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Hell yes, I’m excited. It would still be a tossup between this deck and a Technics 1200 variant though. I own a Dual but I worked two 1200 for about six years and they were sturdy, RELIABLE friends I used every night. Boy, you’re hitting all the memories today.
My very first turntable (about 15 years ago) was a Dual 1235, which I really enjoyed. After that I got my hands on a Dual 1229 with a Shure v15, and that was a superb turntable. I got the opportunity to change to a higher level turntable and I don't regret, but sometimes I miss the automatic arm 🤣😂
I have a dual CS521 from the 70s that I have had since 2007 and its great. I also had a CS505 in the early 80s and it was a great bargain turntable. I may get this because I have lots of 78s I can never play. Is the headshell a standard interchangeable one?
I was glad to hear Kristi asking about fully automatic turntables. I have two turntables in my house and both are fully automatic. The Pioneer PL-707 is awesome with it's fully automatic, direct drive. I love how with the push of just a few buttons, I can tell it exactly what kind of album I've placed on it, and it can take care of the rest. Even a 10" 33 RPM, I can use the fully automatic mode. Then my Bang & Olufsen Beogram 9000, heck, I can even use a remote control with it! The capabilities of that deck blows me away. Put a 12" on it, and it weigh it, and selects 33.3 RPM automatically. Put a 7" single, and it automatically picks 45 RPM. Get an important phone call during a song? Press Stop on the remote, and it will lift the tone arm up and keep it's position so when you're ready to listen again, it starts right where you left. Love me some fully automatic gear.
Thumbs up on the new Dual and welcome back! On my second system I’m running a Dual 721 fully automatic single disc direct-drive turntable, Dual’s top of the line in 1980 and their second direct-drive model. $400 retail in 1980 (About $1355 in 2022 dollars so comparable in price). Coincidentally, I recently mounted an Ortofon Blue on mine, too, replacing the original Ortofon OM40. I wish I could post a picture because the tonearm looks so very, very similar to the one on the Dual reviewed by Andrew. My main system has a Linn LP-12/Ittok arm/Troika cartridge and provides a point of comparison. Simply, the Dual is not at all embarrassed by the Linn setup. Frankly, I tend to play records more often on the Dual, not because it sounds better (nope, not quite, but it’s 1/5 the price of the Linn) but because it’s so user friendly with its auto start and stop, and the instantaneous coming to speed of the direct-drive mechanism. The best thing is I don’t have drop everything at the end of the LP side to pick up the tonearm. I can cook AND play records! After 40+ years it still looks great , operates perfectly, and sounds better than new (the OM40 was a little light sounding, the 2M Blue is just right). I’m more than happy to play my rarest pressings on my Dual without a second thought and enjoy them thoroughly. P.S. Ortofon 2M Red owners: Upgrade to a 2M Blue stylus ASAP. Huge improvement! All you need to do is swap out the stylus with no adjustments necessary.
I bought my first Dual in 1972. The Dual 721 Direct Drive. I had it fully restored in 2020 by a retired Dual tech who lives up in Canada (a Great! guy). The 721 looks and sounds mint, just like the day I first bought her. I have a Shure M97xE with JICO SAS stylus mounted. I would love to try an Ortofon 2M Black, but not possible on this tonearm. The new Dual looks beautiful. Thanks for the review, Andrew. This is a great channel.
The RT85 has auto stop. (after about 20 seconds). The RT85 meets almost every spec comparison, one of them much better - acrylic platter, and it's more than half the price. Granted no built in pre-amp on the RT85 but by cost comparison, you would need an external preamp that costs $700 to equal the same price as the Dual. You can get a REALLY good preamp for $175-$400 dollars. I'm personally not impressed with the Dual at it's price point but, as always, I appreciate your excellent review!
I have a Dual 604 from the 1980s. It's in pristine condition, has never given me an issue of any sort. I'm about to re-install my vinyl gear into the system, adding a NOS Shure V15V-VXM. If the Dual does the job, I won't replace it. If it's showing its age compared to new units, I'll shop for a replacement. Thanks for your intelligent reviews!
I've got a Dual 1229 that I bought in 1974 that I can't give up. I took it to a company (well, a guy) in Des Moines IA called Fix My Dual about 3 years ago and he brought it back to full working order and also fixed the spare removable headshell. They're kind of designed to get old (idler wheel drive), but I'm still happy to have it as a secondary turntable. As far as direct drive, I inherited an Onkyo CP 1500F with all the features. Auto start and return, cuing, search and repeat buttons. removable headshell - it's a fun turntable. If Kriste wants style, I've also got a Bang & Olufsen Beogram RX2 automatic turntable that I'd be willing to part with...
Hi Andrew and Kristi. My very first turntable i bought when i started this hobby in 1965 was a rim drive Dual 1009. fitted with a Shure cartridge. The rest of the gear was a 12 watt per channel tube integrated amplifier and 2 Axiom 201 Goodmans full range drivers in home made enclosures. This was all i could afford at the time, but it started my journey into the world of Hi Fi. Next upgrade would be a Thorens TD 150 belt drive , which came without a tonearm. You could choose a tonearm of your choice. I ended up buying the ADC Prichard tonearm which i mounted to the Thorens. This was not a problem because you were involved in getting the "sound" you were after. This was one of the joys of the hobby.
great to see a new turntable review! i’ve actually been going back and rewatching a bunch of your previous turntable videos just for fun and to see what’s unique about each model. i like auto-lift, too, but don’t have it, and probably have to get one of those tonearm risers someday.
Dual is a legendary turntable manufacturer in Europe and has been since the sixties. No one could touch them for build and sound quality. My first proper turntable (in 1984) was the Dual CS505-2. In the 80's it was the hands down best vinyl player in Europe under £500. It also had a shut off option at the end of the record. They are still out there to be had on eBay. An example in very good condition will still only cost around £300. A friend has one and in direct comparison it far outshines new models from Audio Technica, Fluance etc. As I said at the start, It is very well constructed (as are all 20th century Dual turnables ) mainly because at that time the main source for music was vinyl.
Andrew, the 618Q and Technics 1500 C are both currently the same price on Crutchfield. I am very intrigued by both. I was planning on buying the Technics, but not 100 percent sure now considering the Dual. If you had a choice, which one would you pick? I am assuming the Technics has a lot more aftermarket support.
Having refurbished and restored dozens of tables from Technics, AT, Pioneer, Marantz, etc…there is something special about a tuned up Idle-drive Dual turntable that cant be found in belt or direct drive TTs. Dual 1225’s and 1229’s are great contenders for some of the most kickin turntables I’ve ever had the pleasure of fixing up and listening to afterwards. If you can find one, get it serviced and cleaned up, it’ll last another 50 years. Vintage Duals are mechanically brilliant and incredible machines. The service manuals are amazing as well. I also have to say i appreciate Kristi’s input - at certain price points the best and most appropriate response when someone asks if a certain table is good or not is “Its a turntable. Treat it right, put your favorite sounding cartridge on there and call it a day.”
Dual in my time has always had solid performing turntables which many of them where automatic. In the late 70’s, early 80’s. Most people like myself gravitated to Technics turntables which it made many manufacturers like Dual to lose tremendous market share. I am happy they are back just like the KLH Model 5 speakers. This Dual turntable will find new homes in many peoples spaces. Upgrade the cartridge and I bet it will hang in sound with turntables in the $ 2,000 plus range.
I think back to my first turntable (Dual 1218) and remember how long it served me. Then, the Technics SL 1200 or 1250, and now the Fluance RT85. Not high end but great times. You are spot on when focusing on satisfaction.
Had a Dual CS505-2 Deluxe once, a decent enough belt drive model from the 80s. Got lucky and acquired their flagship direct drive Dual 701, which I still occasionally use nowadays. My late mother used Dual turntables when she worked in the record retail section of a “radiogram store” (as they used to call it).
Most professional videos on RU-vid congrats! I've been busting my head saying "where's an integrated amp for purists of home theater"? Why are we paying for junk we don't need, like tuners that don't even work most of the time. Video switching, HDMI, More and more junk with diminishing returns. We've had optical, coax, why did they screw everything up. Ah, to get us to buy brand new gear! Lovely, just beautiful. I had to replace my most recent Denon which didn't last 5 years. I'm back to my old one using my toslink and have better channel separation than HDMI ever gave me. One company is buying everything, ensuring us of crappy products(Sound- something or other)you know the one. You've got some pull dude, how about a look see? Appreciate you and your wife's work. Good luck, Chris
Long time owner (40 years?) of Dual 701, direct drive single play automatic. Wore it out. :). Developed bearing noise, and old head shell attachment and connections were fragile compared to current design. Fabulous with Shure V15 vx mr, which of course is no longer being made. Replaced with Fluance RT-82 with Ortofon OM-5 cartridge upgraded to 30 stylus (OM-30). Much prefer OM-30 to Ortofon 2m Bronze in the Fluance arm. Bronze exhibits upper midrange resonance. Enjoy your videos and reviews. I’m a retired research EE and aging audiophile since childhood.
i had the 704 semi automatic with the V15 LM cartridge in 1978 and yes the plastic head shell was very fragile i used to fill it with Blue tack to add some mass and it made a massive difference to the sound
I have a Dual CS-5000 I bought in Europe in 1986, and it runs as new. It’s sporting a Ortofon OM-10, Shure V-15 xV, and Audio Technica cartridges (I have 3 heads for the tonearm). Would you swap out the CS-5000 for the new CS-618Q? This CS-5000 is a workhorse, even after 35+ years! Love the reviews!
Beautiful Turntable i love this vintage look, i testing the CS518!Actually is my first Turntable so i don't any concern about it just enjoying all the records that I just bought it..
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank u Andrew, actually I always told to my self that I will never buy one, and here we go:)Playing First record was something magic, is working was my first reaction..hahahah
My first quality TT was a Dual CS 510 - manual belt drive with auto arm lift - circa 1975. The TT came packed in three boxes - the TT proper - the base, which was a receptacle for the TT which rested on spring-loaded feet that fit into the base and the dust cover. Once when I was moving - I had properly repackaged the TT in its three separate boxes - I dropped the TT proper down a stairwell and watched it strike the cement floor below and carom off the furnace. It survived perfectly. A very good friend had a Dual CS-701 (their flagship around the same time). I later owned a used CS721 - direct drive fully automatic - which was the follow up to the 701 and preceded the 5000 you mentioned. I had a Shure V15 Type V MR in it and it was very good! All three worked perfectly and I would likely still have the 721 except I can't own multiple TTs and I had inherited some 78's from my great-grandmother - so 7 years ago I bought a Thorens TD-240-2 (which is a Dual designed belt-drive fully automatic in a better plinth - Thorens bought the tooling from Dual) and mounted an Ortofon 2MBlue in it, plus I purchased additional head shells and got an Ortofon 2M78 to play the aforementioned 78s. I will replace the Thorens soon because it doesn't have a VTA adjustment for the tonearm (I use differing TT mats to get as close as I can) and, sadly, its speed is inaccurate and has no adjustment. I have compensated for that and it is very close. Also the dust cover hinges have lost their ability to remain open and I can't get replacements here in Canada (I really hate poor customer service). I have loved Duals all my life, and enjoyed selling them when I was in AV retail. I was very excited by your review and was only mildly disappointed to discover that the 618Q has no VTA adjustment. One question - did you test the speed on the TT and was it accurate? Thanks for your reviews. I enjoy them very much.
I have a Dual 1009 turntable from the 1960's. It's in a good cosmetic shape but is waiting for some electrical restoration, although it does work. The platter must weigh something like 6-7lbs at least, it's very heavy. The whole thing seems to be built extremely well.
Hi Andrew: great reviews! How would you compare this to the DUAL CS 429? Also, the does the shift to them being made in China affected the quality? Also how would you compare belt vs direct drives on these? TY!!
I really enjoy listening to my Dual cs704. A great (and underrated) turntable of the ‘70’s. Wondering with which element I would get maximum out of the table… currently using an entry AT-VM95EN any suggestions? Nice review by the way… enjoying the channel very much!
I’m still running a 1984 CS 505-2 and it’s been perfect since day 1, honestly! I have looked for years for a possible replacement and the only thing that stops me is other brands don’t have Auto Stop with arm lift like my 1984 CS 505. But now it’s back. Myself and thousands of other TT enthusiasts have waited for this! This is going to be a huge hit! IMO
Hello kristi and andrew, I liked your review, though I don't like the look of the Dual. I think in this prize region thete are better looking tables. But I love the vintage Duals. I was born in the black forest not far from st. Georgen where the Duals were made. My first turntable back in 1982 was a direct driven Dual 604. A few years ago I found it in the cellar, together with my record collection. And now I am into vinyl again. At the moment I have a Dual 622 that I restored recently. I bought it cheap on ebay for spare parts, but after cleaning I decided to repair it instead. It looks and works as new. But my favourites are the old idler driven classics like the 1218 or 19. You can get them sometimes cheap on fleemarkets and after cleaning and some minor repairs they mostly work fine again. Greetings from a Dual addicted Vinyl fan!
I had a Dual 701 back in the 1970's and 80's with a Shure V15 III. Brilliant turntable, quiet, great sound that made me a Dual fan. I followed my brother's preference for Dual. He had a changer in the 70's. I think it was a 1019. Thank you, Andrew and Kristi, for your great reviews. I appreciate your advice and information on products I likely will never get to hear. BTW, my current stereo is McIntosh, B&W, and B&O.
My CS515 Belt Driven Turntable last from July 1985 - Nov. 2008. It died at my hands with a Grado Red mounted on it. The belt was never changed. German Engineering indeed. If I were still into Vinyl, a Dual Belt Drive (this is direct, but they sell a belt version). Great review Andrew !
@@greenbeginner3353 But I'd rather see a CS5000. I had Chubby for that Table since Graduating High School in 1987. Shame I never bought one. Understand that I love the sound of Vinyl. Just don't like the care, feeding, & money for new "Audiophile" LP Pressings.
Great review. I have a Dual 1229 and have always like Duals. It’s almost 50 years old and I’ve replaced a few wearable parts but it still sounds great. I know things have changed overs the years with them. Noticed you had a Schiit preamp sitting beside it. How does that compare to the internal Dual preamp?
I'm so with Kristi on the fully automatic turntable. I have a Denon DP-45F I got used in 2006(?) for 180 dollars and that thing is so easy to use and with a good cartridge sounds great. I also have a Pioneer PLX-1000 manual turntable I got used for 300 dollars. It too sounds great but it's such a pita when the record is over. I do love me some direct drive! Love the channel Andrew!
Time to choose. Dual CS 618Q or Technics SL-1500C? Both have comparable features with the exception of the VTA on the Technics and the Blue cartridge on the Dual. With the walnut finish option on the Dual, which I prefer, the prices are also a match. I'll be making a purchase very soon as my 41 year old turntable has failed. Which of these two would you buy?
I’d probably choose Technics of those two, but I’m considering mmf9.3 (used), VIP Cliffwood, Pro-ject X (1or 2), used Thorens (???) …. Exhausting but fun. Actually the mmf 7.3 in walnut with an included Ortofon Bronze is tempting but then I’m at 2k. 😬
@@christinearmington Well,, I ended up with a Technics SL-100c, a Schitt Mani 2 phono amp, an Audio-Technica VM540ML cartridge, and a set of Blue Jean Cable LC-1. The Mani 2 is set to 47pF/47kΩ and the gain to 33dB. I felt that the Mani 2 set to the default of 42dB was overdriving a little in the midrange. I have to crank the volume a little more on the receiver but I'm pushing 175 watts from a Denon AVR-5803 into a set of 150 watt Klipsch Tangent T-5000s. The speakers have been rebuilt with all new Bob Crites parts. The sound is amazing. Very happy!
@@PhonoDirect I have the CS 618Q and mine is made in Germany. Even the manual has German instructions first and English instruction in the back of the manual. Not sure where you got "Chinese Dual" from. It's a great turntable.
@@christinearmington I had a Technics 1210GR briefly but I didn't like the sound at all. I wouldn't recommend used Thorens to anyone unless you are some kind of Thorens expert. There are loads of hidden things that might be wrong. I've had two TD 147s recently because of the semi auto thing. That's definitely useful. But the turntables have had it really, after all they are more than 35 years old. The suspension has to be refitted. No thanks. It seems to me that really one needs to be spending 3k plus sans cartridge. again no thanks. I would be interested in this Dual but how much am I paying for a phono stage I don't want. Rega?
I have a Dual 502 from 1977. Still runs great and the sound comparable to anything out there. With a cartridge upgrade from my current Shure M95HE I'm sure the sound would be even better.
The M95HE if I remember correctly was the same spec as the V15III as far as the generator and such. If you're looking for more from the M95 there are upgrade stylus from the likes of JICO that have a tremendous reputation. Just an option to consider.
I've been using my restored Dual 1214 with a Rega Carbon cartridge for some time now, and i'm still very happy with it! Auto start, auto stop ánd return, love it to bits!
Been a Dual fan since 1974 with a 1229 (still have in storage), Two CS5000 early 2000s (walnut still in its orginal box after verifying everything works as it should) the black was purchased with low cap cables and is now with a Denon DL160 HOMC cartridge. Wishing for a Kenwood Kd 7010 or 8030. (Piano black lacquer to match my Veritas speakers, Mirage subs, and furniture).
Had a Dual changer during college and for a while after in the '70s/80's. Don't remember the model or cart, but it sounded great spinning disco and heavy metal through my Pioneer SX 650 and Cerwin Vega's in the dorm. Seeing Dual being sold again brings back (hazy) memories.
Dual has always made great mid & higher turntables (I still have a 505 in storage) and I'm glad this model kicks them off again domestically. They've kept much of their character - spins when tone arm's initiated, classic Dual tonearm gimble + auto lift and off. Great features and this is definitely a terrific turntable. Everyone knows - much (most?) of the quality lies in the cartridge and preamp at this level. So make it an ease of operation and aesthetic decision! Or buy American with VPI and deal with a bit more esoteric operation!
It's definitely cool to see Dual back. Growing up we had a 1219 and while that deck has gone to my nephew, I found another 1219 at a garage sale that I'm going to pair up with the old family Hitachi receiver.
Super helpful review as im looking to upgrade from my 10 year old Project debut and needing a semi auto function for sure. Ive been looking and have not seen the Duals equal with this option. Love to know if there is a challenger, thanks so much. Tim
I've been restoring an original Dual CS505 from 1981 and it sounds brilliant so far. Few little tweaks still to get right but even now it's output is really rich
Are there any *newer* fully automatic, direct drive turntables in the $500ish range anymore that you'd recommend? I'm still using my old Technics Quartz direct drive SL-Q300 that was given to me, simply because it just works and still does everything wonderfully as far as I'm concerned. Most of the newer players in that price range I've seen aren't automatic - and like you, that makes a difference to me! I'd love to update into something that looks a little more modern, but don't want to give up the fully automatic functionality. Also, having a hard time finding a good replacement head to switch out to as this one still has the original, so I'm not sure if it's time to look for a new turntable, or just find a replacement head for this one.
Wow! I have sl300 as with a grado green and love. I’ve had it since’83… Trying to decide what to do as well. I was considering the 1500c. I wonder if that’s the way to go.. I wonder how the Dual compares to the 1500c.
I had a Dual 506 Semi-Automatic Belt Drive turntable with the ULM tone arm and cartridge system back in ‘79 and found it a good mid-priced system. I sold it in ‘83 for the cash but since bought another one and a Dual 622 fully automatic about 20 years ago at a pawn shop for about $75 each. They are in mint condition. I have never used this 506 but currently use the 622. It works great except lately the auto feature stopped operating. I would recommend a used unit considering the price of the new ones.
Hi Andrew, great review. I am currently looking to upgrade my first turntable which is the audio technica lp60x however my budget sits at the £500 mark. My options run down to the audio technica lp140xp and the fluance rt85. Which table would you choose out of the two?
Agree, love to see Dual back. A stalwart back in the 70’s college days of stereo wars. Might be fun to compare vs Thorens - both 70’s vintage and contemporary 2022 of both.
I was considering the Fluance RT-85 untill another reviewer said the auto stop at the end of a record did not work more times than it worked. I used to have a Dual CS-5000 and it never failed to stop the player and lift the arm at the end of a record. I'm strongly considering purchasing this model. I would hope the auto stop function on this newer model works as good as it did on the older model. Failing to at least stop the motor at the end of a record because you fell asleep while listening is not a good thing...
Hi Andrew, entertaining review as always. Considering they are in the same price range, they are both direct drive, have auto stop and have a build in phono pre amp, wich one would you choose : the dual or the technics sl1500c ?
Dual cs 714q: my turntable from my army days back in the 80’s. It was great but has the need for restoration. Think it’s worth it or should I look to the present?
Hey Andrew and Kristi (and Katie too). My childhood brand. First system he ever brought home. Still have my Dual turntable. My first and only high end platter. It’s a CS 505-2
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Hell yes. The pitch control dial doesn’t work anymore and I’m having trouble finding someone who knows where to get the parts but, otherwise, the thing is a beautiful and lightweight tank!
@@KristiWright hope you’re having a good day. I love that aesthetics are always at the top of your priority list. How it looks in your room is absolutely important to normal people. Single men will find that out when they discover women. 🤣🤣🤣
@@SeanVedell I subscribe to the belief that you can have both good looks and good sounding gear in HiFi. But whaddo I know - am I even READY to know what I think about sound? I probably need someone super experienced to tell me.
Fair to say Andrew that while you enjoy vinyl, you’re not coaxed into the audiophile “One-Step” pressings nor higher end tables/cartridges? You occasionally review more expensive amps and speakers but don’t recall a turntable rig getting anywhere near the prices of some of those pieces? Just curious, thanks and keep up the excellent work!
You're very astute in your observation. I love vinyl, but it is NOT the only way I listen to music, nor is it the primary way I choose to listen, as a result I keep my interest in it "manageable", which works for me.
I was just gifted a Dual 1237 from 1977 I believe. It's in great condition. I'm not a vinyl guy, but I'm going to hook this up for dark side. And I took both the red and blue pills and washed them down with some strong coffee
Thanks for the Dual review Andrew. Way back when I had the Dual 1019 and others. When I got back into vinyl 5 years ago. I went online to see if Dual was still making turntables and I was saddened to see that Dual was reduced to nothing more than 1 model that was mostly plastic and were concentrating mostly on outdoor speakers?? I'm glad to see they're back but for what your getting at that price?? I don't know about that.
My Dual 1229Q is a great table for the living room (2nd system). Picked it up 2ish years ago not working (cheap), brought it back (fun table to work on), it's fully automatic (awesome for my 6 and 3 year olds) and it looks good with the rest of the vintage gear in there.
It's been a while since I commented, but now that you've reviewed this turntable I had to. I've been a long time fan of Dual, and as I mentioned many years back, I have a vintage set up which includes a mid 80s Dual semi automatic belt driven turntable. Never a lick of trouble to this day. I trust this brand, and am glad for the review. I like the updated features such as the various speeds, not just 45 & 33rpms. Other features, excluding the built in pre-amp are standard for Dual. Yet, it always amuses me, Andrew, that you make a point to note the attractiveness of a component is as important as its performance. I prefer performance primary whether it looks beautiful or homely. I'm glad Dual is back in the game. Kristi...always keeping it honest!
After selling and servicing hi-fi for over 3 decades, probably like Andrew, I just can’t look at another Audio Shrine to Ugly Metal Boxes. At this point, aesthetics, usability and build quality are just as important as sound quality. There are enough manufacturers now, Luxman, Linn, Sonus Faber to name a few, who realize this importance. But yeah, you’ll pay for it. But I want to enjoy my equipment just as much when it’s turned off as when it’s turned on.
I learned long ago that full auto is the way to go - for me - that a machine does the delicate needle / disc contact way better than my hand, especially when some 'enhancements' are involved. still use my mid '70's Pioneer, working great. And if ya give that the technical construction features are good, ( speed stability . bearings.. even the 'feet')how is a T'table gonna affect the sound compared to the cartridge / preamp ?
So as I know, in vinyl phono stage and cartridge sonically have the biggest music changes . I have two turntables . Both totally restored . New plinths on dual best 1229 fully automatic turntable. And my beloved Thorens TD 160 . Beautiful new plinth, new Jelco tonarm and a Re tipped Grace F-9 cartridge. On the Dual I have the fantastic Astatic M-F 300 Shabbat stylus. My phono stage was made in Toronto area by 6 Acoustics Audio and for under $600 Canadian there “York
My first "real" turntable in the early 1970s was a Dual 1225. Prior to that my world consisted of Silvertone, RCA, and GE type equipment. At the time I bought a Marantz 2230, the 1225 and 2 huge Utah speakers... they must have been good... they were huge... I actually still have the Utahs on the Garage stereo!!! My young ex wife got the rest!! I have maybe 10 functioning turntables now... including 2 Project, 2 or 3 Technics, old great SONY, AND acquired a few years ago for the memory... a Dual 1225 ... fully automatic... you can even stack records if you choose to ... I choose to! Lol! I don't really know how it compares technically... but I love it... its beautiful and functions perfectly. It could used a better cartridge if anyone is making donations to old guys! It would be great in the spirit of your attention to vintage equipment in recent years to see some reviews of the performance of vintage turntables... and Duals are certainly vintage. Love your show as always. There is a lot to be said for automatics!!!
Amazing!! been waiting for a review of the Dual SC 618Q since I saw it announced on Dual's website.. I hope you would do more reviews of affordable DD turntables similar to the 618Q like the Techincs 100c and Audio Technica's LP5.. Thanks!!
Good review. I am partial to direct drive. I owned a Dual 606 direct drive in the early early 1980s. The Dual was advertised to play warped records with it's Ortofon cartridge and super light tonearm.
I used to have a Dual CS-5000. Bought it new in the late 80's. Fantastic table. Sold it (grrr) after I left vinyl in the early 2000's. When I got back into it a couple of years ago, I started with the same Audio Technica that you have. While I'm not in love with it's mostly plastic construction, it is solid and sounds good. I too love direct drive (I had a Technics in the early 80's that I wish I had kept). Seeing as how the Dual is 3 times the price, I'm not sure it's better looks and construction justify the cost. I also have a Fluance (with a similar stop feature) for my upstairs setup and so far have found it to be a good belt drive, though I still like the stability of the DD.
Andrew, I really like this Dual turntable with the blue ortofon, cost today is $1300. The Technics 1500 C with the red ortofon is $1200 today. I can buy a blue ortofon for a touch over $200 today and the difference in cost is about $100 more to buy the 1500 C with a new blue ortofon. I have been holding back on the 1500 C because of your mutiple reviews reminding me you like the blue more than the red ortofon. From a performance standpoint, would this move put the Technics 1500 C over this Dual for only $100 more. As a plus I would have the red ortofon to use if it sounds better with certain types of recordings. What do you think? And I have Klipsch speakers (love them)! Thank you very much!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thank you very much for answering my question! Made a lot of sense when I stopped to think about it, but just wanted to get your take.
thanks for the review, Andrew. I was wondering, I have an old-school Eminent Technology Record Player that I probably paid $1500 back in 1990 along with an Talisman S MC Cartridge. I am wondering how much I need to spend in today's turntable market to see noticeable improvement, since we can't audition cartridges anymore realistically. Any thoughts of how to determine whether an upgrade is warranted?
Hi Andrew, the Technics SL-1500C is only $100 more than the Dual, not as much as you said in the video. However, as you said, it comes with an inferior cartridge. It's great that this Dual is good competition.
I had a friend who had a Dual 1019 I personally have an Empire 598 Trubadour wit a l believe Scorpio by Helius tone arm with a Sonus Super Blue cartridge. I've had this since 1973. A great table and surely rare. It was American made.
That Empire is an absolute gem. My uncle had one and foolishly sold it when he bought a CD player. He later was sorry he sold it and I’m sorry I didn’t buy it but I couldn’t afford it at the time. He got like $500 for it in the late 80’s.
@@daniannaci3258 I saw one about 5 years ago at a high end stereo store with the original heavy arm for a mere thousand. M ik ne has the scorpio arm and it's in mint condition. I wonder what it's worth today.
Definitely a compelling competitor to something like the Technics SL-1500C. I like both the Sumiko and the Ortofon Blue, although they are hard to compare as they are both good with different characteristics.
I have a vintage BIC 980 (the top of their line turntable). It's belt drive and fully automatic. It has been awhile since I've used it, but it served me well for more than 40 years. Do you have any experience with BIC turntables? If you do, I was interested to know what you think about their quality and performance. Thanks.
I love this video, it's great you can still post great content and not be burned out. You two are hard workers and care. Thank you. But I am pissed because I have to buy this. My dad brought home a dual when I was a kid , so this strikes a note for me because, sadly, he has passed. Cheers.
man I just wish I could afford this because it's basically everything I want from a turntable. I have a project debut carbon and while I love it I really want more automatic features like autostop and auto speed switching. I also really love the vintage look. It would fit in great with my speakers.
As always you guys rocked this review. I too miss the auto features from 80's and 90's... Had a quick question.... I'm Looking at the Rt-85 due to budget pricing. That said the Uturn Plus custom can be had with the Ort Blue for for about $100 more from Uturn. Kind like the idea of buying American made for a bit of a premium. What is your take on build quality, arm etc Uturn vs The Rt-85? Trying to stay under 700 with Ort Blue.... An alternative suggestion would be welcomed as well.
This video has come out in perfect timing for me. I've been looking at Dual cs618q, Technics sl-1500c (which seems to be sold out for now), and the Audio Technica lp-7. This morning, I pretty much decided on the Dual. I had a Dual 20 plus years ago, and it was quite good. Traded it away for my Bang and Olufsen Beogram RX. Which is still in use. By the way, I took your advice on buying the Ortofon 2m black for the Fluance RT85. So now it will go on the Dual. So, thank you for your advice.
I would have thought that a good comparison to this Dual, would have been the Technics SL-1500C... I love the idea of another "affordable" DD turntable. Yes I agree that an automatic design would be more preferable. It is awesome to see Dual back in the game, but to note, this is not the Dual of the 70s and 80s. Maybe now, Fluance will have more motivation to give us a DD turntable. I will stick with my Dual CS-606 and Pioneer PL-540 for now....
It's a totally fair comparison, one that I a) spaced and b) has been a little too long for me to make a fair or truer comparison to. All that said, the 1500C is MORE money compared to the Dual and comes with a "lesser" cartridge in the 2M Red opposed to the Dual's 2M Blue.
I got a used Dual 701 for the price of the new Grado cartridge that it came with and have been told over and over that it is the "quietest" turntable ever made. Like this new model it is direct drive. It's fully automatic though with auto start, stop, and return of the arm to the arm rest. It really is one of the single best vintage turntables I've ever seen it heard, and I own it by pure luck. The most amazing thing though is the low mass tonearm. Most tonearms these days are medium-low to medium mass, and while that's become the modern standard, we've lost the unique qualities of low mass that has it's own sonic benefits for certain cartridges and stylus designs. The original Grado Prestige black, for all of it's coloration, sounds amazing good when mounted on a low mass tonearm. People aren't getting the benefits of the Grado Prestige series on regular medium mass tonearms, so I can see why they aren't blown away by them. I've had that Dual for over 20 years and it's been amazing, but it did finally just stop working due to electronics degradation about a year ago, at which point I bought a new Technics SL-1200, the DJ tank. Aside for them both being direct drive, they couldn't be much more different from each other. I love them both, but the old Dual with is very light tonearm has the edge in terms of sound quality in my opinion. I'm getting the Dual fixed and I think I'm going to put a moving coil cartridge on the Technics for the benefit of having two rather different approaches to playing vinyl records in the future. The original Dual that was made in Germany really was a special brand. They weren't excessively expensive and yet they performed like some of the more esoteric offerings of the late vinyl era. I don't know how they compared to very high end boutique turntables, but the Duals I heard in the late 80s and early 90s usually sounded essentially just as good and regularly better than CDs at the time. I'm a big fan of CDs, and I never felt that playing vinyl on my Dual 701 was a step down from CD sound quality. It's that good in my opinion.
I would really like an indepth comparison to the SL-1500C as that's what I've been thinking of buying. Also, is the platter on the Dual dampened or is the mat the only dampening material?
That’s a hard decision. The 1500C is a solid turntable but if you want rock solid dampening and have some extra coin I’d jump up to the Technics 1200 line. There’s nothing more solidly built and reliable than a 1200. They live in dj booths across the planet and take a kicking night after night all while sounding great and not being impacted by the stupid loud ambient noise.
Your review is a very practical take on the matter. These days, turntables are commonly offered with an installed cartridge. Although this is not the way it was in yesteryear, it is pretty much the standard these days. So, the review takes the product as it is offered. Still, I would love to have seen some time given to each of the turntables spoken of using the same cartridge. Then again, I am still a little into vinyl these days and this kind of stuff is a curiosity of mine. Overall, good job on your review and that goes for both of you.
Thanks Green. I honestly go back and forth on how best to discuss products like turntables that come, as you point out, largely setup from the factory. Thank you for watching all the same!
We all understand that sound is Paramount with audio components, but what about this, in a dimly lit room with a Sansui QRX 5500 Quadroponic receiver with its beautifully Illuminated 6 dial meters, a long bright blueish- green tuner, an amber pointer dial, now I turn my eyes to the left to the mediocre Dual 506 with it's perfectly placed amber-strobe softly illuminating the record as it spins to me that's part of the beauty of some of these vintage components I hope I'm not the only one out there that thinks this way! 🤔
Hi Andrew and Kristi! Thank you so much for getting the word out there about this table! I’m currently in the market for a new table that has a removable headshell, as I like to audition lots of different cartridges. The Technics 1500c is currently leading the pack.
The 1500c is a great option! We reviewed it a while back. The main negative about that one is the use of the Ortofon Red. At its price point, I feel the Blue would have been a better way to flesh out that turntable.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I couldn’t agree more! I just started using the Audio Technica VM540ML cartridge, and it is voiced very similarly to the Ortofon Blue.
Thanks!! I can use this on my list, as I do have a family collection of 78's going back to the 1920's. I am sure it would give better sound quality than my 1929 full size Victrola.
Heck yes! They can be awesome! Ortofon has a proper large-groove 78 rpm stylus that will snap right on the 2M Blue body. Tracking though will be 3 grams plus and you’ll want a mono button on your preamp. If you don’t have a mono button (standard on most pre 1990 gear), see the internet/RU-vid for instructions on how to configure some RCA Y adapters to parallel the channels to do the same thing. This will cancel out a good bit of the groove noise and most of the groove rumble encoded on those vintage 78s without losing any music.
I love the vintage design of this table but I think I'm good with my Project X2 in walnut finish equipped with the 2M Blue cart for now as aesthetics alone is not enough for me to want to change it 😉
Nice review. I’m currently running an 11 year old rega rp3 with a Hanah EH cartridge. If I could get over my qualms about direct drive turntables, I would definitely give one a serious look for my next turntable. They have so many benefits, including the dead on accuracy that is often missing from belt drive turntables. My concern is the issue of motor vibration being picked up by the stylus, whose whole job is to pick up vibrations. Maybe I’m just being overly cautious, but having a really low noise floor does matter. If anyone has done a comparison of TT’s in the medium price level of belt vs direct drive, I’d love to hear more.
There are so many old turntables from late seventies and eighties that beat these new offerings. And with full automatic included. A lot of the old Technics are brilliant. Pick up an old SL-Q3(or Q2), SL-303/313, 301 for little money and off you go. Or the tangential drive SL-10, -7 or ql1 or dl1. Buy vinyl for your money instead. If you can do without the automatics and like a more dark, vintage fluidity kind of sound, Thorens 150, 16X Series are the way to go. Correctly setup they beat Rega Planar 3 with the same pickup. Made my fiend sell his and find an old Thorens.
Original owner of a CS506 here. I'm in process of upgrading it to bring it back to real life, including having a custom designed plinth made for it. Purchased right after college graduation. In any event, my thoughts are that it may take time to determine if this new Dual is truly a possessor of the legacy Dual DNA. Or if this is a DINO. I'll be following the progress of how this new turntable is received by the vinyl aficionados and maybe even the (cough cough) audiophile community.
You definitely talk units that are way out of my price range, and I am more into the older equipment, Sony, Pioneer, and Teac are more in my range, and I am talking about the older better built ones! Lol You though have great reviews and awesome equipment and this is why I follow you man!
Hey Andrew awesome review as always. I just had a quick google and noticed that here in Australia the Debut Pro will be shipped with the Pick it Pro cartridge, a collaborative effort between Pro-ject and Ortofon. Do you think the this cartridge would be as good as the 2m blue? Because it's a $150 difference between the 2...
I have a Phillips TV with DTS Play-Fi, can I turn on the TV to play a movie with the sound of Dolby Atmos or DTS X and DTS Play-Fi will it play will the effects of flying arrows? And how will it manage the speaker channels? I will reproduce through bluetooth speakers philips w6205
Yes Im very excited by Dual being back....they made some very nice direct drive turntables back in the 70s but I'm more fond of their idler wheel/rim drive models such my 1219....they have a sound like no other....not better or worse than a belt or direct drive just different....the kind of sound that makes you want to get up and dance! Now my second comment is for Kristie wanting an automatic turntable...now that you have revived your parents Pioneer SX-780 receiver you need to find that vintage automatic turntable to go with it....may I suggest one of the models from Sony, Denon, or JVC that use a Bio Tracer /Dynamic Servo Tracer tonearm....if youve never heard one of these then your in for treat. They are true engineering masterpieces .....you can throw almost any cartridge at them and they will sound good due to the fact the electronics in the arms will adjust and adapt for characteristics of said cartridge! I have 4 of these and they are my favorites!
