Is anyone listening to OLD 78's?

Between everyone in my family (the "older" generation) I will end up with many, many 78's. While I don't listen to them now, I do plan on building a Lenco to give me that option. My Teres will not play them either. I have played some of then on my aunt's console, just to see what they sound like.

I think there is a whole different sound out there waiting to be revived. And to think: I used to melt them down to make black shellac!

I set up an old Dual 1209 turntable with a Grado mono 78 cartridge just for that purpose. The groove width is much wider on 78s, so you need the correct cartridge/stylus assembly to play them properly. The Equalization is different too -- bass is stronger and treble more rolled off, but that didn't cause too big a problem for me.

Also, many 78's are not recorded exactly at 78rpm; they range from around 74rpm to around 82 rpm depending on the label and time of recording. So, a turntable with a pitch adjustment is a good idea if you have a large collection.

It's really neat to hear some of those old recordings despite the increased noise that goes along with them. It's very nostalgic and always puts me in a good mood. Some folks maintain that the sound quality of 78s is actually better than the LP with it's narrower microgroove cut and slower speed.

You might want to stop playing them on your aunt's console if it doesn't have a decent arm or cartridge. And of course if you decide they're too much bother I would happily give them a good home. :)

Needledoctor.com sells a Stanton TT specially for 78's with cartridge for $250. which I plan to get soon. Don't know if it is adjustable for speed. There is a lot of good though obscure music out there on 78's available nowhere else.

I know the Dual CS 5000 is capable of doing 33, 45, and 78. I was mostly wondering if there was a market for something like his old 78's. I don't know anyone who listens to 78's now, but it seems like there must be a lot of good music there that never made it onto other formats.

I bought a Vestrax from Needle Dr. It plays every speed, and also has a dial to get the in-betweens (74-82 as above. To that fine Japanese table, I installed a Shure 78 cartridge which bridges left to right.

Then I got a proper '78 tube for my VTI record cleaning machine. I use Record Doctor after an initial rinsing with water (these records are so dirty the first gritty slurry can run brown, so I want that off before using a brush). After a gentle and thorough wash, the VTI provides a final rinse with purified water. Finally I use Last preservative to bring down the noise level. I was amazed at how the records just drink it in.

Now I listen to my small but growing collection more often than I ever expected.

Aceto, spoken like a true music lover. Congratulations on adding a new format to your library. No doubt there are some real gems in 78 that never made it to LP or CD.