JBCODD
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Posts posted by JBCODD
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1 hour ago, Mallette said:
My Pleasure, Neil.
After reviewing and getting over the shock of how real freaks do this at http://www.78-rpm.com/ , calm down. If you INSIST on playing with a vintage turntable but want to avoid further damage use cactus needles or at least new steel ones rotated out after a couple of plays. There is a reason those TTs had the new and disposal holders.
But to be truly shocked at how good they can sound you need a dedicated TT of good quality...in my case, I use an Empire 598 Mark II I got for around 300.00 a decade or more ago. But any good quality vintage Dual, Garrard, or what have you with 78 will work. Last time I checked 2.5-3.0 mil styli for Shure M44 and related carts were still available. I use a Stanton with at 3.0 mil at 5 grams on my Empire. You'll get VERY nice sound using an inexpensive phono preamp like the http://www.phonopreamps.com/tc778eb.html at 70.00 or so. The "78" position is a compromise of most of the main curves used during the 78 period. Bear in mind that acoustic discs use none at all...which explains why they sound so tinny when a curve is applied. Before I learned this I had read that there was resistance from audiophiles way back when electrical recording was introduced and they said it wasn't as good. I was clueless and thought them nuts until I heard an acoustic played correctly, Incredible! The 1922 acoustic recording of George Gershwin performing his Rhapsody in Blue with the Paul Whiteman orchestra has a bari sax on it that is almost transparent straight to the horn. One of my favorites!
Now, if you have the bug after doing the relatively inexpensive steps above, add the RekOKut Re-Equalizer, which is something around 300.00 if I recall correctly. You'll go yet another level. It goes between your external phono preamp and line in, and provides almost perfect settings to match all the curves of the entire pre-RIAA period. While they provide a guide to settings for almost every major level and period I rapidly went to just a "set by ear" method that can achieve fidelity beyond my ability to describe. I have a mint recording of Gene Krupa with the Benny Goodman orchestra doing "Swing, Swing, Swing" from about 1944 that is electrifying on my K'horns and leaves many who've never heard a properly played 78 speechless.
So, there's the basics. The engineers in the old days had the technological ability to record, but the playback equipment of the time wasn't nearly as good as the source material. We can fix that now and it is very rewarding to the music lover. It allows one to "time travel" and hear great musicians better than they've ever been heard except by those who heard them live.Dave
P.S. SHOULD have mentioned that NO mechanical TT can play electrically recorded 78s with any degree of quality. They are strictly for acoustic recordings...which, if you think about it, makes sense. They have no EQ of any kind. The record in the OPs first image is an electrical recording.
Needles
Victor needles are typically made of steel, and there is one important rule: USE A STEEL NEEDLE ONLY ONCE and then throw it away. They will ruin your records if used more than once. There is a strong abrasive in the old 78 RPM records which, by design, wears the needle, and consequently, saves the record from wearing out. (Needles are cheaper than records!). However, if you reuse a worn needle, you will quickly cut into the groove surfaces and ruin the record. This was true in 1910, and it is still true today. Steel needles are readily available from many sources, including the service companies listed in the SUPPLIERS section. They are usually available in loud and soft tone versions. Call them for prices and availability.
Years ago, some needles were produced from Fiber or Tungsten materials. Victor manufactured a multi-play "Tungstone" needle in the late 'teens and early 20's. These needles lasted for many playings without the need for constant replacement of the needle. These still show up at auctions and on Ebay in their original small tin containers. They consist of a steel shank with a small "point" protruding from one end. This point is made of a tungsten alloy, which is much softer than the grooves of records. A Tungstone needle may be used to play as many records as you wish until it ceases working (at which time it is worn out and should no longer be visible as a small protrusion from the shank).
In addition, soft wood-like fiber needles were also available from Victor in the heyday of the Victrola, giving a very subdued sound. These dulled very quickly, but could be resharpened by using a small "chisel" cutter kit. To my knowledge, only steel needles are being manufactured at present. There are no current manufacturers of either fiber of Tungstone needles.
The above is per http://www.victor-victrola.com/Needles.htm. Thanks for the tip about cactus needles. I live in Az and the supply is substantial. Perhaps I will compile a comparative study of various species: saguaro::cholla::ocotillo::prickly pear.
JBCODD
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6 hours ago, efzauner said:
Talk about negativity here. Great way to scare away a newbie! And some expert you are, calling it a "needle".
No worries: I stumbled across this forum while surfing the web looking on info to rehab my circa 1980 Heresy pair. The name Bob Crites was brought up and his site led me here. I read extensively before joining and was struck by the egletarian tenor of the group. Expert advice, freely given, tolerance of all levels of fidelity, and tastes in music. Tips on wood working, construction, finishing, electronic mods, engineering, physics, and speaker philosophy. What's not to like?
I made this tongue in cheek post to 'get my feet wet' as I rebuild my sound system now that business of feeding and raising a family has stabilized. Once I have gathered and deployed the equipment, in accordance with my wife's decorating wishes, I will no doubt have more serious, pertinent queries on how to maximize my listening experience. Then I will take full advantage of the expertise and knowledge present here. And also the humor.
Thank you for your support.
JBCODD
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32 minutes ago, avguytx said:
Seriously? Well, that's about all 78 rpm records will be with that needle setup; lo fi at best.
Not terribly serious, but it's the only folded horn I own, and I gotta brag someway. It was state of the art at one time, solid oak construction, and it does have an upgraded main spring.
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Comrades:
I'm looking to expand the soundstage of my vintage RCA turntable and need some help. It currently runs through a single attached folded horn speaker, with low fi results. Should I go with solid state or tube amps? I've got some early stock Heresy I's, but would a set of Fortes be better?
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2 hours ago, Matthews said:
one set, enough for either A, B or C.
...others will come available soon
Thank you Matt!
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Bought a pair of Heresy speakers in 1984 in Frankfurt, from another soldier. Then I got married and started breeding. The five kids are educated and moved out, so now I have my eye on a pair of Forte I.
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USNRET:
How are you. I'm Ret Army. A banana plug might fit in the holes near the base of the post, (see pic above) but this would be sub-optimal as it would make minimal contact with the conductive element.
Thank you for your reply, though, as the link you provided led me to a possible source at legendaryamps.com.
JBCODD
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4 hours ago, derrickdj1 said:
Someone has already had the same problem. This is not how the original amp was. Open the amp up and see what you need to do. This is not a hard project once you see all the connections. Either way, the task is to redo the speaker connections and you pick what size you want. That amp is from a golden era and is why they have a great reputation in the audio world. They are worth restoring and the investment will be well worth it. Seek help from a local audio shop if needed.
Derrick:
I am the original owner. There have been no mods to this amp. The only difference is that I have lost the parts which screw into the binding posts and secure the speaker wires. While replacing the binding posts may improve the function or ease of use, I would rather take the simpler steps first and obtain the missing pieces.
I do thank you for your input, though, as Parts Express may see my custom if the search for these pieces is in vain. I did contact http://legendaryamps.com/ to see if they had any on hand. Their website states that they routinely replace these posts and I hope that they can harvest a few of the nuts for me.
*sigh* Da trouble I have wit "Deez Nutz"
JBCODD
the image below shows the binding posts with the red and black securing pieces. The securing pieces are what I need. The binding posts on my amp are functional.
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On the back panel there are 12 threaded, cylindrical receptacles, with an ID of 9/16". These accept cylindrical "nuts" which have an axial pass thru for the speaker wires. (Da wires go tru da middle). I could probably drill out some plastic pipe plugs, but for aesthetic reasons, would prefer OEM parts.
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Sirs:
I have a Yamaha M-65 amp I wish to place in service after many moons of storage. However I found that the red and black plastic nuts which attach speaker wires to the outputs are missing. I've called Yamaha parts and they no longer have them. Does anyone have a source (or part #) for these?
PS: I will be running some vintage Heresy I's with this, and perhaps some Forte I's if a deal goes through.
Yamaha M-65 parts
in Technical/Restorations
Posted
Followed a link on an unrelated post to audiokarma.org and noticed they had a dedicated Yamaha section. Found a gent who could supply the parts I needed. Problem solved. Thanks for all the input and help.
JBCODD