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Old March 13th 07, 10:20 AM posted to uk.rec.audio
RdM
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Posts: 61
Default Acoustic Gramophone, or, haven't we come a long way

"Serge Auckland" in
om:

"RdM" wrote in message
...
"Serge Auckland" wrote in
om:

As to buying 78s, the real problem is that as they aren't making
any more, *all* 78s are now 50 years old or more, and have had an
uncertain
life. Even much later electric pickups were still groove-grinders.
Buying
off Ebay won't be any more secure than car boot sales or the local dump.
I
would also like to try a 78 stylus on my TTs, but, frankly, I have better
things to spend money on when all 78s I'm likely to play will be of
uncertain origins.


All true, although there may be a very few little played ones out there
...
Decades ago I picked up a boxed set of Albert Schweitzer playing Bach
organ,
in seemingly quite good condition; I gave them away in exchange for a
weeks
exceptional hospitality when I noticed that the host had a gramophone...

But apparently almost all of Schweitzer's 78 RPM recordings of Bach organ
works have been reissued on CD now anyway ...

Here's a curiosity though, not mine; purportedly a *vinyl* 78rpm, perhaps
an
experimental step up from 12" 45's? Whatever, the punters are bidding it
up!
(Reminds me of Dave Plowmans sig "A fool and his money are soon partying")
--
Elvis Presley unusual vinyl 78prm New Zealand pres
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/List...px?id=90884320
Current bid: $111.00 | Reserve met | Closes: 23 hours

"Elvis Presley unusual vinyl 78prm New Zealand pressing
Good condition. Rare vinyl 78prm New Zealand pressing RCA NZ No 20-6643
Cat No
G2WB-4767 Love me tender / Anyway you want me Cat No G2WB-5937
Cover as you will see in photos is in used condition. Great collectable!"
--
RdM
Auckland, NZ


I would have thought that a vinyl 78 would wear very quickly, as being far
too soft for tracking weights measured in ounces, not grams.

S.


I'd assume that if it is a 78 vinyl, it's designed for decks of the day that
still have a 78 speed setting, but perhaps still using a normal MM pickup?

Just recently I bought (quite cheap) an odd thick white vinyl, 45rpm 12", 1976
by Crystal Clear Records, Inc, called "San Fransisco Ltd"; some live jazz
recorded with "Direct to Disc Recording"; not utilizing tape, but recorded
directly to the master lacquer; it says ""mixed live", in real time, with no
opportunity to stop the performance or to go back and "fix" mistakes".

The blurb invites one to "Listen carefully, at high volume levels, to the
innermost grooves. There is virtually no pinch distortion thus yielding
substantial improvement in high frequency response."

I must say it is in very good condition, and indeed quite the liveliest and
clear sounding LP I have heard for some time, incl some other 12" 45's.

Hence my wondering whether the auction was of a similiar experiment in high
speed recording; I have never otherwise heard of a "vinyl" 78rpm, which I
would assume would be using microgrooves and not designed for standard 78
needles. Surely Elvis was too late to be issued on standard 78 acetates!? -
IOW, I assume one can take the sellers description of vinyl at face value.

Thanks,
RdM