I thought the only ancient spinning thing with a diamond on it was Aunt Martha, drunk at a wedding!




This may be a good question for Bruce........................

I need a turntable that will play all of the speeds..........78, 45, and 33 1/2

The client is interested in Quality.....................budget is NEVER his issue, but you never know.


Let me know what ya'll think!

RR

Well, If budget is no concern, then the McIntosh Turntable fits the bill. But Thorens also makes a three speed TT. Ideally, the headshell should be interchangeable because the stylus size of a 78 RPM stylus is about 3 times the size of a 33/45 RPM stylus.
Most people who think they might play the occasional 78 don't do it very often.
The Mac is about $9000.00 - go for it!
AudioVisionary

Or Ernie regarding the 78 RPM

Pro-ject is the absolute best value in my opinion. (Price range from $300.00 to $4000.00) They make great stuff and have excellent support. [Link: project-audio.com]

AVID HIFI is another great turntable but will require a higher premium. Range on these starts at about 2k and goes up to about 20k

There's also VPI and ClearAudio that will have high end turntables with about any features you are looking for but I have no experience with the brands. Clients that have them seem to love them though.

The best advice I can give you is to talk to EJ. They do a lot of ultra high end.

The McIntosh is phenomenal.

Pro-Ject only has a couple models that can handle 78RPM without a Custom Pulley. So if you look at those, Keep that in mind.

The standard stylus size for 45 and 33 1/3 was oblong, 0.3 x 0.7 mil (thousands of an inch), with the long dimension at right angles to the groove.

That "right angles" bit is important, and it's why you align the stylus perfectly, so that both sides of the stylus hit the same point in any particular groove undulation.

The average 78 rpm stylus is a rounded-end cone of 3.0 mil, quite a bit larger than the LP stylus. I don't know whether the end of the stylus has an actual 3.0 mil radius, but I think that's the case.

78s have an abrasive material, and when steel needles were used, the record actually shaped the steel to the groove for best contact. Those styli wore out after ten to twenty plays. Sapphire or harder were used for more plays. Diamond is best.

You also need a completely different playback EQ for most 78s. The de-emphasis in the bass, played back with an RIAA curve, gives a bump in the mid bass that makes 78s sound "tubby." Also, 78s from before the fifties often had no emphasis on the highs, so if you play them back with an RIAA curve, the highs will be progressively worse above about 1 kHz.

Let me know if they need more details about this stuff.

I probably need to get a budget.......................

the last turntable that I set up was in 84..........I was a rep for Audio Technica.......


man time flies......................

Thanks for the input so far. The more the better!

RR

Music Hall
Rega
Well Tempered
SOTA

Most of the TT listed above play only 33/45 rpm. Rega makes a 78RPM model but it is fixed at 78RPM. Clearly knowing the client's comfortable budget makes these questions easier to answer. If it truly is 'the best' then McIntosh. We are dealers for Avid and they do not make a 78RPM option.
AudioVisionary

Wow, You're right about AVID. I could have sworn they had the 78 RPM option but just looked at the catalog and notta. Im guessing that speed was part of the unavailable anniversary addition.

Pro-Ject however has several options.

Pro-Ject Xtension
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m.
Electronic speed change33 / 45 r.p.m.
Mechanic speed change78 r.p.m.

Pro-Ject 1 Xpression III Classic
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m. (78 optional)

Pro-Ject 1 Xpression III
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m. (78 optional)

Pro-Ject RPM 5.1
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m. (78 optional)

Pro-Ject RPM 6.1 SB
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m.
Electronic speed change33 / 45 r.p.m.
Mechanic speed change78 r.p.m.

Pro-Ject Debut III
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m. (78 optional)

Pro-Ject Debut III Esprit
Nominal speeds33 / 45 / 78 r.p.m. (78 r.p.m. optional)

+1 on the Pro-Ject turntables.

Solid products and yes I've installed and set them up for clients.

+2 Nice tables for the money!

I used one of these recently with great results for the money. Solid TT and sounds great 3 speeds.

[Link: audio-technica.com]

The Walker Proscenium is very nice if price is really no object, although it does not do 78. But what do you expect for $80,000 without cartridge.

wow