Customer brought in a 1966 Packard Bell stereo console....Model RPC72W...solid state. The phono circuit has me stumped. I put in a new ceramic cartridge to replace the old one....but I just get weak tiny sound. I tried a couple other cartridges, no change. I found I got 15vdc on the hot tip of the RCA jacks from the phono cable. Looking at the schematic I now see there is voltage applied to each side (L-gets 7v to the outside RCA plug/R-gets 7v to the tip thru a 2.2k resistor). Never saw this before...can't understand what they were doing. I'm guessing that voltage is killing my signal from the cartridge. See attached circuit....

That's not the usual schematic symbol for a ceramic phono cartridge, and not something that I've ever encountered.
A phono pickup that produces a variable resistance?
Your schematic looks to be from a Sams Photofact. What does the parts list say about the original cartridge?

- Jim

I agree it's likely that was a very special cartridge which required that applied voltage to work properly. Possibly along the lines of the old ultrasonic TV remote receivers that had a + voltage applied to the center pin of the RCA jack and wouldn't work if that voltage was not present at the microphone.

To use a "normal" ceramic cartridge, I'd start by removing the 2200 ohm resistors R83 and R128 and the +7V connection to the left RCA jack.
Instead connect the jack shell to ground like the right channel.
Some additional tweeks may be necessary, as the output level (and perhaps the frequency response) of the new cartridge may be different than the original.

Also... If the original cartridge appears to be intact and functional, I notice that turntableneedles.com still has a replacement stylus available for it.

- Jim

It is Condenser phono cartridge like a condenser mic , it was made by Panasonic or Sony .It has a high level output and a special EQ and will need a different preamp stage to make it sound correct with a different cartridge .

Thanks for the info guys!!....I went back and checked the old cartridge and got good ohm readings out of each channel..but the needle is busted. I just 'assumed' it was a ceramic that was old and dead..so much for assuming. If I brush the cartridge saddle with my finger I do get some sound...so it appears alive. I ordered a needleBTW...It has a Euphonics U15-2 cartridge.

Not a condensor, it's solid state and needs the bias.

The top line Admiral consoles used the Euphonics Miniconic also.

Admiral used a variable resistance cartridge back in the 1940s; the element was made of conductive rubber.