Spinning 78's through an RIAA applied EQ Curve- Adjustments?

"What we've got here is failure to communicate..."

So this entire fracas is because, according to one party of this dispute, you cannot play old 78s, even with a purpose-built "78 stylus", on anything other than a disposable steel needle on an acoustic phonograph?
 
"What we've got here is failure to communicate..."

So this entire fracas is because, according to one party of this dispute, you cannot play old 78s, even with a purpose-built "78 stylus", on anything other than a disposable steel needle on an acoustic phonograph?

Can you believe this?
 
Do tell, again why is it ok that a steel needle will not harm (much) old orthophonic recording and acoustic ones, but will chewed 50s 78 record fast? <your avoiding this...

Until you come to the realization that a modern vinyl record wares out a modern diamond stylus. Thus playing a old orthophonic recording and acoustic one is like running the same diamond stylus over a sharpening stone because of this records make up.

I understand the point that you're trying to make, but it's a useless one. You can play any 78 with a modern 78 stylus. I don't know how much you play 78's, but I've been playing them for 30 years, all kinds, with no issues. I have over 1000 of them. There is no issue here and I'm not certain why you continue to press the issue, especially when the OP did not ask for an opinion on the type of stylus that he should use, but on using a certain kind of preamp. Probably should just move on.
 
I'm confused, too. Even if the old impregnated shellacs contain iron and even abrasives, are you supposed to go out and buy a Victrola? You'd think if the danger was so bad and the demand so great that someone would have come up with a 1/2" cartridge for standard arms that takes those steel needles. I mean, why not? How hard could it be to come up with a steel needle 1/2" cartridge or some equivalent?

Again, the only "danger" is playing a modern (post 1940) 78 on a Victrola type player with a steel needle. The record will get chewed up quickly. Playing an older 78 with a modern 78 stylus is fine, and will cause no unusual harm to either the record or stylus.
 
Again, the only "danger" is playing a modern (post 1940) 78 on a Victrola type player with a steel needle. The record will get chewed up quickly. Playing an older 78 with a modern 78 stylus is fine, and will cause no unusual harm to either the record or stylus.
That's how I roll. People, stop fretting, and start playing your music!
 
Slightly off topic, but of interest to 78 people should be the 78 project (no afilliation) at http://great78.archive.org/ and their archive at https://archive.org/details/78rpm?and[]=subject:"78rpm" They have a lot of info on materials, eq and speed.

Thank you, that does seem interesting. I don't know much about 78s yet, but am keen to learn. I've inherited a handful of disc, though sadly, nothing on them is of particular interest to me(mostly it's the kind of stuff my grandparents would have danced to at the pavilion back in the postwar years), and I don't own anything I could play them with though my Crosley-esque cheapogram could actually spin at 78.
 
I set up my AT120LP-USB AT95E cart (one of them) with a 78 stylus. I played back a disc last night, and to my ears, it sounded decent, certainly listenable. But, given the RIAA curve a modern day phono preamplifier applies, what tone adjustments do folks like to make to bass, treble, etc, to get it to sound more like the way it was originally listened to, without the curve applied?

I like to use this. Comes with a manual that gives the compensation settings for lots of labels.

http://www.esotericsound.com/elect.htm#d_Equalizers

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Except for a lot of post 1955 78 RPM discs, the equalization curves varied. There is a good chart online of who used what curve and gives you the graphic EQ baseline curves and you can tweak it from there how you like it best. That is functionally similar to the Esoteric Sound re-equalizer but done with a graphic equalizer of some kind.
 
Again, the only "danger" is playing a modern (post 1940) 78 on a Victrola type player with a steel needle. The record will get chewed up quickly.
Why would a shellac 78 from the 1940s get "chewed up" any more quickly than one from the 1930s? Was there some change in shellac formulation that I've never heard of before? Or are you talking about the 1950s 78s that were pressed on vinyl, sometimes even microgroove?

Here is a shellac 78 from 1947 being played on a circa-1915 Columbia Grafanola:

 
Why would a shellac 78 from the 1940s get "chewed up" any more quickly than one from the 1930s? Was there some change in shellac formulation that I've never heard of before? Or are you talking about the 1950s 78s that were pressed on vinyl, sometimes even microgroove?

Here is a shellac 78 from 1947 being played on a circa-1915 Columbia Grafanola:


Vinyl.
 
Why would a shellac 78 from the 1940s get "chewed up" any more quickly than one from the 1930s? Was there some change in shellac formulation that I've never heard of before? Or are you talking about the 1950s 78s that were pressed on vinyl, sometimes even microgroove?

I think there is some concern that the later 78s, particularly the laminated ones with a thin layer of purer shellac on the surface, will wear faster.

Actually, to add to that, I also read that the 'hotter' modulations in the groove can damage the diaphragm in an acoustic reproducer - not sure about this myself.
 
Actually I was under the impression Edison discs needed a cart that reads laterally. And you can mod a regular cart to do that.
 
Why would a shellac 78 from the 1940s get "chewed up" any more quickly than one from the 1930s? Was there some change in shellac formulation that I've never heard of before? Or are you talking about the 1950s 78s that were pressed on vinyl, sometimes even microgroove?

Here is a shellac 78 from 1947 being played on a circa-1915 Columbia Grafanola:

I have 80+ year old 78's that play extremely well. Most of the people on here that spread untruths have never even tried to play a 78.
 
Why would a shellac 78 from the 1940s get "chewed up" any more quickly than one from the 1930s? Was there some change in shellac formulation that I've never heard of before? Or are you talking about the 1950s 78s that were pressed on vinyl, sometimes even microgroove?

Here is a shellac 78 from 1947 being played on a circa-1915 Columbia Grafanola:


The post 1940 78 RPM discs were cut at far louder levels, they have wider dynamic range than the 1930's discs did. Improvements in recording technology apply. These records were designed for electrical playback instead of acoustic playback.
 
It amazes me how many folks spend more time fretting about wearing down their styli, and chewing up their records, as opposed to playing and enjoying them. Styli and records are replaceable. Enjoyed experiences, and memories, are not. Try playing a song like Glen Miller's Moonlight Serenade on a 78, and keeping a dry eye. Especially if you have stories handed down through generations about where they were, what they remember, during and after WW2. Glen Miller was not known as a sentimental, warm person. Yet, touched so many with this masterpiece. Best heard on, yes, the original 78.
 
Most of the people on here that spread untruths have never even tried to play a 78.

I personally play everything, but actually do it correctly.

1915 Victrola, Acoustic Records, with steel needle

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1930 General Motors Radio, The Queen Anne : Ceramic cartridge with steel stylus,SUT and Amplified for Orthophonic Recording.

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1954 Zenith console with Cobramatic 78,45 33,16 speed record changer, Mono, for modern 78 and vinyl records.

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I personally play everything, but actually do it correctly.

1915 Victrola, Acoustic Records, with steel needle

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1930 General Motors Radio, The Queen Anne : Ceramic cartridge with steel stylus,SUT and Amplified for Orthophonic Recording.

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1954 Zenith console with Cobramatic 78,45 33,16 speed record changer, Mono, for modern 78 and vinyl records.

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There is no "correct" way to play these. Unless your approach is the only way, which you seem to feel, it is.
 
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