The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I always thought that it wouldn't be possible to play vinyl 78s on a Credenza since the tonearm would be too heavy.edisonplayer

I agree... Put a new needle in any sound box. Next rest it on the soft portion of your fingertip and lift the needle. Now imagine that weight on an LP record.

Jerry B.

Jerry B. wrote:

I always thought that it wouldn't be possible to play vinyl 78s on a Credenza since the tonearm would be too heavy.edisonplayer

I agree... Put a new needle in any sound box. Next rest it on the soft portion of your fingertip and lift the needle. Now imagine that weight on an LP record.

Jerry B.

Of course you can play any vinyl record of any speed on any wind up gramophone ! Only once though

I remember a YT video of someone playing one of the R. Crumb vinyl 78s on a Credenza, using a counterweight to reduce tracking pressure; unfortunately, I can't find it now...

-Bill

edisonplayer wrote:I always thought that it wouldn't be possible to play vinyl 78s on a Credenza since the tonearm would be too heavy.edisonplayer

My thoughts too, but apparently there's some sort of counterweight.

SittingRabbit wrote:

edisonplayer wrote:I always thought that it wouldn't be possible to play vinyl 78s on a Credenza since the tonearm would be too heavy.edisonplayer

My thoughts too, but apparently there's some sort of counterweight.

The problem with a conventional counterweight -- such as the one shown here -- https://www.capsnews.org/apn2011-3.htm -- is that, while it relieves downward pressure on the record's surface, it also increases the sideways pressure on the groove's wall since it is moved sideways along with the tonearm. You'd literally have to have something that would relieve pressure on the record's surface without touching the tonearm, itself.

A very light-weight sound box might accomplish this, but it would have to be fitted with an extremely light-weight needle bar, a needle bar fulcrum offering minimum resistance and maximum compliance, and a super-sensitive diaphragm. In that way, the needle bar would exert as little resistance as possible to the groove wall, while providing maximum movement of the diaphragm.

By the way, I believe that the weight & mass of the Orthophonic tonearm--without the sound box attached--exceeds that of most modern tonearms & cartridges. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong.)

OrthoFan

I see a lot of 50s records played on old windups on the internet. To me it just doesnt match! Its like filling a modern fancy mansion with old antique furniture and decore. It just doesnt match to me. Looks wrong lol.

I have around 5000 78s, and maybe 100 vinyl. I won't put my stereo system (top of the line in the 70s) in my restored living room as it would'nt match everything, so I have to play them in my study. I just wanted a cheater way of playing my vinyl in the living room haha! My Credenza makes every record sound better, so I though maybe if retrofitted with something that wouldn't kill my vinyl would be a plus.

SittingRabbit wrote:I have around 5000 78s, and maybe 100 vinyl. I won't put my stereo system (top of the line in the 70s) in my restored living room as it would'nt match everything, so I have to play them in my study. I just wanted a cheater way of playing my vinyl in the living room haha! My Credenza makes every record sound better, so I though maybe if retrofitted with something that wouldn't kill my vinyl would be a plus.

Just shows how far advanced the Credenza was in its time. And to this day it still sounds amazing!!

Having a couple thousand LPs along with a couple of mid-level turntables—Pro-Ject and Clearaudio—I question what you would hope to get from vinyl on a Credenza (I have 3 of those as well). Aside from the difference in stylus diameter and the much, much greater mass of the Orthophonic tonearm compared to modern arms, stereo LPs require vertical as well as horizontal compliance. I also wonder what the effect is of a counterweight like the one shown in the previous link, since that appears to rest on the arm and would not appear to allow for quick vertical movement to things like warps without variation in the amount of weight on the stylus as the arm moves up and down,

Bill

SittingRabbit wrote:I have around 5000 78s, and maybe 100 vinyl. I won't put my stereo system (top of the line in the 70s) in my restored living room as it would'nt match everything, so I have to play them in my study. I just wanted a cheater way of playing my vinyl in the living room haha! My Credenza makes every record sound better, so I though maybe if retrofitted with something that wouldn't kill my vinyl would be a plus.

You may want to get or build one of those gadgets that will play MP3 files through the tonearm, either wired or Bluetooth. A couple of these have been described on this board. Just search and I'm sure you'll find the relevant posts.