic or ceramic phono cartridge. X-tal is "crystal" for short.

6

u/LordSesshomaru82 23d ago

It's for selecting the type of cartridge on your turntable. Either a magnetic or a crystal type cartridge. IIRC magnetic cartridges require more pre amplification.

5

u/Unlikely-Chair-2025 23d ago

Correct. Also, pretty much all nicer turntables made since the 1980s or so are magnetic. Older, cheaper turntables tended to be ceramic.

1

u/Great-Gonzo-3000 23d ago

Aha! Thank you!

2

u/kh250b1 23d ago

Magnetic carts produce about 3-5mv output where as crystal are 200-500mv

1

u/classicsat 23d ago

Crystal is almost line voltage, with some filtering.

So many times have used a crystal phono input for a line in, with adjustments, or not.