Which is the best Dual and why?

It is available at this Canadian audio store

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/deta...olden-stone-turntable-in-excellent-condition/

 

USPS and UPS both treat packages in the northeast like trash. I have some vintage Revox gears that are best serviced at a specialist in TN and am afraid to send them out ...

 

Heck, you're even closer to Brooklyn than I am!
Do what I did: deliver it in person!

Remove the platter and pack it separately, and ship it without the base. Put some rolled up bubble wrap below the tonearm for extra support and wrap the chassis with a LOT of bubblewrap, and you will be fine.

 

Both of my Duals have no tracking issues.

 

Dual (the company) is sort of around. The plant manager of the former Dual bought the tooling and production rights to a couple of models. His name being Alfred Fehrenbacher. He is the last link to the real Dual. And still manufactures Dual turntables. The CS 455-1 is still available.

 

Duals were and are good tables, not great tables. I used a 1229q in HS, through college and into early adulthood. I replaced it with a Dual 721q/ Stanton 681 eee. Shortly after, I swapped it for a Thorens TD318 Shure V15-111 combo. The difference in reproduction was staggering. The Thorens demonstrated a more quiet background, better bass extension, cleaner midrange, and greater treble extension. My father used a 1229q Shure V15 iv for many years. After I acquired the Thorens I found it difficult to listen to his Dual.

Duals were fine tables at a time when there weren't very many inexpensive tables that could cleanly track at 1 gram. Duals were surpassed in the mid 70's when the Japanese decided to make affordable tables that also sounded good. Dual 10 and 12 series tables were needlessly complex, and require extensive restoration to work as designed. I suppose their current appeal is nostalgic.

 

IIRC, I have seen pics of the CS 455 and it is not exactly a head turner ...

 

You are probably right, though I think the VPI TT's may be a bit overrated ...

 

Personally speaking, I like older idler drive era Duals for good automatics and for those who want changers. They do have the need for regular maintenance to keep them functioning correctly. But just about every older turntable will need some kind of maintenance and servicing throughout their lives. Even simple manual tables require that.

 

The same here. I was really impressed with DUAL tracking when I saw the CS-721 playing an LP while one side of the TT itself was elevated at an angle at the NY Audio Show in the late 70's. I ended up buying my own CS-721 shortly afterwards and still have the TT in operating condition after over 35 years ...

 

Dual used to do the same trick at audio shows in the '60s!

 

Nice!

 

Not sure what shipping from Canada to Scotland will cost. The TT is probably heavy too ...

 

Haha, I'll make do with the P3 thanks. In glorious MDF...!

 

My 1019 and 1229Q look and perform like they were just unpacked from their boxes. I suppose that there is a nostalgic appeal to them. My 701 was also restored by a Dual pro but I still use it every day because it is an excellent turntable.

 

My 2 DUALs and a Thorens are all vintage turntables and I have no intention to get any modern turntables, though I periodically upgrade my amp/preamp over the years ...

 

Id say Superman vs Incredible Hulk

 

The "new" Dual plant has actually been making Dual, Marantz, and Thorens turntables since 1993. Here's a list of their current models. Sadly, no idler drives of yore . . . to be expected, however:

http://www.sintron-audio.de/marken/dual/plattenspieler.html

 

I really like the dual between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr.

 

The CS-600 looks just like my CS-750 ...

 

You meant the DUAL with the A replaced with an E ...

 

Yeah my joke, which was weak to begin with, backfired.

 

In terms of longevity, I think Dual is way up there. My 35+ year old Dual CS-721 continues to operate. I am not sure if many of the present-day turntables can last that long ...

 

Agree, my 721 is spinning at proper speed to this day, something a lot of modern tables struggle with!

 

When it comes to turntable, I prefer German or Swiss turntable over any American turntable anytime in much the same way I will never own a GM car ...