|
|
|
|
78 rpm Turntable, Cartridges and stylus / Few Question
(Sudhir) wrote in
om:
78 rpm Turntable, Cartridges and stylus / Few Question
=========================================
I am planning to buy a 78 rpm turntable
While many used (mostly DUAL brand) and few new models
(Stanton ) are available here in USA, and have the three speeds
(33, 45 and 78), all of them are equipped with Cartridges
and Stylus/stylii which are for playing the Vinyls (LP / EP).
Trying to select the right cartridge and the corresponding stylus
narrows the field to just 2 models of cartridges and 1 model of
stylus / each. Stanton 500 -AL with D5127 stylus and
Pickering NP/AC with generic 3 mil stylus from KABUSA.com
These cartridges are listed as Standard Mount (but probably a
half inch height) and fit on many turntables. The stylus tip is 2.7
mil to 3.0 mil (for refr. only: the biggest size for vinyls is:
0.7 mil, i.e. 1/4th of that used on shellac)
The last mentioned baby - the stylus, costs more than what one has
to spend on mom, i.e. the cartridge ($40 to 50 vs. 25 or less).
Since 78 rpm, which I may buy, or borrow, would have been in storgae
for many decades, they will have lot of dust particles and in few
cases cracks. So the stylus has to be be replaced after may be
600 to 1000 plays.
(snip)
Thanks
Sudhir
e-mail replies: maildrop888 (please add: @yahoo.com)
Only thing I can really add is that 78rpm records have usually seen some
heavy wear. I had a small collection once (including one dating back to
the days when they could only "print" on one side). No 78rpm in the
collection had escaped damage of one sort or another.
Early Styli were thorn or steel - the former didn't damage the
information held in the grooves much, but wore out very quickly. Steel
lasted for ages, but gradually cut away at the recording.
Autochangers were quite common - dropping the next disk from a stack
above the turntable - resulting in many small scratches.
Some cheaper record players had a valve amp in the proximity of the
turntable, so 78rpm records can tend to be warped, too.
Add to all that the years of neglect, and the prospect of your 78rpm
record being in mint condition is highly unlikely. If they are mint, and
worth anything, keeping them that way probably involves not playing them
(I suppose you could record them onto MD, so they don't need to be played
again - this might allow you to edit out serious scratches, too - if you
have the patience).
In short - I would suspect that buying an expensive cartridge and stylus
would not be money well spent.
--
Regards,
Dave
http://welcome.to/daves.website
http://travel.to/formula.one
|