As to DD life. There are a lot of original DD reproducers with quite serviceable reproducers containing period stylus bars and diamonds. The original diaphragms are shot but the diamond is good. Yes, some are chipped or show wear but the majority I have looked at are in OK condition. Most of the trashed DDs are the result of being played by children with a steel needle. Most DDs are destroyed by improper storage, not use. Look at a period very popular record and you see the extent of normal wear of the period. Robert Wright wrote: > Oh Greg, > I have a thousand things to pick your brain about (I knew about CED > being a vertical modulation and would LOVE to get into finer details of > it with you, as I'm an "obsolete technology" junkie across the board)! > <SNIP> > > ... but I wonder just how many times a new DD could > be played by a new stylus in a DD phono before audible wear would > appear. Would they really wear the diamond out first? > > Thanks for all your invested time and shared wisdom, Greg. > > Best, > Robert