Recording off a 78 without a 78 compatible player.

[antcollinet]

Hi

I've been asked to find a way to get a track off a 78rpm disk for a memorial service. My turntable has no 78 speed - and if I understand correctly a special stylus is needed.

Does anyone know if I can half bake it using a standard LP/45 stylus, and then speed up the playback in audacity. Does that stand any chance of working (without damage to stylus or 78?

Alternatively - I can get a 78 stylus for my cartridge - but still don't have the correct speed. So can I convert speed in audacity or similar?

Thanks

 

[Timcognito]

Contact Details for Vinyl to Digital Audio & Video Departments

You can contact Vinyl to Digital by email or by telephone. Vinyl to Digital have been providing a range of Audio and Video Conversion Services since 1999.

www.vinyltodigital.co.uk

 

[antcollinet]

Contact Details for Vinyl to Digital Audio & Video Departments

You can contact Vinyl to Digital by email or by telephone. Vinyl to Digital have been providing a range of Audio and Video Conversion Services since 1999.

www.vinyltodigital.co.uk

Thanks - that is an option I can offer to them.

Though it also seems that audacity has the facilities to convert both equalisation curves and speed if I were to get the stylus, and record at 33 1/3.

 

[ronniebear]

I don't know your timeframe of your project. It's not impossible to find a used low-end but adequate 1960s/1970s record changer in working condition (and "working condition" is key) with a 78 speed and a flip-over 78 rpm stylus. Youtuber VWestlife has a couple of videos on this topic. I think a key reason it can work alright is it uses idler drive, which is particularly effective with shellac 78s. See this: A beautiful little 1970s turntable that's about the same size as a modern suitcase player but can automatically play a stack of up to six records, supports all four speeds (including 16 and 78 RPM), and sounds great.

I am intrigued about the software type adjustments for speed and performance adjustment.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Audacity can do the EQ curves and adjust the speed.

Also, they made shellac 78s and later vinyl 78's. Different stylus for each of those. 3 mil stylus for shellac and .6 mil for vinyl. The vinyl 78s should play with a 33/45 rpm stylus. The shellac if you play them with the modern stylus will likely be too noisy to use.

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: What Cartridges and Styli Does Audio-Technica Offer for Playing 78 RPM Records? | Audio-Technica

Audio Solutions Question of the Week: What Cartridges and Styli Does Audio-Technica Offer for Playing 78 RPM Records? Determining which 78RPM Cartridge is best for you is based not only on the material of your records, but also on the condition of those 78 RPM records.

www.audio-technica.com

How To Play 78s

Most people also know that records come in two different speeds – the majority records are played at 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), while some, usually singles or special editions, are played at 45 RPM. Some older formats, though, run at 78 RPM. This was the earliest format that we’d...

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