Q: The turntable's pre-amp switch is set properly, and the speakers work perfectly when plugged into other audio devices (TV, computer). Everything worked fine until the last time I turned it on, and now, for some reason, I have to turn the volume all the way up to be able to just barely hear whatever record I have spinning. I didn't change any settings or wires. The manual's troubleshooting guide didn't have a solution for this problem. Is this a symptom of a stylus...

A: Assuming the preamp is ok, it sounds like the cartrige has gone bad.
They usually die that way.
Here is a quick test you can make to verify this.
Turn on your system, select the phono input and set the volume on the low side. Lift the tone arm on the turntable and look for the wire connections to the back of the cartrige. Using a straight or opened safety pin, touch any exposed metal area the wires are attached to one wire at a time. If you hear a loud hum from the...