Do Ultonas damage Diamond Discs?

[gunnarthefeisty]

I've heard varying opinions on this, and I might be getting one soon. Do they or don't they?

[PeterF]

Edison included a drive mechanism to draw the reproducer across the face of the record. The edison stylus is able to float vertically as well as laterally.

All others rely upon pressure from the sidewall of the groove to do so, and this would reduce the floating and perhaps force the stylus to climb up one side of the groove a little bit - away from the information in the bottom of the groove.

Any such effect would be intensified by lateral friction in the tonearm bearing, and any dirt or surface imperfections in stylus or records will have impact.

Probably the answer to your question is that if you can blow on the side of your reproducer (in the up position) and move it laterally with your breath alone, no damage, because very little lateral force is needed to move the reproducer.

But chances are that your discs have already seen enough use that it really won’t matter.

[JohnM]

Make sure that your Ultona is dead-level if using the earlier style with a dedicated Edison-side. Using the vertical chuck on the lateral/vertical side with a shank-mounted conical diamond stylus is much more forgiving.

[52089]

The double-sided Ultona has a dedicated setup for Diamond Discs. The stylus is very similar to a regular Diamond Disc stylus and should cause minimal wear. If a Diamond Disc machine is not available, this is the next best thing.

The single-sided Ultona is another story. Playing a Diamond Disc with one of those requires a "pointed" stylus that chips easily, wears easily, and tracks at a very bad angle. I would never play a Diamond Disc with that setup.

[CarlosV]

In my experience, utilizing a new stylus and a double-sided Ultona with new gaskets, there is no wear to the DDs.