Being mostly a phonograph collector who enjoys records I look at this quite differerntly than many of you. While I do understand that there are those truely rare records that should be protected, I don't own many of them. And, if I cannot play the records on the original equipment I own, I have no hobby. So, knowing that there is some risk of ware, in my experience that ware is not so extreme that you have to avoid the enjoyment of playing your machines. I regularly play orthaphonic era records on my Cradenza for non-collectors. They are always amazed at how good they sound. And I play my cylinder records on my cylinder machines too. If I played any record every day I suspose I might wear one of them out. But, I don't play any one record often enough to have even notice a change in the sound quality. Listening to records on modern equipment or recording them is an interesting thing to do. But, it is no susbstitute for the sound on the real thing. It's exactly as there were intended to sound. Dan On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 7:54 AM, Rich <rich-mail at octoxol.com> wrote: > You can buy a cartridge for your turntable that has 5 to 7 mil conical > diamonds. You might find that the standard stereo stylus might miss the > existing wear and produce a clean reproduction of badly damaged > originals. These will fit into any of the modern turntables and play > mono records. The Thorens TD 126 Mk III is not a bad choice if you do > not have one. It will cover the 78 rpm to 80 rpm speeds without a lot > of work. You will be surprised how good some of these old recordings > sound. I think Kurt Kauck has information on the details of setting > this up on his website, complete with pictures. > > Thatcher Graham wrote: > > Rich, > > > > In my general naivety toward this new hobby I'd assumed everybody knew > > that the steel needle damages the groove. I wasn't aware there was even > > a debate. A modern tone arm tracks in grams, the phonograph in ounces! > > But I do have a question. Most of my collection I've assumed to be > > relatively valueless. Is there a simple resource I can use so I don't > > happen to destroy one that /is /actually valuable? > > > > -Thatcher > > > > > > Rich wrote: > >> Robert, > >> I have used highly modified RABCO arms to play records on modern > >> Thorens belt drive turn tables since the early 70s. > >> > >> What you are very clearly explaining here is correct but I quit trying > >> to convince the true believers of the permanent damage they were > >> inflicting on irreplaceable records. > >> > >> You are also correct in stating that the damage created by a properly > >> setup DD machine is minimal when compared to all of the rest of the > >> period machines. > >> > >> Your treatise on phonograph geometry and record damage should stir up > >> some activity. I am picturing a young boy with a stick stuck far into > >> a hornet nest stirring briskly while his brother looks on from a safe > >> distance. > >> > >> Rich > >> > >> Robert Wright wrote: > >>> Many times the pros and cons of playing shellac discs on wind-up > >>> phonographs have been discussed here on this list. > >> > >> <BIG SNIP> > >>> > >>> I have never agreed with this. I'm a child of the 80's, and I > >>> remember when CD's came out - > >> > >> <BIG SNIP> > >>> > >>> But then, we all know that no matter how die-hard a collector's > >>> conviction is that no groove damage occurs from wind-up playback, > >>> it's not often we see any of them playing Caruso Zonophones and the > >>> like on their Vic VI's. > >>> > >>> Thoughts? Comments? Corrections? It has been quiet in here for a > >>> while, indeed! > >>> > >>> > >>> Best to All, > >>> Robert > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Phono-L mailing list > >> http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Phono-L mailing list > > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Phono-L mailing list > http://phono-l.oldcrank.org >