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

[Steven C. Barr]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Biel" <mbiel at mbiel.com>
>>> 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.
>
Yup...MY error! Indeed, "mini-phone plug"...in fact, the middle of the
three available sizes (1/8" IIRC).
>> 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.
>
Well, my increasing age (as well as a couple of serious head injuries) has
robbed my of almost all of my high-end ear response!

Steven C. Barr