[TheChairGuy]

The DUAL 701 was DUAL's first direct drive table - built in the mid-70's.  It is an evolutionary advance on the 1200-series of idler machines produced earlier in that decade, and looks much the same (right down to the stock plinth and dust cover).

It is fully automatic...flip and switch and the tonearm moves to the right spot at the start.  Upon the side ending, the arm goes back to rest and the motor shuts off.  Fully auto and smooth as butter in operation.

The EDS1000 motor is glorious Germanic overkill.  Made just prior to quartz locking....the motor employs Hall Effect sensors for fine speed stability.  The motor is so good that owners of dead Goldmund tables buy this deck up to use the motor (as it's a near perfect fit for the uber-expensive Goldmund).

This particular unit is as-good-as or better-than new in operation only 6 months ago.  It was bought from Bill @ FixMyDUAL:

www.fixmydual.com

It is fully refurbed to spec.  On Bill's recommendation, I bought the upgraded (real) walnut plinth (Bill is a wood worker by day, so his work is quite polished).  I cannot comment on the sonic betterment from the new surround....Bill assured me it helps.

I bought a new/NOS cartridge carrier and have a NOS ADC TRX-1 cartridge on it now. The cartridge is included at this price...or you can take $50 off ($425) if you have a cartridge readily at hand.  It is mounted, balanced and works well with this arm.  The cartridge is the last series from ADC...made in Japan to ADC specs and extremely well made.  I found the initial brightness to fade after 50 hours (I'd estimate 100 hours on it now). It has a sapphire cantilever and long life stylus and cost $175 in 1985 new. Original packaging and paperwork to ship with the cartridge.

The table will not make you sell your $2000+ uber-table....but, if all you have been listening to is inexpensive belt drive you will get a taste of the near perfect speed stability that direct drive brings.  As well, this DUAL has a broad soundstage and nice mids...that I can only attribute to the (unusual) spring suspension.  It is more or less impervious to feedback this way - really important with turntables.

I only listened to this for a few days upon receipt in mid-2008, but listened more intently the past week to make sure it all works as described.  It does, and more.  As well, I have applied (EAR Specialty Composites) constrained layer damping to the underside (and 1lb of plast-i-clay to the surround inner, but you cannot see it unless you take to strain and see it)...and constrained layer dots to the tonearm.  The underside damping did little at all...but the dots on the tonearm were a revelation.  It takes a reasonably good arm and improves it a lot...dramatically in many ways.  You are free to remove them, but I took hours getting it j-u-u-ust right.  Any of you that know me know I go to considerable lengths to maximize my tables sonics. 

A copy of the original manual goes with it and it will ship in 2 boxes (1 for the table and 1 for the plastic dust cover) to make sure they arrive safely.

Pictures to come...here is some more information on the table in the meantime:

http://www.vinylengine.com/library/dual/701.shtml
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=63045.0
http://www.audioreview.com/cat/analog-sources/turntables/dual/701/PRD_121311_1597crx.aspx

My price includes shipping (2 boxes) to anywhere in the conti-US.  If you want to pick it up, I'm in southern Marin Country, CA - take $50 off for pickup.

So......US$475.00 delivered (including PayPal) to your door. Or, $425 if you don't need the cartridge.  Then, $375 if you are local and want to pick it up (sans cartridge).  btw, I own 5 turntables today including this one...and need to thin the herd.  That's my reason for selling.

Thanks, John

[TheChairGuy]

Full shot in cabinet:



Tonearm - note the constrained layer damping dots and black goo (damping) on front of the cartridge.  They can be removed with little effort...but to the detriment of sound quality.  Really, both do improve sound quality so I'd leave them:



More shots to come as needed....for a closeup of the plinth, I can do no better than the one already shot on FixMyDUAL's site:


The pressboard or plastic wood grained one that US distributor United Audio supplied with these decks in the 70's was really inferior in both appearance for for sonics.

I dug up something for spec-junkies on the net just now:

From old Julian Hirsch Stereo Review lab tests of some turntables....interesting results. Given the span in years and the changes in test methods it was difficult to compare one to another but the ARLL weighted rumble was one constant test throughout.

Dual CS506 -56 dB
Dual 1229 -56 dB
Dual CS5000 -59 dB
Thorens TD160C -60.5 dB
Dual 510 -61.5 dB
Dual 701 -66 dB


Flutter tests were: (I am not sure if method was consistent)

Dual CS506 .08% rms
Dual 701 .07% rms
Dual CS5000 .06% rms
Dual 1229 .05% rms
Dual 510 .04% rms
Thorens TD160C .04% rms

'Quietness' is normally measured by rumble specs with turntables.  The 701 Direct Drive is quieter even than the later, more expensive CS5000 belt-drive model from DUAL.  It's a testament to the uber-over-the-top design of this EDS1000 motor, most likely.....and possibly the mechanical filters built into the tonearm counterweight which serves to damp higher compliance cartridges (like the ADC fitted) better than undamped would (acting much as silicone troughs or pivot damping would in other tonearms)

John

[TheChairGuy]

The price in 1976 new for this model was US$400.00 (with std base and no cartridge)

The DUAL 701 was most often packaged back then with a Shure V15 III...which sold for about $50 in 1976.  An ebay seller who sells old DUAL's up in Canada sold one this way recently for US$379.00 + shipping: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=290285725139

Note that it has not been refurbished, nor does it include the upgraded $95 walnut plinth.  Mine comes with a 1985-vintage ADC TRX-1 (original retail $175.00)...with a much higher standard cantilever and long line stylus on it.  It should extract much more information from the grooves than an the Shure would. The rest is subjectivity, of course 

Freight is included within conti-US....which is probably $40+ as I will ship it in 2 boxes.

If you are returning to vinyl or dipping your toes into it...a purchase of this DUAL is likely represents a far better value than other entry level players in the market. I truly rate the playback quality of this DUAL higher than my Technics SL-1200.  It has, as well, the wonderful feature of auto-return and off....so if you snooze - you won't lose 

John

[orthobiz]

Pic of the dustcover?
Pic of the 'table without the record on it?
Is that some discoloration on top of the headshell?

Paul

[TheChairGuy]

Sure thing on the pics...on the way soon.  I would rate the cover as very good...hard to get plastic perfect after even 6 months, let alone 32 years.  I'll delve deeper into the subject, BoneDoc

The 'discoloration' is blutak type stuff called QuakeHold here in San Francisco.  It adorns all my cartridge fronts acting as a very effective damper for the (most often) plastic-y body.  The ADC TRX-1 cartridge is metal bodied and the stylus assemble is solidly screwed in - it's the best system I have ever seen an MM cartridge outside of fancy wood like on Grado's and Clearaudios - yet it still benefited from the goo.

There is no discoloration on the headshell top...I think you might be looking at a constrained layer damping dot.

It is removable, but it works...as do each one of the (approximately) 10 constrained layer damping dots on and around the tonearm.  It took hours to tweek it just right...but individual interpretation is always advised.

The spindle is straight and true and the rubber mat is stock DUAL and in very good shape.

All in all,  Bill@FixMyDUAL said it is one of the cleanest examples he's had there of the 701 (as of June 18, 2008 when it was received here).

I'll get more pics later to cover these questions.....

Ciao, John

 

[TheChairGuy]

A prospective purchaser PM'ed me a couple days ago, and the potential deal fell thru for varied reasons (sometimes, it's just life ), but he asked a couple questions that may be of interest to other purchasers.  So, I'll share it part of the reply PM here:

It's pretty compact as DD decks can be (motor under the platter rather than over to the side with belt drives).  14" deep by 17.5" wide.....it's only about 5" tall at the spindle and the cover adds another 3" for a total of 8" tall with cover.

There is no hinge(s) for the cover, it just lifts on and off as needed.  I'm near certain DUAL's did not have hinges(?)....but, the upgraded walnut plinth has no provision for one.

The deck is about as set-it-and-forget-it as you can make vinyl.  Find a small spot for it, the spring suspension does wonders for feedback rejection (I preferred using brass toes into a maple block myself, but it's all quite subjective).

Many of these 701's were sold with Shure V15 III's in the mid-70's....which is a moving magnet with 22.5 dynamic compliance.  So, most any MM/MI cartridge would work with this one.  MC's tend to have lower compliance of less-than-15 and may not prove to be an ideal match for it.

http://cartridgedb.com/ (if you tap Shure V15 in the search you will see the specs on the V15's sold with the table.  As well, you can research the ADC TRX-1 there, too)

Again, the cartridge is optional, but quite nice as is (and balanced with correct downforce and anti-skate currently)

John

[TheChairGuy]

More pics....

Of the unit itself, sans record or dust cover over the unit.  It is quite clean....the stylus has a plastic guard over it if that's throwing anyone. The circular doo-hickeys here and there on and around the tonearm are constrained layer damping dots.  Again, they are fully removeable, but you really want to hear the deck with them first 


The cover is in good shape...swirl marks and hairline scratches exist.  On each side is 3 slightly deeper than hairline scratches of about 1/2" or 1.25cm in length.  You really have to look for them to see them....here's some shots (that really show nothing) nonetheless.

The first pic has some glare to it....there is no giant discoloration on the lid (it's all smoke color throughout)



Thx, John

[orthobiz]

Quite the Clean Machine.

I am positive my 1215S hinged. My friend's 1209 had a removable cover, though.
It was a bit softer plastic with a lip that sat on the edge of the plinth, from what I remember.

I am forcibly restraining myself from buying it....so far successful.....................can't.............
hold........out...................

Paul

[TheChairGuy]

I am positive my 1215S hinged. My friend's 1209 had a removable cover, though.
It was a bit softer plastic with a lip that sat on the edge of the plinth, from what I remember.

Paul

The cover actually came from a 1229, originally.

The 1229 I had didn't operate and it was beyond my capability to fix it...so I contacted Bill@FixMyDUAL and I sent it in to be fixed.  He asked me when it was received whether I wanted the same 1229 fixed, buy a totally refurbed 1229 from him or a fully refurbed (mint/very clean) 701 which he had there.  He told me that among all the DUAL's, the 701 was his favorite...so he ended up talking me into buying the 701 and using the 1229 to offset the cost.

The cover is the same on the 1229 and 701 I was told...so he told me to keep the existing cover here (no need sending something that could break in transit) and I could use it on the 701 in return.

So this is actually the cover from the old 1229, which had no hinges...and neither did the 701.  This particular 701 has the new walnut plinth...which had no provision for a hinge, regardless.

How's that for longwinded total disclosure? 

John

[TheChairGuy]

SOLD

[orthobiz]

Thank goodness it's sold. The pressure's off.
Did I wind up buying it?

Paul

[TheChairGuy]

Thank goodness it's sold. The pressure's off.
Did I wind up buying it?

Paul

Yeah Paul - you don't remember?...you got into a bidding war and sent $2450.00 to my PayPal account and I'll be sending the DUAL to you early next week 

Ciao, John