Just Given A Sony PS-X7 Turntable - Worth Using?

An older friend with a lifetime of audio and music appreciation passed away some months ago. His wife called me recently to see if I would like to have his old turntable and record collection. His amplifiers, speakers, etc. were claimed by his son, but he had no interest in turntables or vinyl.

I am old enough to have a small bit of knowledge about turntables, but just barely, and had been considering getting into vinyl but the startup cost with turntables, acquiring vinyl, etc. were a bit daunting.

Now that I have inherited, so to speak, a collection of records, all in excellent condition, the question is whether this turntable is worth using, or do I need to invest in an entry level model in the $1500.00 range to get good quality vinyl reproduction. Or I could buy something better used, for the same amount, of course.

The PS-X7 is in virtually mint condition, as he apparently purchased it in 1978, and it had never moved from the shelf it sat on, for the past 33 years, until I took it home the other night. I would assume it would need to be gone through and have the belt replaced, a new cartridge, at least. There is a Shure V 15 cartridge currently installed but his wife said he meant to replace it just before the cd revolution hit, due to age. The turntable had not been used since he moved to cd's around 1985.

So, is this unit worth bothering with, having some work done on it, buying a new cartridge, etc., or do I skip it entirely and look for a good current, used model, with a solid cartridge? Thanks for your help with this.

JC