78 Thread

[Dude111]

I disagree 78s SOUND EXCELLENT!!!!! (Even better than most any other record)

[GaryProtein]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I disagree 78s SOUND EXCELLENT!!!!! (Even better than most any other record)

You gotta be kidding me.

If you think they sound excellent, you might want to consider a system upgrade.

[Maks]

Originally Posted by GaryProtein

I really think that unless you want to hear Enrico Caruso or Arturo Toscanini on historically original disks, the time for 78's is long gone.

Collecting 78s for me is like any other collecting hobby, there are many reasons I enjoy it. I've found songs on 78s that I haven't found anywhere else. I have many LPs that are remastered 78s and they've done so much processing to cover up surface noise that there's no life left in the recording. Great condition 78s can sound better than their 45 counterparts. Are 78s the ultimate in high fidelity? Of course not.

[GaryProtein]

I didn't say 78's were useless, I said unless you wanted to hear certain performers on historical disks, their time has past.

I disagreed with the statement:

. . . .78s SOUND EXCELLENT!!!!! (Even better than most any other record)

I have more music than I can listen to now, so unless I get the yen to hear something really old, there are many other things to listen to. I don't feel I have to listen to everything that has been recorded.

I recognize there are collectors and each one has their niche.

[speedofsound33-3]

Radio Dismuke streams 78's: Radio Dismuke - 1920s & 1930s Popular Music & Jazz Internet Radio Station

[Maks]

I realize there is little interest in 78s here, but I picked up some cool stuff recently. I got a 1921 Mamie Smith recording, she was the first black vocal blues artist. It was the first 78 I got that didn't have a lead-in groove, apparently the lead-in groove didn't become popular until the early 30s at some point. It's also my first, and only, acoustic recording. I found a local Craigslist seller and got a really nice condition Carl Perkins "Blue Suede Shoes" on Sun, which is probably the coolest piece in my collection. I'm not a person who will ever pay more than $15 for a 78, so unless I come across a great antique shop find, that will probably be my best 78 for awhile.

[phoenixengr]

I have a 1946 SeeBurg Jukebox ("Trashcan") that plays 78's. The original cartridge was an Astatic crystal unit with a steel needle that went bad. I replaced it with a newer Astatic cartridge with the same mounting footprint, but it appears to have a sapphire tipped needle. On the old original 78 discs, it seems to leave a fine grey powder behind after playing, and I had read somewhere that diamond (or sapphire) needles damage the older discs. But I also have some newer vinyl 78's that don't seem to suffer from this problem.

Question: Do I need to go back to a steel needle to protect my old 78's? If so, will the steel needle damage the vinyl 78's?

[Maks]

I'm not sure to be honest with you, I know the older 78s were made with a harder material that could stand up to the abuse of the steel needles, which are supposedly not great to use on newer 78s. I use a modern Shure cart and stylus and haven't noticed any dust or residue after playing older records.

[Dude111]

I found a thick 78 that I think is recorded at 80rpm (Its 1/2inch thick) -- It plays on my reg needle but the sound is quite low because the needle CANNOT ACCESS THE WHOLE GROOVE.. (Ya need a bigger needle (A diamond i think))

Its one of those EDISON RECORDS (Thomas)

[Linus]

Lot's of love for 78's at our house.
We listen on a Dual CS5000 turntable. For a little while I had a Grado Gold Prestige cartridge because we could swap out the stylus for a Grado 78 stylus. But Grado's aren't well sheilded and it was picking up hum from the Dual's motor.

I sold the Grado and now have an Ortofon 2M Red with the Ortofon 78 Stylus to swap out. It sounds great.

I actually auditioned the 2M Bronze cartridge and although it had a tiny bit more top end or air, it felt alike it didn't have as much umph or low end muscle. I decided to stick with the red over the bronze.

Haven't bought any 78's in years, we have tons as it is.