Do You Still Play 78 rpm Records?

[Gilbey]

I have a few 78 rpm records (not a whole lot compared to my LPs). Once in a while I would play them on my Victorola gramophone but the speed is not constant anymore. The surface noise on those records are just loud, but for nostalgic reasons, they are still treasured by some due to the rarity in some of the recordings not being issued on 33 1/3 rpm anymore (much more CDs!). I prefer playing LP's on my Dual 701 record player for a more controlled setting. Recently, I got this 10 LP set of The Great Band Era. Original 78 rpm recordings from 1936 - 1945 re-issued to LPs. Although not high fidelity yet, but there's no surface noise, clicks or pops often heard on 78s. This would suffice.

 

[Zig2k143]

No but my father has lots of them and still plays them. In fact he has 1000s of vinyl and even an 8track hooked up to his computer so he can turn them into MP3's... He actually has about 45 days worth of music on his Itunes.

 

[Quigley Brown]

I have quite a few and play them on my 1970s turntable. What year did they stop putting that setting on turntables???[huh]

 

[Gilbey]

I have quite a few and play them on my 1970s turntable. What year did they stop putting that setting on turntables???[huh]

Most high end turntables of the 70's have no 78 rpm speed. My Dual 701 doesn't have it being the first direct drive high end model in their line up. But they have it in their Dual 1229Q which is not the top of the line but still a fine idler drive record changer.

 

[Miss Sis]

We have a 1927 (I think) Ecko radiogram with turntable that we regularly play 78s on.

It has pride of place in our living room!

 

[Twitch]

I have a fairly decent( about $275 then) Sony from 1978 which has no 78RPM speed.[huh]

 

[ScionPI2005]

I play 78's every now and then. Though in the collection I received from my mother, I only really like two or three of the 78's I have. Though I mainly play LP's and 45's.

I'm curious to know if anyone here has any 16 RPM's around. My Zenith Cobra has a slider for manually adjusting the RPM from 16 to 78. I just haven't ever seen 16's around, though I know that speed was mainly for talkies.

 

[Quigley Brown]

I think 16 rpms were used for instructional records (lots more info crammed on to one record...low quality).

 

[LizzieMaine]

Most of what I listen to comes off 78s, unless it comes off radio transcription discs! Shellac forever!

 

[dundeedavie]

i play 78's , in fact i dj with them . i use twin numark TT200's with behringer mixer , an ortofon pro 78 stylus and whack the whole lot thru a 1500W amp , the sound is amazing

 

[Dr. Shocker]

78's are awsome

if your really interested in fun and games check out UCSB's Wax Cylinder collection
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/browse.php

 

[Vornholt]

My Dad's father's day gift was a stack of 14 V-Discs. They'll soon be transcribed to the computer and back out as a CD.

He managed to dig up an older turntable that still handled 78's. This after his 1950's vintage model finally gave out.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Yes, along with Edison Diamond Discs, plus 2min & 4min cylinders.

 

[Flivver]

I listen to 78s all the time...mostly recordings from the 1920s to the mid-1930s.

They're fun to listen to on my Victor Orthophonic Credenza (using a Victor Tungs-Tone Stylus). But most often, I listen to them on a 1950s mono "hi-fi" system I've pieced together that centers around an Empire Troubador turntable with a Stanton 500 cartridge having a special 78rpm stylus. The preamp in this system is an old H H Scott with a Dynaural noise surpression system and variable equalization curves for records...perfect for 78s.

I also have countless cassette tapes of 1920s-1930s pop music made for me by a friend with a huge collection of 78s. These are great in the car.

 

[Twitch]

As a kid in the 50s I had a cheezy record player which had a 16 RPM speed but there was never any record I ever had or saw that played at that speed.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

This is where I fail at being vintage!! lol

I remember my parents' record player from the early 70s had 16, 33, 45, and 78 settings. I used to love to play my records on the wrong speeds!

I own one 78 record that my grandmom gave me. Can't play it, though. I rely on CDs for my vintage music. And they BETTER have a bit of surface noise!