10" 78 RPM Shellac Records

[Kurt 361]

So, a friend of mine knows that I "like old records" and gave me some old 10" 78 RPM Shellac records he came by.   I'm not real keen on the music (1940's stuff......Dinah Shore, lol).  But, I do want to try out the records, just because.  My Technics turntable has been modified to have a 78 RPM setting.  But, I don't know about the cartridge/stylus situation... I have an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge.  Does anyone know if that's ok to play on the old shellac records?  Will it damage the cartridge or record at all?

[AndrewJohn 6,316]

I never wanted to use my "good" cartridge on records that were not designed for the cartridge..., I.e, modern cartridges since the LP came out, it seems to me, were perfected for 33rpm LP recordings...  

 

For me, I found an Orofon Black 78 - i.e., a Modern Cartridge, designed to work well on 78rpm records.

 

It sounds great - to me..., 

 

My parents gave me their collection of 78's, which, it turns out, have some very rare original recordings. Opera, Symphony, etc.  Names like Caruso..., in all their "original" glory.  They don't sound bad..., in fact, quite good with this cartridge.  I run that on a Elac Miracord 770.  All period peices for the source hardware, but then into a C-1, carver amps to the speakers.

 

I won't say it will hurt your 2m Red..., I don't know - but I do think it will sound better on a cartridge designed for 78s.  

 

just my thoughts..., could be worthless, and someone else might actually (quite probably will) know more.

[AndrewJohn 6,316]

Here's a link to the current Ortofon 2M 78 True Mono cartridge.

 

Ortofon 2M 78 true mono cartridge

 

[Kurt 361]

28 minutes ago, AndrewJohn said:

I never wanted to use my "good" cartridge on records that were not designed for the cartridge..., I.e, modern cartridges since the LP came out, it seems to me, were perfected for 33rpm LP recordings...  

 

For me, I found an Orofon Black 78 - i.e., a Modern Cartridge, designed to work well on 78rpm records.

 

It sounds great - to me..., 

 

My parents gave me their collection of 78's, which, it turns out, have some very rare original recordings. Opera, Symphony, etc.  Names like Caruso..., in all their "original" glory.  They don't sound bad..., in fact, quite good with this cartridge.  I run that on a Elac Miracord 770.  All period peices for the source hardware, but then into a C-1, carver amps to the speakers.

 

I won't say it will hurt your 2m Red..., I don't know - but I do think it will sound better on a cartridge designed for 78s.  

 

just my thoughts..., could be worthless, and someone else might actually (quite probably will) know more.

Thanks, thats a great tip!