Yes, you need a phono preamp. Check to see if your receiver or amp has a phono preamp built in. If not, you would need to get one.
No, needles are not universal. It would be advisable to look carefully at the device (cartridge) that the needle projects out of and try to identify its make and model. These cartridges have varying levels of output, and the output of your cartridge may be important in your selection of a phono preamp. I would guess you have a moving magnet cartridge, which doesn't really require a more expensive phono preamp. I would also guess that your cartridge is quite old and may sound bad because its rubber components have dried out -- a candidate for replacement. If you buy a new cartridge, you can choose from different technologies, like moving magnet or moving coil. This could affect your choice of phono preamp. All this could become a significant investment, and I would suggest spending a little time learning about all the choices. But before you go that far, I would check to make sure that the turntable works properly -- maintains speed stability. Good luck.
No, needles are not universal. It would be advisable to look carefully at the device (cartridge) that the needle projects out of and try to identify its make and model. These cartridges have varying levels of output, and the output of your cartridge may be important in your selection of a phono preamp. I would guess you have a moving magnet cartridge, which doesn't really require a more expensive phono preamp. I would also guess that your cartridge is quite old and may sound bad because its rubber components have dried out -- a candidate for replacement. If you buy a new cartridge, you can choose from different technologies, like moving magnet or moving coil. This could affect your choice of phono preamp. All this could become a significant investment, and I would suggest spending a little time learning about all the choices. But before you go that far, I would check to make sure that the turntable works properly -- maintains speed stability. Good luck.