[78-L] TURNING THE TABLES, (was New Cheap Turntable

[Michael Biel]

>> Here is a very informative article. Note, there is not much referring to
>> use a 78 RPM. But it touches on a lot of the issues we have been discussing.
http://www.knowzy.com/Computers/Audio/Digitize_Your_LPs/USB_Record_Player_Turntable_Comparison.htm
>> Mark L. Bardenwerper, Sr.

Very interesting page.  Good compilation of competing brands and models
in one place.  It seems to have been evolving because the listing
includes Lenco but no Lenco table is actually featured.  The end of the
list mentions they only list currently available equipment.  The page
also give an interesting note: "Ceramic cartridges are 'a crime against
music,' says member Axon of Hydrogen Audio. [You can] Avoid these USB
record players without spending more [by] using our comparison charts." 
There is a large section explaining why the ceramic cartridge is not
appropriate, but they don't include the info that they do not provide an
adequately sharp and clear stereo signal to feed most modern noise
reduction systems.

From: "Steven C. Barr" <stevenc at interlinks.net>
> Meanwhile, I am SERIOUSLY looking for fifties/sixties/(et al?) "record 
> players" which offer the "78" speed! You see, these usually use ceramic
> cartridges...whose output signal is around 1 volt...meaning that I can
> redirect the cartridge output, using a newly-installed "mini phono plug,"

Do you mean "mini phone"?  The "phono" plug and jack is the "RCA phono",
there is no "mini phono, only a "mini phone" which is the smaller
7/32-inch version of the standard 1/4-inch phone plug.  

> into the "Line In jack of my sound card!

Most of use a controllable pre-amp into the line-in.  

> I did this for MANY years...I used a late-fifties RCA Victor
> "record player" (which I found in the neighbourhood "trash!"),
> with the cartridge o/p fed into the "Lone In" jack

Hi Yo Silver!!

> of a sixties Sony r2r deck (it functioned as the "heart" of my 
> sound system then...!).

Many of us did this for many years but we grew up and moved on. In my
case I abandoned my childhood crystal and ceramic cartridges in 1959
when I turned 13 and got some real equipment.   

> All the lightweight players (tracking pressue c. 1 gram?!)

This might have been your problem.  We use a gram to play LPs, but
somewhere around 2 to 4 grams to play 78s.  

> have always seemed to me to be MUCH better at picking up
> surface noise than actual content...!!  Steven C. Barr 

If you use too little stylus pressure, no wonder!  But of course the
real answer is that ceramic cartridges naturally roll off the high
frequencies much like the RIAA EQ of microgrooves.  This starts you off
with less highs, and thus less scratch, as well as less of the highs in
the music.  Wrapping a towel around your head also offers a similar
sound quality.  Removing the towel is similar to comparing the dull
sound from a ceramic cartridge to what can be heard with a magnetic cart
with a proper sized stylus and proper tracking weight.

Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com