How to Use a Magnavox Record Player
By Shelly Schumacher
The first Magnavox record players came on the market in 1958. While today they are viewed as antiquated technology, at the time, they were a state-of-the-art revolution. Their introduction provided the first wave of stereo sound for the home audience. Today, a Magnavox record player is more of a novelty item than a form of entertainment. Most young people have never seen a record player in use and prefer to listen to their music from the technologically advanced CD or MP3 players.
Open cover of record player.
Place record on the turn table. There is a small peg in the center of the turntable that goes through the hole in the middle of the record.
Select the correct playing speed.
Turn the player on and wait for the album to start spinning at full speed.
Lift the tonearm and carefully place the stylus needle at the start of the song selection you would like to hear.
When the music is finished, lift the arm from the album surface and return to resting cradle. Turn player off.
Tips
- Keep cover of record player closed. This will keep dust off the playing surfaces. Full length, 12-inch albums play at 33 rotations per minute (rpm), while smaller records play at 45 rpm. Some record players also have 78 rpm, however it is rarely used. The album will have several grooves on it. The thinner shiny grooves are the spaces between the recordings, while the ones that are closer together are the songs or recorded material. Some players have an automatic off switch. When the album is finished, the arm will automatically return to the resting cradle. Other record players allow you to stack several albums on the center spindle peg. The albums will play in succession. When one album is completed, the next one will be dropped onto the turntable. The playing arm will automatically start playing at the beginning of the album.
Writer Bio
Shelly Schumacher has a diverse writing background that includes work in print as well as electronic publications. She has been writing for over 18 years and enjoys working with a variety of different clients on both writing projects and as a marketing and public relations consultant. Schumacher holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Wisconsin.