Many years ago i was demoe'd a nice sounding 78. It was a cool jazz combo; a nicely recorded late 40's early 50's record. The 78 was clean and it was played on a post WW11 PHILCO console. Fantastic! It was a perfect marriage; a late 40's 78 played on a late 40's console. It was a beautiful pairing. The way to go.
Hey I've been collecting/playing 78s for quite a while now (Currently spinning on a Musichall Mmf 1.5 with a Vessel cartridge and 78rpm wide groove stylus. I mainly focus on collecting early jazz with a leaning towards some of the jumpier/dance band type stuff. I also have a fairly extensive Billie Holiday collection on both Shellac and 10" LP. Just wanted drop in and say how much I enjoy your channel and how nice it is to see someone here on RUclips putting out 78 content that isn't soley needle drops (not that those are bad either)! Hoping to see more content from you coming soon! -Kyle T.
Hello, Kyle! Always great to make the acquaintance of another 78 enthusiast. I am not familiar with Vessel cartridges. Would love to know more...what do you like most about it? Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
It's important to note that not all 78 rpm records are the same. Old 78 rpm records (roughly pre-WW2) were made to be played on wind-up gramophones and you can replay them plenty of times with little wear (if your gramophone is in good condition and you change the needle after every side). But the later 78s were made to be played with electric pickups and were made of a softer material, so playing those on a wind-up gramophone with its heavy reproducer will wear them out over time. So if you have a wind-up gramophone then you should be careful with playing 78s from the 1950s, but ones from the 1910s and 20s should be fine to play (assuming the gramophone is in good shape and you know what you're doing).
Definitely! Very good points. If I make a video of playing 78s on my vintage Grafonola, I will definitely highlight those details. Thank you for watching and commenting. Appreciate it. Skol! Jeff
Fortunately you can still buy new steel needles for your gramophones since some people still make them but I definitely prefer electronic turntables myself which afford you more control, less overall wear, and of course direct recording for archival purposes. Sure, you could mic up a gramophone horn with a decent mic but still.
Dano! Hello! Been on the move - see latest video for an update on that - and hope to be back in action soon. Lots of unpacking and setting up to do. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I am by no means a purest in everything but my enjoyment in collecting and playing the old 78s is to only play them on the original equipment. It's just part of the hobby. If I want easy of play, I can often buy a CD or even Mp3. To each their own. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Totally respect that. I have a Columbia Grafonola, and play records on it from time to time. Just not something I've really gotten into. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves Sonically, the best sound one can get out of Edison (vertical-cut) records is playing them on an Edison disc phonograph. Perhaps playing them on a specially equipped cartridge is best for minimal wear, but lack the brilliance and presence of an Edison phono. I cannot say about the wear factor of the Edison sound-box, but Edison sure knew what he was doing.
Do you listen the 78 RPM records with the actual RIAA curve included on every phono preamp? Because 78's weren´t recorded with that curve, in fact most of the records before the WWII can be easily listening with a custom 300Hz to 500Hz and flat response on treble. RIAA isn´t flat, is 50Hz bass cut, 500 Hz bass turnover and -13.7dB at 10Khz, with a RIAA preamp you start rolling off the treble of 78s starting around 2Khz, so the sound is dull and boomby.
That was totally fascinating. I'd be interested to see more detail regarding the actual recording process if you care to go into it. I'd like to see the vintage player and hear how a record sounds on that one. Enjoyed the video!
Thanks, Randall. Would be happy to do a "behind the scenes" video of a Listening Session. And a video of my Grafonola is easily done. Not my forte, as I'm definitely NOT a vintage phonograph expert, by any mean. Thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Great video! It's fantastic to see someone appreciating and preserving the sound of vintage 78 rpm records. I noticed you're using a modern Audio Technica turntable and a 78 rpm stylus, which is awesome. I was wondering how you handle the equalization since the old 78s were recorded with various EQ curves that differ from the RIAA standard used in modern equipment. Do you use a specific preamp with adjustable EQ settings or any other method to address this? I'd love to know more about your setup. Thanks for sharing!
All this information is helpful and if you're happy with the outcome, you made the right choice for you. As for, "What is the best", I get annoyed by that. There's someone out there who swears by every brand and model cartridge, as they do for the turntable. Amplifiers, preamps, speakers, etc. The best is what you like. For my 78's, I use an Ortofon Concorde cartridge, a QRK broadcast turntable, a Optimod processor, an Arrakis audio console and a pair of Radio Shack speakers. That combination makes those 78's come alive. To get that original 78 shellac sound, remember, in the 50's, it was a simple record player. Nothing special, but the quality was to relish.
Hello, Chester! I agree with you 100%. What's "best" when it comes to playing 78s (or any other audio format, for that matter) is completely subjective. What works "best" for me is what I showed in the video - and hopefully that was helpful for others. Especially newbies to the hobby. The description of your system sounds amazing. For me as I look at how to upgrade my system - I would love to get a Rek-O-Kut Re-Equilizer and have the capability of re-equalizing 78s and adjusting for the RIAA curve live on the fly as I play them. I've re-equilized digital files, so I know the benefit. Would love to be able to do that as I'm playing discs. Anyway...Always so many little things we can do to improve sound and our listening experience. Thanks so much for watching and commenting on the video. Skol! Jeff
Normally, when listening or ripping 78s, I chose the channel with less surface noise, plug this channel into the mixer and push the mono switch. I'm currently using the audio technica VM-95SP for 78s.
Really glad I found this video and the subscribers that follow you. I've been collecting 78's for 2 years now after becoming inspired by the sound and song "Mares eat oats" from the Pied Pipers...a song my grandfather used to hum to himself while working on misc. projects. After learning about the possible damage to these records over time with a steel needle, I'm looking to go electric now rather than my old crank victorlla and the portable crank I have. Thanks for the info as I will be purchasing something similar.
One of the problems with using newer equipment for 78s is that the newer (and by newer I mean, 1940s+) players don't generally give you much speed fine-adjustment capability. Some of the older records were not "exactly" 78 rpm which is why the players up to the 30s would allow you to fine-adjust the speed. If you listen to an older 78 and it seems like its playing fast or slow, it probably is. Another piece of trivia I've picked up over the years is that RCA had different "tiers" within their record offerings and the color of the label in the center will which tier it belonged to. Red RCA-Victor 78s from the 20s-40s were their top-of the line offering and if you bought a top of the line radio-phono console in say, 1935 like the D-22, it actually came with a record library containing every red-label record released that year (461 albums) in an included separate bookshelf.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes - the difference in speed is a very interesting aspect of 78s. Which makes the Audio-Technica a great turntable for 78s playback because it a s slider control that allows you to adjust the speed up or down. Thanks again. Skol! Jeff
Cool vid Jeff! I like the 3 clap method though I don’t edit much. If I had more space I probably would be into 78s but don’t see that happening. Have a good one.
Thank you, William. Yeah - I can relate...my wife often reminds me of how much space my record collection takes up. :( Thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I used to retail HiFi in the 70s and sold the Grado FTR cartridge. Great sound but did pick up hum on some turntables. The Garrard 401 and the GL75 were big problems. DC or direct drive TT were not an issue. I'm amazed that 50 years on they still have not solved the hum problem. A bit of Mu metal screening may be?
No mention of the importance of tracking force? 78’s require a heavier tracking force 6-7 grams where as conventional 331/3 require 1-3 grams. Also you failed to mention the importance of cartridge alignment when mounting the cartridge in the headshell. A misaligned cartridge will wear out the record, wear out the stylus and give you distorted sound especially towards the inner grooves. I recommend a good used turntable such as the Technics SP-15. And ideally I would find a good used linear tracking arm such as a Rabco SL8E for minimal tracking error. In addition I would find a good used Shure V15 Type V with a 78 stylus . I believe Jico makes a decent 78 replacement stylus for this cartridge or you can purchase it at LPGear.
You missed some historic details on the phonographs- pre 1925 acoustic machines tend to damage records. Post 1925 were usually at least somewhat tuned in and were pretty easy on records.
I totally agree, ruby or sapphire stylus are harder than steel needles, but the pressure is incomparably lower. So, modern turntables will better preserve the grooves.
Just the video I was looking for. I have a Columbia Grafonola that is fun but gives a little bass distortion. I also have a cheap 33/45/78 player, which I will soon upgrade to probably and Audio Technica. Thanks for this video! Chuck
My favorite way to enjoy 78s are though vintage console stereos and 1940s/50s mono units. I got a 1946 Magnavox Belvedere, a Freed Eisemann I’m trying to get a Phanstehl Sp-3? Type cart since the original crystal pick up is dead as a doornail and it uses a Webster Chicago changer. And hopefully In the future I get my 1947 Zenith restored and that one has the 78rpm turntable Cobra tonearm that was very unique to Zenith. It also has the pre-war FM band with the current fm band too!
You do seem to be an expert on this. For someone like me with around 20 shellac discs, would you suggest the Ortofon 2M 78 cartridge? I am planning to get my hands on one of those.
I figured that was a Grado cart! It appears you have the version with a conical stylus. The record store I just got my first 78s from does sell that cart as well. You can also get an elliptical stylus which tracks better and gets more detail from the grooves. In the end it was more cost effective for me to just get a 3 mil stylus for my Nagaoka MP-110 (I know it's a stereo cartridge but still) than to get that plus a whole new headshell for my Technics SL1210GR. I have that going into my Lehmann Audio Black Cube and into my Schiit Magni 2. You can also really go down the rabbit hole and get all the different EQ curves if you really wanted to with specialized gear but I am happy with what I have and of course for digital archival I would have it going into the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface.
Very cool, Sam! yes - over the years I've considered upgrading to the more expensive Grado 78 cart & stylus. But - just haven't done it. Would definitely be an interesting experiment to compare the two. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
You'd get the most benefit from the elliptical 78 stylus with 1940's and 50's discs because they usually have a better treble response. The Nagaoka's have the advantage of permalloy shielding and different plug-in tip sizes.
@@1mctous Funny you mention that because when I first got my MP-110 and used it on my Orbit, it had a slight hum and a relatively high noise floor and even radio interference. Getting proper phono cables instead of the standard interconnect cables I was using fixed the problem by greatly lowering the noise floor and on my SL-1210GR it isn't an issue at all but my 2M Black LVB 250 which I don't use for 78s of course has absolutely no hum no matter how loud I turn up the volume. Grado is the brand that gets the hum reputation but that has not been my experience with the Prestige Black 1 on my Orbit before I upgraded to those other 2 cartridges for LP use before I even got into 78s.
I like to record mine in stereo, then mix it down to mono in Audacity. I've found it's a bit easier to remove noise without losing as much of the music by working on the individual stereo tracks first. Also if you have any Edison discs the trick for those is to record in stereo, invert one channel and then combine to mono, that gets you the vertical information out of a normal cartridge. Also for Edison discs you need to adjust up to 80 rpm. I use the slightly newer Audio Technica turntable , with the AT-VM95SP cartridge/stylus. I keep wondering if recording slower and then speeding up in Audacity would be better for trying to get better sound out of worn out records, but never seem to get around to trying it. Someday maybe I'll get a preamp that can turn off the RIAA, but I do like to use the USB output on the turntable so would also need to get a good DAC. I've used the inverse RIAA profile in Audacity and sometimes it helps and sometimes not. I think sometimes trying to get good sound out of some of the old 78s is more art than science. :) Especially for the discs made before 1910.
Hello, Martin! Thank for the tip on recording & inverting for Edison discs. I have a couple of Edisons and have been trying to figure out how to listen to them without spending tons of money on a Rek-o-Kut Re-Equilizer with a vertical/lateral switch. A cool piece of equipment which I would love to have, but not really in the budget. I haven't tried recording slow and speeding up digitally either. Might help. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves I have since tried recording slow and it did help with noise reduction. One side on the Edison disc I have is so worn out all previous attempts at getting the music louder than the noise were unsuccessful. I recorded at 28 rpm, did a lot of low pass filtering and click removal, did the inversion and combine to mono, then sped it up by 2.86X and did some more high and low pass filtering. After all that I could amplify and hear the music above the noise. For real time listening you can swap the wires on a stereo cartridge to do the same inversion, but dealing with those tiny wires is not fun.
My good friend has that Audio-Technica turntable and likes it. I wonder how that reverse feature works. Wouldn't it destroy the stylus? I don't picture the cantilever holding up from getting hit head-on like that. And the record will obviously suffer. I must be missing something.
i use a pathe gramophone to play all my 78’s. Not the pathes that were designed for the vertical cut records, incase any of you think im using that to play normal side-to-side groove revords
I have over 600-78rpm records I only play them on my windup victrola xi. These records have been around for a long time and they are still here,still play. I'll never play them enough to ruin these records.
I LOVE Your set up! Number one question, How do You listen to Your EDISON Diamond Disc? What stylus and cartridge do You use? (I listen to vintage machines playing only 78 rpm records that are not E++ to V++, My late 1910`s mostly 1920`s and 1930`s Records get played on My Dual 1229,) I can`t afford a turntable like Yours at present, GEEEEZE! they want a lot of coin for these, I would LOVE to have one, not sure about the more modern one!? where are they made? Sorry for the questions, But You can`t learn by just setting on Your hands!
I don't have a way to play Edison discs. I have one in the collection, but haven't listened to it. I hear you can reverse the wiring on a stereo cartridge to play them, but I haven't monkeyed with that yet. Not sure where the Audio-Techinca turntable is made. Will have to look. Skol! jeff
Your 1229 is superior to the AT 120. I exchanged My two lp 120's ( i dj'd a lot with them and they are great for that) for Duals ( at the moment two 1218's a 704 and a 1209 that needs some fixing. Those are made for playing those 78's and will do it much better than the 120....invest in a mono cartridge on your 1229. cheaper and better.
You can play your SP 78rpm records on a phonograph without damaging them but that requires using a fibre/thorn needle. The problem with fibre needles is that they are prismatic (rather than conical) so they have a front and a back and have to be mounted accordingly so they require a different soundbox than that used for other needles (which do not have any particular orientation requirements for mounting).These needles wear down during playback and especially fibre needles wear down quite fast, i.e. before reaching the end of one side. Because of that, people dope them but manufacturers of these needles are long gone and so are the secrets of the doping art. Thorn needles may last for as long as 3-4 records.
@@ToneInGrooves Thank you . Very useful overview of starter equipment list: economical without compromising sound quality or record longevity. This is a great starting point for anyone looking how to play SP records. What with the vinyl resurgence, now we seem to have a shellac resurgence too? That would be great for preserving the legacy of shellac recordings for the future - unless people start posting these to one another en masse which will spell the end of 78 rpm records. Unfortunately, the number one enemy of shellac records is postage (followed by mishaps when handling/storing). There are a few videos on youtube about posting them but I consider some to offer inadequate advice, i.e. still putting the records to risk. There cannot be enough videos on how to properly package these records for postage - as well as properly storing them and caring for them. For large quantities of records, e.g. more than 10 loose records, postage becomes problematic and I would certainly advise picking them up in person for any quantity of more than a dozen. Most sellers just want to dispose of them and simply will not put in the effort required to package such quantities.
Another way to preserve longevity is of course to record to another medium. Recording digitally affords one to record while playing the record at a much slower speed e.g. 33.33 rpm (or, if your equipment permits it, at half of 78 rpm or whatever speed the shellac record should be played) and then speed up the playback. The slower recording speed of course limits record/stylus wear. This reviewer reports good results with this method, that can be heard here: ruclips.net/video/Y6GgkoAguwc/видео.html Of course you may do the same thing with an analogue recorder but then you must have the capability to: a) precisely set the record playing speed when recording as you will not have the same freedom in adjusting the playback speed that is afforded by a digital medium and b) the capability to record at half speed. This method, generally requires using a reel to reel recorder - highly esoteric solution nowadays - or a cassette recorder with the capability to record at half speed, if you happen to have one of those. Generally, of the latter, there are quite a few low-fi examples circulating in the second hand market but finding one with hi-fi sound will be quite an exercise.
Nice set up and I'm new to this channel! This is great if you have that $$ to spend on all this. In defense of acoustic machines, I have an orthophonic from 1926. Everything sounds better on that machine. It doesn't sound tinny like the pre-orthophonics. Discs after 1935, I will still play (I know people are cringing now) on it but I use a soft needle and I would like to experiment with fibre needles. (I'm growing bamboo for that purpose.) Of course I would never play anything really rare or NOS on it. The only thing I have that's close to it is a Chuck Berry 78 and it's not in great condition. It's okay. I have some 50-60 year old machines that play 78 and there's no comparison. I've seen higher end set ups, such as yours, and even higher, that will play even early 1900s records and they sound like they were recorded in the '50s. Just amazing what you could do these days. The only thing I wish I was able to do is to "capture" the sound from the orthophonic digitally.
Welcome! Thank you for watching and commenting. Vintage phonographs definitely have their charms and positives when it comes to listing to 78s. For sure! For me, I enjoy using the modern turntable and even making digital recordings, running them through click/noise repair and re-equalization software, etc. It's fun! I've heard 78s played on the Orthophonic machines and they do sound amazing! Thanks, again. Skol! Jeff
Hi Jeff, I recently came upon your channel and really enjoying it. My interest in 78s has been reawaken but from an unfortunate reason. I’m in northern New Jersey and the recent hurricane flooded my basement and my 78s got soaked with sediment water and it took a day to get to them. Can you recommend a soap/cleaner that I can use to clean them?There are so many opinions on RUclips, I don’t know what to believe. I don’t want to degrade the shellac and the sound beyond the normal age and wear. They were my moms and grandmothers. Will be getting new sleeves and taking better care of them going forward. Looking forward to playing them again. Thank you Jeff.
Hello, Sonia! Oh my! So sorry for you and for the damage to your records. That’s tragic! Hurricane in NJ!? Crazy! I grew up in Florida, so I know what it’s like to go through hurricanes. I did a video on how to clean 78s a while back. Here’s the link: ruclips.net/video/Owe9_MSoFEQ/видео.html I’d try that method first on a few and see how it works. Let me know how it goes. Skol! Jeff
Great video on 78 playback! I'm planning on getting a VM-670SP cartridge, the reviews seem good so I think it's the best option. Also, do you have any advice on equalization? Especially on a living room stereo setting. I'm by no means an expert on equalizers, so any help on a good deck and how to set it up would be greatly appreciated. The only things I know are that RIAA equalization was made the standard in 1956 and electric records made before that have different curves, and that acoustic records have no equalization.
you will need a 3.5 mil stylus for pre 1939 78s i can only get the 3 mil ones for the modern dj turntables. so playing records from the 1920s and 1930s with a 3 mil will not sound as good as the 3.5 mil stylus. it would be great if anyone knows where i can get the 3.5 mil ones for these turntables. i use stanton 500 mark 2
Could one buy a stylus with 90 micrometer and 65 micrometer? To compare with inch based measures, a early microgroove has 25 micrometer, stereo groove has 18 micrometer
I've the same turntable with Grado 78 C cartridge, and I do get a hum that I cannot eliminate. I don't understand why Grado can't fix this before selling it. I have noise reduction software that does a pretty good jog of getting rid of the hum with perhaps a slight reduction in sound quality. Any ideas on how to stop the Grado Hum?
Hello, Ron! I don't know what causes that hum. My guess is that is has more to do with he turntable and less with the cartridge itself. On my TT, the hum is very low and inaudible while the music is playing. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Whaddaya know!!....Anyone who had a UNITED record, a Columbia "client label" (Ca 1910) with a big center hole, will find that a plastic insert made for 45's will fill the big hole perfectly.
How do you feel about the priceless of the music itself which is way underrated . Can you imagine a 100 years from now , it's crazy , the value is totally messed up by hogs lol really its like the Reel2Reel collector's.
YES! Honestly, that's a big part of why I collect 78s. It is so rewarding opening these portals into the past, listing to music from by-gone days, bringing history to life by simply playing a record. It's amazing! Priceless! And yes, I agree, getting more and more expensive. Used to be easy to walk into any thrift store or antique store and find piles of 78s for a dollar apiece. Now "collector values" are what's asked. One of the downsides to the vinyl/physical media resurgence. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I'm going through boxes of 78 shellacs. Do I need to keep the original binders they are in? They are old, dusty, dirty, & some barely holding on. Thank you.
Hello! No, you don't need to keep the binders. Best practice is to sleeve the records and then box or shelve them. I buy my sleeves (and boxes) from Bags Unlimited: www.bagsunlimited.com/category/188/78-rpm-10-record-supplies Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Which one is better Steel needle or stylus ? Is it correct that steel needles on Hmv models or Columbia winding models will damage SHELLAC records? Please advise . Thanks
As I said in the video - it's all opinion. Personally I think using a stylus and turntable is the way to go. Sounds great, you can use tone controls and/or EQ to improve sound, and yes - easier on the records themselves as playing records on vintage wind-up phonographs will damage the records quickly if played often. Skol! Jeff
I switch out the head shells. I have one mounted with a stereo, another mounted with a mono, and then a third with the 78s cart. The stereo and mono are both Ortofon and weigh the same, with the same tracking force rating. So, it's a quick swap. For the 78 cart I have to rebalance the tone arm to account for the difference in weight and the heavier tracking force. But I have a digital weight, so that makes the recalibration fairly quick and relatively painless. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I like the Grado. Haven't experimented with other brands, so can't speak to how the Grado compares with others. To my ears the Grado sounds fantastic! Skol, Jeff
A true mono cartridge that doesn't "recognize" vertical movement in the groove is the best option, like the Denon DL-102 or the GE-VRX, but they're very expensive...
Don't use organic needles, they expel tiny splinters that burn onto your disc. But use an Orthophonic Gramophone like this one, but with a Bennett Air Cushioned Needle> ruclips.net/video/qlQOHDiqa7Y/видео.html You can't get any better than that.
All you need is ANY phonograph with 78rpm speed capability. I have been using REGULAR cheap needles and regular simple record players and speakers for 50 years and it DOES NOT harm either the records or the needles. Anyone who tells you different is a LIAR!
any collector of 78s will tell you that discs played often will have wear and will not sound as good as discs not played often so how can you say that? Also it is a fact that continuous playing of records - whether 78s or LPs - will eventually wear down the needle/stylus, leading to reduced quality. Friction=wear. If you only play a record once a year then you're not going to notice any wear obviously. Listening to modern transfers from 78s to LPs or CDs there are huge differences in the quality. Some companies take great care with the equipment used and the use of equalisers, etc, others do not. So equipment and the use of, makes a difference to your listening enjoyment. It's a fun and fascinating hobby!
Many years ago i was demoe'd a nice sounding 78. It was a cool jazz combo; a nicely recorded late 40's early 50's record. The 78 was clean and it was played on a post WW11 PHILCO console. Fantastic! It was a perfect marriage; a late 40's 78 played on a late 40's console. It was a beautiful pairing. The way to go.
Hey I've been collecting/playing 78s for quite a while now (Currently spinning on a Musichall Mmf 1.5 with a Vessel cartridge and 78rpm wide groove stylus. I mainly focus on collecting early jazz with a leaning towards some of the jumpier/dance band type stuff. I also have a fairly extensive Billie Holiday collection on both Shellac and 10" LP.
Just wanted drop in and say how much I enjoy your channel and how nice it is to see someone here on RUclips putting out 78 content that isn't soley needle drops (not that those are bad either)!
Hoping to see more content from you coming soon! -Kyle T.
Hello, Kyle! Always great to make the acquaintance of another 78 enthusiast. I am not familiar with Vessel cartridges. Would love to know more...what do you like most about it? Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
It's important to note that not all 78 rpm records are the same.
Old 78 rpm records (roughly pre-WW2) were made to be played on wind-up gramophones and you can replay them plenty of times with little wear (if your gramophone is in good condition and you change the needle after every side).
But the later 78s were made to be played with electric pickups and were made of a softer material, so playing those on a wind-up gramophone with its heavy reproducer will wear them out over time.
So if you have a wind-up gramophone then you should be careful with playing 78s from the 1950s, but ones from the 1910s and 20s should be fine to play (assuming the gramophone is in good shape and you know what you're doing).
Definitely! Very good points. If I make a video of playing 78s on my vintage Grafonola, I will definitely highlight those details. Thank you for watching and commenting. Appreciate it. Skol! Jeff
Change the needle after each side? Good gracious. You would need a stash of hundreds.
Agreed I have 4 myself.
@@jeremynv89523 and we do. They are sold that way. :-)
Fortunately you can still buy new steel needles for your gramophones since some people still make them but I definitely prefer electronic turntables myself which afford you more control, less overall wear, and of course direct recording for archival purposes. Sure, you could mic up a gramophone horn with a decent mic but still.
I love this guy's passion when spinning 78's- Please do more?
Dano! Hello! Been on the move - see latest video for an update on that - and hope to be back in action soon. Lots of unpacking and setting up to do. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I am by no means a purest in everything but my enjoyment in collecting and playing the old 78s is to only play them on the original equipment. It's just part of the hobby. If I want easy of play, I can often buy a CD or even Mp3. To each their own. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Totally respect that. I have a Columbia Grafonola, and play records on it from time to time. Just not something I've really gotten into. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves Sonically, the best sound one can get out of Edison (vertical-cut) records is playing them on an Edison disc phonograph. Perhaps playing them on a specially equipped cartridge is best for minimal wear, but lack the brilliance and presence of an Edison phono. I cannot say about the wear factor of the Edison sound-box, but Edison sure knew what he was doing.
@@dannichols2929
Yes both of you have great points
Nagaoka has 78 stylus size range from 2.5 - 3.0 - 3.5 - 4.0 mm for MP100 cartridge
Learning a lot from your videos, Jeff! THANKS for your work!
Do you listen the 78 RPM records with the actual RIAA curve included on every phono preamp? Because 78's weren´t recorded with that curve, in fact most of the records before the WWII can be easily listening with a custom 300Hz to 500Hz and flat response on treble. RIAA isn´t flat, is 50Hz bass cut, 500 Hz bass turnover and -13.7dB at 10Khz, with a RIAA preamp you start rolling off the treble of 78s starting around 2Khz, so the sound is dull and boomby.
That was totally fascinating. I'd be interested to see more detail regarding the actual recording process if you care to go into it. I'd like to see the vintage player and hear how a record sounds on that one. Enjoyed the video!
Thanks, Randall. Would be happy to do a "behind the scenes" video of a Listening Session. And a video of my Grafonola is easily done. Not my forte, as I'm definitely NOT a vintage phonograph expert, by any mean. Thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Great video! It's fantastic to see someone appreciating and preserving the sound of vintage 78 rpm records. I noticed you're using a modern Audio Technica turntable and a 78 rpm stylus, which is awesome. I was wondering how you handle the equalization since the old 78s were recorded with various EQ curves that differ from the RIAA standard used in modern equipment. Do you use a specific preamp with adjustable EQ settings or any other method to address this? I'd love to know more about your setup. Thanks for sharing!
All this information is helpful and if you're happy with the outcome, you made the right choice for you. As for, "What is the best", I get annoyed by that. There's someone out there who swears by every brand and model cartridge, as they do for the turntable. Amplifiers, preamps, speakers, etc. The best is what you like. For my 78's, I use an Ortofon Concorde cartridge, a QRK broadcast turntable, a Optimod processor, an Arrakis audio console and a pair of Radio Shack speakers. That combination makes those 78's come alive. To get that original 78 shellac sound, remember, in the 50's, it was a simple record player. Nothing special, but the quality was to relish.
Hello, Chester! I agree with you 100%. What's "best" when it comes to playing 78s (or any other audio format, for that matter) is completely subjective. What works "best" for me is what I showed in the video - and hopefully that was helpful for others. Especially newbies to the hobby. The description of your system sounds amazing. For me as I look at how to upgrade my system - I would love to get a Rek-O-Kut Re-Equilizer and have the capability of re-equalizing 78s and adjusting for the RIAA curve live on the fly as I play them. I've re-equilized digital files, so I know the benefit. Would love to be able to do that as I'm playing discs. Anyway...Always so many little things we can do to improve sound and our listening experience. Thanks so much for watching and commenting on the video. Skol! Jeff
Normally, when listening or ripping 78s, I chose the channel with less surface noise, plug this channel into the mixer and push the mono switch. I'm currently using the audio technica VM-95SP for 78s.
Really glad I found this video and the subscribers that follow you. I've been collecting 78's for 2 years now after becoming inspired by the sound and song "Mares eat oats" from the Pied Pipers...a song my grandfather used to hum to himself while working on misc. projects. After learning about the possible damage to these records over time with a steel needle, I'm looking to go electric now rather than my old crank victorlla and the portable crank I have. Thanks for the info as I will be purchasing something similar.
Thank you! And thanks for watching and commenting. Always great to connect with other 78 collectors. Skol! Jeff
One of the problems with using newer equipment for 78s is that the newer (and by newer I mean, 1940s+) players don't generally give you much speed fine-adjustment capability. Some of the older records were not "exactly" 78 rpm which is why the players up to the 30s would allow you to fine-adjust the speed. If you listen to an older 78 and it seems like its playing fast or slow, it probably is. Another piece of trivia I've picked up over the years is that RCA had different "tiers" within their record offerings and the color of the label in the center will which tier it belonged to. Red RCA-Victor 78s from the 20s-40s were their top-of the line offering and if you bought a top of the line radio-phono console in say, 1935 like the D-22, it actually came with a record library containing every red-label record released that year (461 albums) in an included separate bookshelf.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Yes - the difference in speed is a very interesting aspect of 78s. Which makes the Audio-Technica a great turntable for 78s playback because it a s slider control that allows you to adjust the speed up or down. Thanks again. Skol! Jeff
Cool vid Jeff! I like the 3 clap method though I don’t edit much. If I had more space I probably would be into 78s but don’t see that happening. Have a good one.
Thank you, William. Yeah - I can relate...my wife often reminds me of how much space my record collection takes up. :( Thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Great episode! I really appreciate the info! I'm using a Stanton T.92 USB turntable with a Stanton or Shure cartridge. I'm happy with them.
I have the same model.. Great for playing 78 rpm records...
Very interesting i enjoyed watching the film my dad had many 78 records in the 50s when we lived in London but they are all gone now'
I used to retail HiFi in the 70s and sold the Grado FTR cartridge. Great sound but did pick up hum on some turntables. The Garrard 401 and the GL75 were big problems. DC or direct drive TT were not an issue. I'm amazed that 50 years on they still have not solved the hum problem. A bit of Mu metal screening may be?
Michael, Thanks for watching and commenting. Interesting backgrounding. I like the Grado, even with a bit of hum. Sounds great to my ears. Skol! Jeff
My favorite way to listen to 78’s is through jukeboxes from the same time period. Right now it is a 1947 Seeburg Trashcan.
Very cool! Thanks for watching and commenting, Michael. Skol! Jeff
No mention of the importance of tracking force? 78’s require a heavier tracking force 6-7 grams where as conventional 331/3 require 1-3 grams.
Also you failed to mention the importance of cartridge alignment when mounting the cartridge in the headshell. A misaligned cartridge will wear out the record, wear out the stylus and give you distorted sound especially towards the inner grooves.
I recommend a good used turntable such as the Technics SP-15. And ideally I would find a good used linear tracking arm such as a Rabco SL8E for minimal tracking error.
In addition I would find a good used Shure V15 Type V with a 78 stylus . I believe Jico makes a decent 78 replacement stylus for this cartridge or you can purchase it at LPGear.
You missed some historic details on the phonographs- pre 1925 acoustic machines tend to damage records. Post 1925 were usually at least somewhat tuned in and were pretty easy on records.
I totally agree, ruby or sapphire stylus are harder than steel needles, but the pressure is incomparably lower. So, modern turntables will better preserve the grooves.
For sure! Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Another great one ! Keep em coming
Thank you! Will do. And thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Just the video I was looking for. I have a Columbia Grafonola that is fun but gives a little bass distortion. I also have a cheap 33/45/78 player, which I will soon upgrade to probably and Audio Technica.
Thanks for this video!
Chuck
Thanks, Chuck! And thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Thank you so much for making this video. the info is so helpful!
My pleasure! Thank YOU for watching and commenting. Much appreciated. Skol! Jeff
My favorite way to enjoy 78s are though vintage console stereos and 1940s/50s mono units. I got a 1946 Magnavox Belvedere, a Freed Eisemann I’m trying to get a Phanstehl Sp-3? Type cart since the original crystal pick up is dead as a doornail and it uses a Webster Chicago changer. And hopefully In the future I get my 1947 Zenith restored and that one has the 78rpm turntable Cobra tonearm that was very unique to Zenith. It also has the pre-war FM band with the current fm band too!
Fantastic! I would love to have a vintage console system. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
You do seem to be an expert on this. For someone like me with around 20 shellac discs, would you suggest the Ortofon 2M 78 cartridge? I am planning to get my hands on one of those.
I figured that was a Grado cart! It appears you have the version with a conical stylus. The record store I just got my first 78s from does sell that cart as well. You can also get an elliptical stylus which tracks better and gets more detail from the grooves. In the end it was more cost effective for me to just get a 3 mil stylus for my Nagaoka MP-110 (I know it's a stereo cartridge but still) than to get that plus a whole new headshell for my Technics SL1210GR. I have that going into my Lehmann Audio Black Cube and into my Schiit Magni 2. You can also really go down the rabbit hole and get all the different EQ curves if you really wanted to with specialized gear but I am happy with what I have and of course for digital archival I would have it going into the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface.
Very cool, Sam! yes - over the years I've considered upgrading to the more expensive Grado 78 cart & stylus. But - just haven't done it. Would definitely be an interesting experiment to compare the two. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
You'd get the most benefit from the elliptical 78 stylus with 1940's and 50's discs because they usually have a better treble response. The Nagaoka's have the advantage of permalloy shielding and different plug-in tip sizes.
@@1mctous Funny you mention that because when I first got my MP-110 and used it on my Orbit, it had a slight hum and a relatively high noise floor and even radio interference. Getting proper phono cables instead of the standard interconnect cables I was using fixed the problem by greatly lowering the noise floor and on my SL-1210GR it isn't an issue at all but my 2M Black LVB 250 which I don't use for 78s of course has absolutely no hum no matter how loud I turn up the volume. Grado is the brand that gets the hum reputation but that has not been my experience with the Prestige Black 1 on my Orbit before I upgraded to those other 2 cartridges for LP use before I even got into 78s.
Thanks man, enjoyed the video.
Thank YOU! And thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I like to record mine in stereo, then mix it down to mono in Audacity. I've found it's a bit easier to remove noise without losing as much of the music by working on the individual stereo tracks first. Also if you have any Edison discs the trick for those is to record in stereo, invert one channel and then combine to mono, that gets you the vertical information out of a normal cartridge. Also for Edison discs you need to adjust up to 80 rpm.
I use the slightly newer Audio Technica turntable , with the AT-VM95SP cartridge/stylus.
I keep wondering if recording slower and then speeding up in Audacity would be better for trying to get better sound out of worn out records, but never seem to get around to trying it. Someday maybe I'll get a preamp that can turn off the RIAA, but I do like to use the USB output on the turntable so would also need to get a good DAC. I've used the inverse RIAA profile in Audacity and sometimes it helps and sometimes not. I think sometimes trying to get good sound out of some of the old 78s is more art than science. :) Especially for the discs made before 1910.
Hello, Martin! Thank for the tip on recording & inverting for Edison discs. I have a couple of Edisons and have been trying to figure out how to listen to them without spending tons of money on a Rek-o-Kut Re-Equilizer with a vertical/lateral switch. A cool piece of equipment which I would love to have, but not really in the budget. I haven't tried recording slow and speeding up digitally either. Might help. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves I have since tried recording slow and it did help with noise reduction. One side on the Edison disc I have is so worn out all previous attempts at getting the music louder than the noise were unsuccessful. I recorded at 28 rpm, did a lot of low pass filtering and click removal, did the inversion and combine to mono, then sped it up by 2.86X and did some more high and low pass filtering. After all that I could amplify and hear the music above the noise.
For real time listening you can swap the wires on a stereo cartridge to do the same inversion, but dealing with those tiny wires is not fun.
My good friend has that Audio-Technica turntable and likes it. I wonder how that reverse feature works. Wouldn't it destroy the stylus? I don't picture the cantilever holding up from getting hit head-on like that. And the record will obviously suffer. I must be missing something.
i use a pathe gramophone to play all my 78’s. Not the pathes that were designed for the vertical cut records, incase any of you think im using that to play normal side-to-side groove revords
I have over 600-78rpm records I only play them on my windup victrola xi. These records have been around for a long time and they are still here,still play. I'll never play them enough to ruin these records.
I LOVE Your set up! Number one question, How do You listen to Your EDISON Diamond Disc? What stylus and cartridge do You use? (I listen to vintage machines playing only 78 rpm records that are not E++ to V++, My late 1910`s mostly 1920`s and 1930`s Records get played on My Dual 1229,) I can`t afford a turntable like Yours at present, GEEEEZE! they want a lot of coin for these, I would LOVE to have one, not sure about the more modern one!? where are they made? Sorry for the questions, But You can`t learn by just setting on Your hands!
I don't have a way to play Edison discs. I have one in the collection, but haven't listened to it. I hear you can reverse the wiring on a stereo cartridge to play them, but I haven't monkeyed with that yet. Not sure where the Audio-Techinca turntable is made. Will have to look. Skol! jeff
@@ToneInGrooves Thank You so much for Your reply!
Your 1229 is superior to the AT 120. I exchanged My two lp 120's ( i dj'd a lot with them and they are great for that) for Duals ( at the moment two 1218's a 704 and a 1209 that needs some fixing. Those are made for playing those 78's and will do it much better than the 120....invest in a mono cartridge on your 1229. cheaper and better.
Ah, you all need to go to the Dyslexic Genius Hurt channel. He just did a video on that very topic.
You can play your SP 78rpm records on a phonograph without damaging them but that requires using a fibre/thorn needle. The problem with fibre needles is that they are prismatic (rather than conical) so they have a front and a back and have to be mounted accordingly so they require a different soundbox than that used for other needles (which do not have any particular orientation requirements for mounting).These needles wear down during playback and especially fibre needles wear down quite fast, i.e. before reaching the end of one side. Because of that, people dope them but manufacturers of these needles are long gone and so are the secrets of the doping art. Thorn needles may last for as long as 3-4 records.
Very interesting. Thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves Thank you . Very useful overview of starter equipment list: economical without compromising sound quality or record longevity. This is a great starting point for anyone looking how to play SP records. What with the vinyl resurgence, now we seem to have a shellac resurgence too? That would be great for preserving the legacy of shellac recordings for the future - unless people start posting these to one another en masse which will spell the end of 78 rpm records. Unfortunately, the number one enemy of shellac records is postage (followed by mishaps when handling/storing). There are a few videos on youtube about posting them but I consider some to offer inadequate advice, i.e. still putting the records to risk. There cannot be enough videos on how to properly package these records for postage - as well as properly storing them and caring for them.
For large quantities of records, e.g. more than 10 loose records, postage becomes problematic and I would certainly advise picking them up in person for any quantity of more than a dozen. Most sellers just want to dispose of them and simply will not put in the effort required to package such quantities.
Another way to preserve longevity is of course to record to another medium. Recording digitally affords one to record while playing the record at a much slower speed e.g. 33.33 rpm (or, if your equipment permits it, at half of 78 rpm or whatever speed the shellac record should be played) and then speed up the playback. The slower recording speed of course limits record/stylus wear.
This reviewer reports good results with this method, that can be heard here:
ruclips.net/video/Y6GgkoAguwc/видео.html
Of course you may do the same thing with an analogue recorder but then you must have the capability to:
a) precisely set the record playing speed when recording as you will not have the same freedom in adjusting the playback speed that is afforded by a digital medium and
b) the capability to record at half speed.
This method, generally requires using a reel to reel recorder - highly esoteric solution nowadays - or a cassette recorder with the capability to record at half speed, if you happen to have one of those. Generally, of the latter, there are quite a few low-fi examples circulating in the second hand market but finding one with hi-fi sound will be quite an exercise.
Nice set up and I'm new to this channel! This is great if you have that $$ to spend on all this.
In defense of acoustic machines, I have an orthophonic from 1926. Everything sounds better on that machine. It doesn't sound tinny like the pre-orthophonics. Discs after 1935, I will still play (I know people are cringing now) on it but I use a soft needle and I would like to experiment with fibre needles. (I'm growing bamboo for that purpose.) Of course I would never play anything really rare or NOS on it. The only thing I have that's close to it is a Chuck Berry 78 and it's not in great condition. It's okay.
I have some 50-60 year old machines that play 78 and there's no comparison. I've seen higher end set ups, such as yours, and even higher, that will play even early 1900s records and they sound like they were recorded in the '50s. Just amazing what you could do these days.
The only thing I wish I was able to do is to "capture" the sound from the orthophonic digitally.
Welcome! Thank you for watching and commenting. Vintage phonographs definitely have their charms and positives when it comes to listing to 78s. For sure! For me, I enjoy using the modern turntable and even making digital recordings, running them through click/noise repair and re-equalization software, etc. It's fun! I've heard 78s played on the Orthophonic machines and they do sound amazing! Thanks, again. Skol! Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I recently came upon your channel and really enjoying it. My interest in 78s has been reawaken but from an unfortunate reason. I’m in northern New Jersey and the recent hurricane flooded my basement and my 78s got soaked with sediment water and it took a day to get to them. Can you recommend a soap/cleaner that I can use to clean them?There are so many opinions on RUclips, I don’t know what to believe. I don’t want to degrade the shellac and the sound beyond the normal age and wear. They were my moms and grandmothers. Will be getting new sleeves and taking better care of them going forward. Looking forward to playing them again. Thank you Jeff.
Hello, Sonia! Oh my! So sorry for you and for the damage to your records. That’s tragic! Hurricane in NJ!? Crazy! I grew up in Florida, so I know what it’s like to go through hurricanes. I did a video on how to clean 78s a while back. Here’s the link: ruclips.net/video/Owe9_MSoFEQ/видео.html I’d try that method first on a few and see how it works. Let me know how it goes. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves Hi Jeff, yeah, Hurricane Ida came up the east coast a couple of weeks ago. I’ll check out the video. Thank you.
@@ToneInGrooves Jeff, Dawn discontinued Simply Clean. Can’t find it. Any other suggestions? Thanks.
modern phono preamps change the signal according to the riaa curve, which is unacceptable for older records. what do you deal with it?
I didn't know audio technica made a 1200 copy that's bad ass! 😎👍❤️
It's a good entry turntable. Not very expensive and decent quality. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Wind up gramophones are useful if the Apocalypse hits and the power gets knocked out beyond the point of no return.
Great video on 78 playback!
I'm planning on getting a VM-670SP cartridge, the reviews seem good so I think it's the best option.
Also, do you have any advice on equalization?
Especially on a living room stereo setting. I'm by no means an expert on equalizers, so any help on a good deck and how to set it up would be greatly appreciated.
The only things I know are that RIAA equalization was made the standard in 1956 and electric records made before that have different curves, and that acoustic records have no equalization.
I have that cart. Don’t accidentally break the needle on it or you gotta pay $89USD in my case…
@@oldradiosnphonographs
I'm quite aware of that, lol.
Mine's fine, albeit a bit turned to the right.
you will need a 3.5 mil stylus for pre 1939 78s i can only get the 3 mil ones for the modern dj turntables. so playing records from the 1920s and 1930s with a 3 mil will not sound as good as the 3.5 mil stylus. it would be great if anyone knows where i can get the 3.5 mil ones for these turntables. i use stanton 500 mark 2
Also, modern turntables are GREAT if the record is already in good condition. If not, some can sound BETTER on old phonographs.
This is true! Haven't played many on the Grafonola, but have heard others testify to that fact. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Could one buy a stylus with 90 micrometer and 65 micrometer?
To compare with inch based measures, a early microgroove has 25 micrometer, stereo groove has 18 micrometer
GREAT INFORMATIVE VIDE0 ❗👌😁😀👍👍👍
Thank you, Shaun! And thank you for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
I've the same turntable with Grado 78 C cartridge, and I do get a hum that I cannot eliminate. I don't understand why Grado can't fix this before selling it. I have noise reduction software that does a pretty good jog of getting rid of the hum with perhaps a slight reduction in sound quality. Any ideas on how to stop the Grado Hum?
Hello, Ron! I don't know what causes that hum. My guess is that is has more to do with he turntable and less with the cartridge itself. On my TT, the hum is very low and inaudible while the music is playing. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Mine only has speed 45 and 33, how can I remedy this?
Whaddaya know!!....Anyone who had a UNITED record, a Columbia "client label" (Ca 1910) with a big center hole, will find that a plastic insert made for 45's will fill the big hole perfectly.
Hi thank you!
How do you feel about the priceless of the music itself which is way underrated . Can you imagine a 100 years from now , it's crazy , the value is totally messed up by hogs lol really its like the Reel2Reel collector's.
YES! Honestly, that's a big part of why I collect 78s. It is so rewarding opening these portals into the past, listing to music from by-gone days, bringing history to life by simply playing a record. It's amazing! Priceless! And yes, I agree, getting more and more expensive. Used to be easy to walk into any thrift store or antique store and find piles of 78s for a dollar apiece. Now "collector values" are what's asked. One of the downsides to the vinyl/physical media resurgence. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves we sould hook up i have some music i would love to share
I'm going through boxes of 78 shellacs. Do I need to keep the original binders they are in? They are old, dusty, dirty, & some barely holding on. Thank you.
Hello! No, you don't need to keep the binders. Best practice is to sleeve the records and then box or shelve them. I buy my sleeves (and boxes) from Bags Unlimited: www.bagsunlimited.com/category/188/78-rpm-10-record-supplies
Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Which one is better Steel needle or stylus ?
Is it correct that steel needles on Hmv models or Columbia winding models will damage SHELLAC records?
Please advise .
Thanks
As I said in the video - it's all opinion. Personally I think using a stylus and turntable is the way to go. Sounds great, you can use tone controls and/or EQ to improve sound, and yes - easier on the records themselves as playing records on vintage wind-up phonographs will damage the records quickly if played often. Skol! Jeff
@@ToneInGrooves and if you use a steel needle more than once that’s a guaranteed way to damage em
So do you have a turntable dedicated to 78s and another for 33s and 45s or do you switch out the stylus back and forth?
I switch out the head shells. I have one mounted with a stereo, another mounted with a mono, and then a third with the 78s cart. The stereo and mono are both Ortofon and weigh the same, with the same tracking force rating. So, it's a quick swap. For the 78 cart I have to rebalance the tone arm to account for the difference in weight and the heavier tracking force. But I have a digital weight, so that makes the recalibration fairly quick and relatively painless. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
Which stylus /cartridge is better for 78 RPM RECORDS ON AT LP 120 USB PLAYER?
I like the Grado. Haven't experimented with other brands, so can't speak to how the Grado compares with others. To my ears the Grado sounds fantastic! Skol, Jeff
A true mono cartridge that doesn't "recognize" vertical movement in the groove is the best option, like the Denon DL-102 or the GE-VRX, but they're very expensive...
Cool
I have some.78 that are ore ww1. Like 1908 1910
Radiogram with the big bass speaker.
Damn unfortunately just bought the lp120xusb. Paid 399 and it doesn't have the height adjustment for the tone arm. What a rip off. Disappointing
That's true not all of them are
the same.
How about a 1940's Jukebox
Radiograms becoming rare.
Don't use organic needles, they expel tiny splinters that burn onto your disc. But use an Orthophonic Gramophone like this one, but with a Bennett Air Cushioned Needle> ruclips.net/video/qlQOHDiqa7Y/видео.html
You can't get any better than that.
Until the end , i didn't hear any sound by playing the 78rpm records
Every maker played at different speeds, anything from 75 to 100 rpm.
Yes, indeed. You are correct. Hence, one of the advantages of the pitch control on the Audio-Technica. Thanks for watching and commenting. Skol! Jeff
All you need is ANY phonograph with 78rpm speed capability. I have been using REGULAR cheap needles and regular simple record players and speakers for 50 years and it DOES NOT harm either the records or the needles. Anyone who tells you different is a LIAR!
any collector of 78s will tell you that discs played often will have wear and will not sound as good as discs not played often so how can you say that? Also it is a fact that continuous playing of records - whether 78s or LPs - will eventually wear down the needle/stylus, leading to reduced quality. Friction=wear. If you only play a record once a year then you're not going to notice any wear obviously. Listening to modern transfers from 78s to LPs or CDs there are huge differences in the quality. Some companies take great care with the equipment used and the use of equalisers, etc, others do not. So equipment and the use of, makes a difference to your listening enjoyment. It's a fun and fascinating hobby!
On a gramophone duh. But if you insist on playing this with a new phonograph then get one just to play 78s and nothing else. Just my 2 cents 💁🤷
Sound quality pretty basic.