WTB a record player for LP's/78s

[storman113]

Cleaning the attic out and found a box of albums. The turn table is long gone.

Found some player's on line with a USB connection which is great, I can load up my IPOD.

But, would like to play the records just for listening around the house. Not many stores where I live, so figure would be an on line purchase. The more compact the better. Don't have any audio equipment, so would have to have it all built in to one unit.

Any suggestions or links welcome.

 

[Mr_D.]

PM me

 

[Foofoogal]

somewhere there is another thread on this. My children bought me one of these last year and I love it.
http://www.crosleyradio.com/Product.aspx?pid=1772
I have been picking up lps to the point of now I need a rack of some kind.
Love 1940s music. Makes me feel close to my parents that are gone.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Pick up an old Califone school house phono for the 78's.

One of those will out last most anything, and the 78's will sound better.

 

[Bassman]

I have an ION usb turntable which can be used as a regular turntable through your computer. It has 33 1/3 and 45 rpm speeds but I recently digitized some 78's (I was cleaning out the attic too) and used Audacity software to change the speed from 33 1/3 to 78. It was very simple to do and came out great!

 

[Edward]

I have an ION usb turntable which can be used as a regular turntable through your computer. It has 33 1/3 and 45 rpm speeds but I recently digitized some 78's (I was cleaning out the attic too) and used Audacity software to change the speed from 33 1/3 to 78. It was very simple to do and came out great!

Do you have a link to a website explaining how to do that, or is it a standard option with Audacity? That's cool to know, as I have a 33/45 turntable only. If ever I did want to play 78s regularly, then one of those schoolhouse jobs would be fine, but for digitising, using my currntly table would be much easier...

FWIW, I am informed by all the hifi buffs of my acquaintance who have done vinyl -> digital that you are best using a connection which takes the sound from a system's headphone jack in the amplifier to the computer rather than an inbuilt USB socket if you are buying equipment to do this, as it gives you more control over the sound balance etc as it plays. Better bass, I am told.

 

[Bassman]

Edward,
I can't comment on where it's best to take the turntable's signal from but the Audacity software is complete and versatile and intuitive(?).
The procedure is (basically) once the source is digitized, you highlight the recorded signal (click on "Edit">Select All), then click on "Effect" where a drop-down menu will show what effects are available. Click on "Change Speed" and a window will appear that offers choices of what speed you want to change from and what speed you want to change to. Once the speed is corrected, it's easier to hear where to trim unwanted noise from the start and end of the recording.
Another "Effect" offered is "Noise Removal" where it will sample a section of noise and give you an opportunity to eliminate that noise from the recorded signal. It even offers a slider control to vary the degree of noise removed. All changes are reversible if you're not happy with the outcome.
There's also a "Bass Boost" effect and the input signal and balance can be adjusted as well.
I believe the software is also free to download and use.
Hope this was helpful.

 

[dhermann1]

One company that has specialized in turntables since 1928 is Dual. They make a model CS 455-1M, that has 33, 45 and 78 rpm. Generally you need to switch the stylus for 78, because the grooves are so different from the LP formats. You can get a couple other older Dual turntables with 78 on places like Ebay and Craigslist. There are turntables that are designed to interface with your computer and can automaticaly digitize 33 rpm albums, but I don't think such a thing exists for 78. With these machines you can play the record at a slower speed, it gets recorded, and then you can play it back from the computer at normal speed. If you just want to play your 78 rpm records, you'll need a real 78 rpm turntable.
Other models that handle 78 rpm include CS 5000 and I think 1214.
Those Crosley machines are cute, but I'm not sure they'd be good for your records in the long run.

 

[Edward]

Yes, it is the different stylus that is the issue... i think a big part of the reason 78s died out.

Edward,
I can't comment on where it's best to take the turntable's signal from but the Audacity software is complete and versatile and intuitive(?).
The procedure is (basically) once the source is digitized, you highlight the recorded signal (click on "Edit">Select All), then click on "Effect" where a drop-down menu will show what effects are available. Click on "Change Speed" and a window will appear that offers choices of what speed you want to change from and what speed you want to change to. Once the speed is corrected, it's easier to hear where to trim unwanted noise from the start and end of the recording.
Another "Effect" offered is "Noise Removal" where it will sample a section of noise and give you an opportunity to eliminate that noise from the recorded signal. It even offers a slider control to vary the degree of noise removed. All changes are reversible if you're not happy with the outcome.
There's also a "Bass Boost" effect and the input signal and balance can be adjusted as well.
I believe the software is also free to download and use.
Hope this was helpful.

Great, thanks. I realised I've actually seen it used for creating and editing podcasts, this is another application. And yes, it is free.

Another option i'm considering for 78s is an old gramaphone.... would make a superb decorative piece too!

 

[storman113]

Thanks to all for the pointers.

I've ordered the Crosley CR2413A-PA (Paprika) unit. I will post back my experience with the unit after using it for a bit.

I like the idea of using an older Gramaphone type unit for 78's. That is kinda a long term project. Finding a unit at auction/antique store that fits in size and budget might be a week or two years!

 

[Lamplight]

I actually see them regularly in antique stores around here. Unfortunately, they're usually fairly expensive. I lucked out and discovered a coworker had a Silvertone she wanted to sell. No idea how old it is, and it appears to be a very basic model, but it works fine and is fun to use. The hard part is finding 78s that aren't scratched to pieces, or gospel music, which I'm not interested in and is prevalent around here.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Important thing to know, though, is that you should *not* play electrically-recorded 78s on an acoustic Victrola-type phono. The reproducers on those machines don't handle the louder sound well, especially if they're old and the rubber parts have dried up -- and the stiff resistance means the needle will quickly chew the records to bits. This wasn't a big deal with the records were being made because hey, you could always go down to Woolworths and buy a new copy -- but you can't do that anymore.

 

[Fletch]

You can't be talking about the Orthophonics. Can you? If I hear one more guy rave about the joy of playing late 20s Victors on the Ortho - but only Victors, and only from the late 20s - I may have to break down and adopt one, same as I did with Buescher saxophones when everybody told me they were useless for jazz. I suspected they were wrong, and they were wrong. I suspect the guys with the Orthophonics are wrong too.

 

[LizzieMaine]

A wise man once said, "When you play a record on a Victrola, you're playing *the machine,* not the record." That's as true on an Orthophonic as it is on the kiddie suitcase portable I had when I was five. And an Orthophonic with dried-up reproducer gaskets will cause as much damage as any other machine.

In short, no matter what the old machine is, see that it's been properly rebuilt if you don't want to wear your records out fast.

 

[Fletch]

Makes sense. Myself, I'd never put anything better than E condition on an acoustic, nor anything so rare I'd kick myself if the tonearm sagged and left a dig.

Funny how a reproducer became a pickup after electricity came in - same thing happened when the megaphone became the bullhorn.

 

[docneg]

This is just a fascinating conversation, Fletch and LizzieMaine, and I wish someone would make a sticky on this subject that reduces the matter to a list of dos and don'ts for playing 78s. How about a cross-reference of machines for appropriate records, and parts to watch out for when buying a phonograph at an antique store? I think this would be very valuable.

 

[storman113]

Received the player a week ago. Have been playing both LP's and CD's. The tone is fixed, no bass or treble controls. The playback is clear on both. A component system would be a lot better, but also cost lots more and take up a lot of space which I don't have. Haven't tried the 78's yet. I am waiting for the needle made just for 78's to arrive. Would recommend to anyone who purchases a unit like this to order the replacement needle and 78 needle at the same time as the unit, save future delays and insure you have good spare on hand when needed.

Transferring from record to CD works satisfactory. You have to monitor to click the buttons just as the record ends. The CD playback is just as the record sounds, have to make sure record is clean!

Comes with software for you to play with some noise clean up and editing. Haven't tried that yet, will up date when have done so.

The cabinet is wood, not press board with contact paper like most things from China! I do need to get a nice table for it to sit on, but that gives a real good reason to visit the antique stores.

Picked up some LP's at the local Goodwill store. A real find for 99 cents each! They were put out by Reader Digest, guess Time-Life took over when things went to CD. I think only the first record in each group was the only one played and only once. One set is 10 records, the other 6.

The house has been filled with swing music for days now.