How to play 78 rpm records

If you have inherited a pile of heavy, brittle discs in paper sleeves, they are almost certainly 78s: shellac records made up to the late 1950s. They can still sound wonderful, with a little care.

You need a third speed

Most modern turntables play 33⅓ and 45 rpm only. Play a 78 at 45 and it drags; at 33 it crawls. The Heirloom Classic and Heirloom Carry both have a 78 setting.

The groove is wider

78s were cut with a groove roughly three times the width of a microgroove LP. A standard stylus plays them, but sits low in the groove and picks up more noise. For a large collection, a dedicated 78 stylus with a wider tip is worth having. Call us before you buy and we will tell you what fits your model.

Shellac is not vinyl

• It is brittle: hold the disc by the edges with both hands and never flex it.
• It is sensitive to water and alcohol: clean with a dry carbon-fibre brush, or a barely damp cloth and nothing else.
• It is heavy: store 78s upright, in small groups, so the weight does not crack the discs at the bottom.

What to expect

Surface noise is part of the sound of a 78; a good turntable reduces it but does not remove it. Behind the crackle is a recording made in a room, in one take, often ninety years ago. Set the speed, lower the arm, and listen.