And I'll only add another quick 2 cents.... I do transfers that end up on CD reissues from time to time. That's why I have the different "new" toys I have for playing back 78s (or 80s or 75s or 60-somethings like Berliners). In general, as my own rule, I have records I am more than happy to play on my machines, otherwise why bother having them, right? I too, have many that will never see a steel needle while I have them, only because they are either very rare and / or in "mint" condition. So for preservation sake, they don't get played acoustically.
I keep all of my machines stocked with records that aren't very rare and should be played and enjoyed that way. I know not everybody agrees with the "steel needle" ever being used, but again, that's the fun to me. Also, I haven't found any black dust on needles either on any of my reproducers. My 10-50 gets played daily, some records have been tossed into that drawer hundreds of times and they aren't worn or ruined. Just to be on the safe side, I have started grabbing dupes of stuff I really enjoy listening to just in case! Sean ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Wright" <[email protected]> To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 1:47 PM Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Styli assistance, please > Apologies to Merle! That's what I get for living in Nashville! *lol* > Sorry about that. > :-) , > r. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dennis Back" <[email protected]> > To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 12:40 PM > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Styli assistance, please > > >> >> --- Robert Wright wrote: >> >> > ...I have a favorite Victrola...The soundbox is an >> Exhibition No. 2.....No matter what needle I use, no >> matter what shape the record is >> > in, there is black shellac dust built up on the >> > needle after every play, without fail... >> >> Robert, I think you should try another soundbox, or >> maybe rebuild your No.2 and adjust it. >> >> I have reproducers that just "kill" records just like >> yours does. Other reproducers I have are very "kind" >> to records. >> >> Believe it or not, the soundbox that I play most of my >> everyday 78's on is on a CRAPOPHONE and with a >> Crapophone soundbox! No black shellac dust build-up. >> >> BTW....Merle is not a he, but is a she, and she is the >> QUEEN OF LITTLE WONDER RECORDS, and knows more about >> LW's than anyone else in the world. <g> >> >> Best regards, >> Dennis >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > So I have two categories of discs -- one, those that >> > are nifty and >> > interesting, but not particularly valuable to anyone >> > but me, the kind that I >> > enjoy listening to though millions of copies were >> > pressed and the records >> > are virtually worthless -- and two, records that >> > would never see a >> > phonograph/soundbox/headless nail in a billion >> > years, because they CANNOT be >> > played back on that equipment without irreparable >> > damage. >> > >> > I don't particularly feel this way about Diamond >> > Disc or cylinder >> > phonographs, however, as I've never seen an Edison >> > needle hurt an Edison >> > record. The diamonds are ground to exact specs and >> > the records (wax >> > notwithstanding) are built like Mack trucks. I'm >> > not saying there's no >> > damage whatsoever, obviously, but it seems >> > negligible from my experience. >> > I've never collected black dust from an Edison >> > stylus. >> > >> > It sounds like Merle isn't interested in permanently >> > damaging his Little >> > Wonders, and that being the case, I don't suggest >> > that he play them back >> > with a wind-up phono. I think that's insane if he >> > likes his records. That >> > said, Merle, I think most 78 styli offered by >> > cartridge manufacturers are >> > 2.7mil and will work great with LW's. I've used the >> > Grado, the Stanton you >> > have, and the NS78 that works with the Shure >> > V15VxMR, which is what I use >> > now. All these styli have suggested weights of 3 to >> > 5 grams, 2 to 10 times >> > the amount of weight an LP stylus would need, so I >> > think your 2.7mil Stanton >> > will give you perfectly lovely results with a little >> > extra tracking force. >> > >> > My 78rpm deck is an 80's Technics SL1200Mk2 that >> > Kevin Barrett >> > (www.kabusa.com) modified for me to play at 78rpm. >> > He also installed one of >> > his damping fluid troughs, which places a paddle >> > that's attached to the >> > tonearm into this curved trough of thick fluid that >> > limits the amount of >> > movement available to the tonearm, stopping it from >> > bouncing on warped 78s. >> > It also vastly improves the midrange, stereo image >> > stability, and tautness >> > of bass with LP playback. It's an awesome mod. >> > Kevin's products are >> > top-notch. I'm excited to get one of his preamps >> > with noise reduction and >> > correct EQ soon. >> > >> > Can we hear from everyone on this 'soundbox/steel >> > needle = irreparable >> > damage' issue? I would love to be out-voted and/or >> > proven wrong. >> > >> > >> > Best to all, >> > Robert >> > >> > >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "bob" <[email protected]> >> > To: "Antique Phonograph List" <[email protected]> >> > Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 10:43 AM >> > Subject: Re: [Phono-L] Styli assistance, please >> > >> > >> > > Hi, >> > > Unless your Little Wonder records are near >> > mint condition I think this >> > > is an exercise in futility. Most of these small >> > records are not in the >> > best >> > > shape because they were used a lot by children and >> > stylus used won't >> > matter >> > > too much. I think you Stanton cartridge may not >> > have enough tracking >> > force >> > > to play these very well. I would use a Victor >> > exhibition reproducer with >> > > good gaskets and steel needles. Just change the >> > needles frequently. >> > > RMV >> > > ----- Original Message ----- >> > > From: "Merle Sprinzen" <[email protected]> >> > > To: <[email protected]> >> > > Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 10:34 AM >> > > Subject: [Phono-L] Styli assistance, please >> > > >> > > >> > > > I'm trying to sort out my system for playing >> > 78s, and have a question >> > > > about styli. To get good playback from Little >> > Wonders, an article I >> > read >> > > > suggested a styli radii of .0028 (that's what it >> > said worked best for >> > > > Columbias, and so I thought that would apply to >> > Little Wonders, too). I >> > > > have a Stanton 500 AL II cartridge that came >> > with both a 78 and diamond >> > > > stylus, but I can't find the radii figures >> > anywhere. Does anyone know >> > > > (1) whether the .0028 recommendation is the best >> > for LWs, and (2) what >> > > > the radii is for my Stanton 78 stylus? Thanks >> > so much! >> > > > _______________________________________________ >> > > > Phono-L mailing list >> > > > [email protected] >> > > > >> > > > Phono-L Archive >> > > > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> > > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _______________________________________________ >> > > Phono-L mailing list >> > > [email protected] >> > > >> > > Phono-L Archive >> > > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Phono-L mailing list >> > [email protected] >> > >> > Phono-L Archive >> > http://www.oldcrank.org/pipermail/phono-l/ >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> __________________________________ >> Celebrate Yahoo!'s 10th Birthday! >> Yahoo! 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