Newly restored Dual 1219 has exceeded my wildest expectations

action pact......Are you experiencing any IGD with your 1219? I've heard the arm is prone to this problem even after properly setup. Especially when it nears the last track or two on a record's side.

 

Beautiful turntable. Someone needs to be on Bill's side so I have to say that I have bought three Duals from the well known Dual tech in Iowa and have never had a problem.

 

Nope, it's tracking beautifully on even the most difficult passages. I was very careful to set the specified alignment with a protractor (5/8" from the front of the sled to the tip of the diamond). If there were a geometry issue, the JICO SAS would be very unforgiving.

 

Well that's good to know!

 

Very nice table action pact! I have two running Dual tables at the moment..a 1264 and 1229Q...love them both! I have another in amazing condition, the 1249...but I need a motor for this table...notorious speed issues. I have a Shure m97xe w/ Jico SAS on the 1229Q/Sansui G2000/VLAdvents and a Audio Technica Signet TK5e on the 1264/HK 730/EPI90 combo! No issues w/ either table..tracks well, sounds super and a lot of fun!

 

After a week listening exclusively to the 1219 (and thoroughly enjoying it), I put the TD-124/SME 3009 S2 back into the system last night, so now I feel I have a fresh perspective on both tables' relative strengths and characteristics.

I'm sure that some of you were hoping to hear that the 1219 bettered the TD-124 (I must admit that part of me was rooting for the underdog too), but the TD-124 is unquestionably the better performer - as it should be, considering that a 1219 in restored condition fetches no more than around $450 and I have over $2000 invested in the TD-124, SME arm, plinth, and cartridge/stylus.

Compared to the Dual, the Thorens offers considerably more nuance and delicacy. Music is presented with numerous unfolding layers of depth that requires a decently resolving system to reveal. It has terrific rhythmic drive, but it is more of a toe-tapping bounce than a hard slam. The emotion of the music is coaxed from every groove.

That is not to say that the Dual doesn't have its own strengths relative to the Thorens. As is often noted, the Dual produces a wonderfully bold, driving, thick character. Snare hits are like ballpean hammers and orchestral blasts are positively explosive, which makes for a very exciting, edge of your seat listening experience. After sitting up and listening to Ella Fitzgerald scatting her way through chorus after chorus of "Mack the Knife," backed by the powerful Duke Ellington Orchestra on full-tilt at Côte d'Azur '66, I nearly jumped out of my chair and applauded! In other words, the 1219 is heckuva lotta fun.

As I stated earlier, I feel that one would have to spend upwards of $1200 for a new turntable to match or surpass the performance of a Dual 1219 in top operating condition, and probably sacrifice the convenience of fully automatic operation, easy cartridge swap-ability, and the bonus of 78 speed capability.

It's worth noting that the Thorens/SME is sporting a Shure V-15 Type III (generally considered one of the finest MM cartridges ever) with a JICO SAS stylus, and the Dual has a more midline-but-still-excellent Shure M91ED, also with an SAS stylus. The two carts are not at all equal. I wish I could level the playing field and evaluate the Dual with a V-15 III, but that is just not practical. I suspect that with a V-15 III/SAS the Dual's performance level would be closer to that of the TD-124.

 

I just switched the Dual back into the system, and am blasting Magic Sam's "West Side Soul" right now. Dang, this turntable really kicks it!

FUN!

 

Reading thru this thread, I am once again tempted to track down a Garrard Lab 80 idler and relive my childhood. That's another idler/changer that could "Boogie with Stu". Funny, all these fancy (one might even say better spec-wise) tables available now and I still lust after some of the old stuff. Just don't send me a BSR!

And, yeah, that's a nice 1219. Sounds like it cooks.

 

I just got a nice genuine Dual plinth for my 1219, which was not available in the US or Canada back in the day when United Audio and Noresco were Dual's North American distributors. It looks really sharp!








And yesterday I brought home a Dual 1019 for $25! It needs a lot of work but it's all there for the most part. Interestingly, this is a European version with selectable voltage, hardwired interconnects, German Dual plinth, and the record size indicator written in millimeters, not inches. I'm going to have the same guy in Brooklyn restore this for me as well.

It was filthy when I brought it home, but it cleaned up very nicely:

 

Nice table! I had one in college until some weasel swiped my stereo from my dorm room. I hope you've enjoyed it, wherever you are.

 

Really wonderful tables. I enjoyed the stories and seeing the pictures. There is something about vintage turntables that just complements this hobby in a way that modern tables cannot convey. Have you guys tried MC carts on these? I ran a stock Thorens 125 mk ii with a stock SME 3009 imp in combination with Shure v15 VxMR and also Shure M97xE and I found more music so to speak when moving towards Dynavector MC carts (and I ended up changing the SME headshell a Yamamoto black wood type).

What you loose when you do this is that classic 'comfortable' sound but ultimately I thought it was worth it as these carts extract far more music out of the grooves.

 

I haven't yet tried an MC cart on my tables (I presently lack a MC phono preamp), and I'm especially nervous about using one on my TD-124 with its (magnetic) iron platter (although some have managed to make it work).

 

Re your TD124 and the magnetic platter issue, I guess you have two options : the cheap one is to get a thick mat and I would recommend Herbie's Audio Lab Way Excellent Mat II; or the expensive one, to go to Schopper in Switzerland and order an new non magnetic platter (1600 Swiss Francs, last time I checked).