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New or like new 78s played on reasonable equipment can be very listenable. Played with a modern replacement ($20 at thevoiceofmusic.com) cartridge into a modern hi-fit setup with even a "mean" shelf equalization can sound better than that.
Even 115 year old records can sound quite good IF they are "like new", which usually
means that they were very unpopular ones.
78s can survive playing even at 50 grams with a steel needle IF the needle is changed
every few records. But they will never be quite the same as new.
A tip in finding good records to use as demos: 78rpm.com auctions. You are much more likely to get excellent surfaces at reasonable prices if you pick classical records,
especially multi-record albums.
I'm listening to the Brahms 4th symphony with the Boston Symphony and Koussevitsky right now on an Admiral 1950 changer that I got at last Sunday's ETF auction for $5 .. and a nice great shape Bakelite case to boot. It cost about $7 to recap and about $20 for a thevoiceofmusic.com KCCD replacement cartridge kit.
It does however need a new idler wheel without a bump in it .. another $30 at thevoiceofmusic.com.
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