[xcel]

What turntables and cartridges would you recommend I consider to set up a player dedicated to 78 RPM records?
- key consideration is to "do no harm"; to not cause (further) damage to the record by playing it
- would like to stay under CDN$500, if possible
- new or used; wiling to be patient and keep my eye out for a good value in a used player

thanks!

[/mp]

What turntables and cartridges would you recommend I consider to set up a player dedicated to 78 RPM records?
- key consideration is to "do no harm"; to not cause (further) damage to the record by playing it
- would like to stay under CDN$500, if possible
- new or used; wiling to be patient and keep my eye out for a good value in a used player

thanks!

Audio-technica web site includes, " Please note that a 78 RPM stylus with a diameter of 3 mil is necessary for shellac records (pre-1958) and a stylus with a diameter of .6 mil is designed for 78 RPM vinyl records."

OP doesn't include all his budget needs to cover. e.g. turntable, tonearm, cartridge, non-RIAA phono stage. Caveat notwithstanding, a nice used Rega 78 may meet your criteria. Canadian importer displays new price as $975.00 (unspecified currency but since they're Canadian importer....)

A quick perusal finds several inexpensive 78 RPM cartridges:
Audio-technica  (vinyl) AT-VM95C $39.00; (shellac) AT-VM95SP $79.00,  VM670SP$149.00 new. 
Grado makes 78 RPM cartridges for US $100.
Ortofon 2M 78RPM MM Phono Cartridge $138.00.
Shure M78S phono cartridge $129.00.

Caveat. I have no personal experience w/any of the above. I do have a c.'78 Rega planar 2 & several similar vintage Grado cartridges. None have been used in decades. As always, YMMV.

Hope this helps,
/mp

[S Clark]

What turntables and cartridges would you recommend I consider to set up a player dedicated to 78 RPM records?
- key consideration is to "do no harm"; to not cause (further) damage to the record by playing it
- would like to stay under CDN$500, if possible
- new or used; wiling to be patient and keep my eye out for a good value in a used player

thanks!

Call around to the Canuck radio stations to see if any have an old broadcast turntable in storage.  They are built like tanks and parts are available.

[xcel]

Thanks so much for your suggestions and pointers.  Much appreciated.

[matvogel]

What turntables and cartridges would you recommend I consider to set up a player dedicated to 78 RPM records?

as a brand new turntable, certainly the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO  would be a good option. Regarding cartridge it all depends on the era your records are from. the older the records, the wider the groves where. A pretty low budged cartidge is the Grado 78 with conical stylus. Then also to consider is the phono stage. during the shellac era no RIAA equalization was made, every recording company used their own EQ. Graham Slee makes a good phono stage which has a few cutting curves other then RIAA to select from.