A difficult LP reproduction question

Bmckenney, that would be perfect. I hope you make that listening session and post results.

Johnnantais. I was considering the Seduction kit new and the EAR used. I was thinking the EAR used for $500.00.

The Seduction kit is $225.00 plus the recent upgrade board which raises the total gain to 40 DB is an additional $125.00. That puts the price of the two close enough to go with the EAR if it were clearly superior.

Gregm, thanks for the links. Wish I could justify that high end 78 EQ phono. Likely I will live with RIAA for the 78's I purchase.

Albert:

Will you be listening to the 78's in true mono? Probably too late now, but I'd put together a separate vintage tube mono system on the cheap (it could even be an early stereo amp with a mono switch).

Amps of the appropriate vintage will have the various curves noted on their tone controls (my old Pilot does). I'd go with an integrated amp to keep things simple.

You would just have to find a spot for a single vintage speaker, or maybe an old victrola type cabinet which could hold the entire system (including the speaker/driver).

I'm getting ready to auction a few of my vintage mono speakers by George Gott and Reproducer & Amplifier (cleaning out the guest room), but feel that you should go with a larger driver/cabinet considering the size of your room.

Something like a 15" Stephens coaxial, a K-Horn, or the model just below it that does not require corner loading (forget the name) would be nice in a large room.

Cool idea Dekay. If I take over another room my wife will have no place to sleep.

I'm going to have to push it through the current rig. Maybe get a second head shell for the Decca and a true mono cartridge for those old 78's.

Don't be a spoil sport Albert. Your wife may just be interested in an old/nice Victrola cabinet (perhaps enough to ask that you replace the rest of the setup with it:-).

Then we would have to get one of those dogs like RCA used in the ads.

I can see him now, sitting in the living room listening to that old horn coming off the Victrola and ignoring my Soundlabs.