Dual 1019 vs. Dual 1229

[twiiii]

Having owned both I would pick the 1229 every time. But neither could match my Thorens turntables with SME arms so I gave up on all automatic Turntables. Its nice to have automatic set down and automatic lift at the end of an lp. It saves from nasty repairs to your cartridge.. That why I use a Rabco arm with my TD 125. Plus they track better than pivoting arms using bias compensation.

Maybe you should be considering one of the recent Technics Direct Drive models with auto set down and auto lift.

 

[jamesc760]

Isn't that like turning an expensive high end table into a cheap low end table? ^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[detroithifi]

I currently have a Dual 1019 that is in perfect working shape and sounds fantastic.

Recently, I came across a Dual 1229 that needs a little work and I can buy it as-is for $30.00. It has the base and head-shell/cartridge sled but no dust cover or cartridge.

I have resurrected six Dual idler drives in the past, including my 1019, but I am new to the 1229. Sadly, I only have room for one TT so it's a "one or the other" kind of situation.

So, would you keep the 1019 or would you put in the time and effort to restore the 1229? Is the 1229 inherently better that the 1019?

FWIW, I will be using an AT LS-400 cartridge and I listen to mostly rock and roll. One of the things I love about the 1019 is that it really does well with bass and has a forceful presentation. Is the 1229 in the same league?

The 1019 sounds MUCH better than a 1229/1219

 

[detroithifi]

I never understood the problem some have with the smaller platter on the 1019. The sound is great. How would a larger platter make it better? Or is it simply a matter of cosmetics? I personally think there is no table in the Dual line that sounds or looks better than the 1019, although I like the 1009 a lot too.

I agree with you ! The 1019 sounds absolutely incredible I prefer it to my thorens 124 And is right up there with my Garrard 301 No joke

 

[sberger]

I agree with you ! The 1019 sounds absolutely incredible I prefer it to my thorens 124 And is right up there with my Garrard 301 No joke

I haven't had a 1019 for a long time, but I have since acquired a 124 and 301!

That said, if a 1019 did reappear in my life I wouldn't mind.

 

[Dudeman7]

Still have my Dual 1019. It's been running strong since I started this thread nine years ago. Haha!

One of these days, I would like to hear a 1219, 1229 or 1229Q alongside the 1019. I know those are all well regarded turntables.

As a side note, I did pick up a Dual 604 direct drive that is really nice. I wouldn't consider it a replacement for the venerable 1019 but it is a pretty remarkable turntable. It operates smoothly and quietly and keeps rock steady speed.

Still, I feel like the 1019 will always have a place in my home.

 

[stereofisher]

Still have my Dual 1019. It's been running strong since I started this thread nine years ago. Haha!

One of these days, I would like to hear a 1219, 1229 or 1229Q alongside the 1019. I know those are all well regarded turntables.

As a side note, I did pick up a Dual 604 direct drive that is really nice. I wouldn't consider it a replacement for the venerable 1019 but it is a pretty remarkable turntable. It operates smoothly and quietly and keeps rock steady speed.

Still, I feel like the 1019 will always have a place in my home.

Though I have a 1219/1009SK/1019 side by side, I really like the 1000 series. Both my 1019 and 1009SK had Shure M44Es. Happy with the 1019. Wasn’t with the 1009SK. Replaced the M44 with a M91ED. Much better. Why I don’t know? My 1219 has a V15 III. All sound good. Happy with the sound. After much listening,
(about 6 months) the 1019 gets the most air time.

 

[tourmax]

Had an opportunity the other day to hear a 1019.

I run a 1229Q and a 1249.

A friend had one he was thinking of getting back into use and heard I have a couple and I can work on them. So he asked me to give his 1019 a quick once over. Nothing seemed bound up or corroded so I unplugged my 1229Q from its preamp and connected up the 1019.

I don’t remember the cart number, but it was a Shure and the stylus looked reasonable on the loupe after a few dunks in the magic eraser.

Spun a couple records, sounded fine. Worked fine. I mostly listen to 70’s and 80’s rock/pop and it did fine with it.

We plugged the 1229Q back in and spun the same records. He thought is sounded the same, I felt like the 1229Q did a better job with detail and bass.

Then we tried the same with the 1249 and he felt the 1249 did a bit better job than his 1019. I felt it was a bit “warmer” that the 1019 and heard more detail. But again, thats probably more the different carts (ADC XLM MkIII) than anything else. Could have been the different RCA cables as well. Was pretty close and we were getting pretty picky to note differences.

But my 1229Q and 1249 are pretty sorted and the Q runs an HOMC while the 49 runs MI. They’re also regularly serviced and highly dialed in all the time, so I feel it would be reasonable to say each table is just as good as the other (ie:1229Q/1249 vs 1019) for casual listening, as long as they are in similar condition.

My bud left fully happy with his “little” 1019.

I won’t be taking either the Q or the 1249 out for a 1019, but I wouldn’t turn one down for one of my “off the main room” systems either.

It would just take me a while to get used to the LP hanging out over the edge of the 10” table. Doesn’t look right to me, but seemed to play just fine all the same…

 

[Dudeman7]

Though I have a 1219/1009SK/1019 side by side, I really like the 1000 series. Both my 1019 and 1009SK had Shure M44Es. Happy with the 1019. Wasn’t with the 1009SK. Replaced the M44 with a M91ED. Much better. Why I don’t know? My 1219 has a V15 III. All sound good. Happy with the sound. After much listening,
(about 6 months) the 1019 gets the most air time.

My 1019 has a Shure V15 III on it right now. Terrific cartridge for that arm.

 

[Dudeman7]

Had an opportunity the other day to hear a 1019.

I run a 1229Q and a 1249.

A friend had one he was thinking of getting back into use and heard I have a couple and I can work on them. So he asked me to give his 1019 a quick once over. Nothing seemed bound up or corroded so I unplugged my 1229Q from its preamp and connected up the 1019.

I don’t remember the cart number, but it was a Shure and the stylus looked reasonable on the loupe after a few dunks in the magic eraser.

Spun a couple records, sounded fine. Worked fine. I mostly listen to 70’s and 80’s rock/pop and it did fine with it.

We plugged the 1229Q back in and spun the same records. He thought is sounded the same, I felt like the 1229Q did a better job with detail and bass.

Then we tried the same with the 1249 and he felt the 1249 did a bit better job than his 1019. I felt it was a bit “warmer” that the 1019 and heard more detail. But again, thats probably more the different carts (ADC XLM MkIII) than anything else. Could have been the different RCA cables as well. Was pretty close and we were getting pretty picky to note differences.

But my 1229Q and 1249 are pretty sorted and the Q runs an HOMC while the 49 runs MI. They’re also regularly serviced and highly dialed in all the time, so I feel it would be reasonable to say each table is just as good as the other (ie:1229Q/1249 vs 1019) for casual listening, as long as they are in similar condition.

My bud left fully happy with his “little” 1019.

I won’t be taking either the Q or the 1249 out for a 1019, but I wouldn’t turn one down for one of my “off the main room” systems either.

It would just take me a while to get used to the LP hanging out over the edge of the 10” table. Doesn’t look right to me, but seemed to play just fine all the same…

That sounds like a good time comparing the different Duals.

Cartridge selection seems to really matter on the 1019's arm, IMO. I think that that tonearm reveals differences between carts better than the typical S-shaped arms on most 70's turntables I've had.

Currently, I have Ortofon, Pickering, Audio-Technica and Shure cartridges mounted on sleds for my 1019 so I can swap between them relatively easily. Different tools for different jobs, types of music and various condition of the record.

The tonal profile of each one is dramatically different from the others. When I had those same carts mounted on headshells for my Pioneer PL-516, I thought the differences were much more subtle.

Food for thought, if nothing else.

 

[bolero]

I like to boogie

 

[stereofisher]

Tourmax, you at some point won’t even see or notice the record over hang. Have 6 1000 series Duals. Love them all. My 1019 and 1009SK get the most playtime. Learning why my Marantz 2010 sounds different than my retired 4270. Cap coupled vs. direct coupled. Great to listen to and lots to read about.

 

[tourmax]

Tourmax, you at some point won’t even see or notice the record over hang. Have 6 1000 series Duals. Love them all. My 1019 and 1009SK get the most playtime. Learning why my Marantz 2010 sounds different than my retired 4270. Cap coupled vs. direct coupled. Great to listen to and lots to read about.

Thats cool. My 1229Q and 1249 aren’t going anywhere though.

 

[stereofisher]

Thats cool. My 1229Q and 1249 aren’t going anywhere though.

Agree, you do get attached to them. My first 1219 pictured <<, I got and serviced in 2014! Built around a Dual built base and dust cover. My Duals have kept me from buying higher priced Thorens TD24s and Garrad 301s. Had a 1249 for awhile. Sounded good.

 

[RandallS]

Bill does not repair 1019s He said he throws them in the garbage Spoke with him today

Wow. Did he say why he junks them?

 

[Thorsten R.]

I have a 1229 since I bought it new. Always sounded nice and reasonably quiet. As the "Dualitis" - virus caught me (rather widespread in Germany this time) I got a near-mint 1228 from my neighborhood. Serviced and equipped with an OM30 the little Dual is an astounding machine. And less than 2 weeks ago I got a reasonably priced, unmolested, unscratched 1019. It was serviced (I only had to correct some minor faults). I mounted at first an Ortofon F15E with NOS stylus. Good! Really good! And then I remembered my ADC brick with NOS 990XE stylus. And put it into the headshell. What can I say? I have seldom, perhaps never, heard such a sweet and harmonic sounding combination! Not sparkling or breathtaking or overwhelming, only simply beautiful. And believe me - I have heard a lot. Having sold and serviced them for a living once for a long time.

Is it better than the 1229? We will see - eh - hear. Better than the small 1228? I don´t know. And I don´t bother. I have them all, listen to them all and like them all. And that is what everybody should do.

And then there is still my L78 ...

 

[stereofisher]

I have a 1229 since I bought it new. Always sounded nice and reasonably quiet. As the "Dualitis" - virus caught me (rather widespread in Germany this time) I got a near-mint 1228 from my neighborhood. Serviced and equipped with an OM30 the little Dual is an astounding machine. And less than 2 weeks ago I got a reasonably priced, unmolested, unscratched 1019. It was serviced (I only had to correct some minor faults). I mounted at first an Ortofon F15E with NOS stylus. Good! Really good! And then I remembered my ADC brick with NOS 990XE stylus. And put it into the headshell. What can I say? I have seldom, perhaps never, heard such a sweet and harmonic sounding combination! Not sparkling or breathtaking or overwhelming, only simply beautiful. And believe me - I have heard a lot. Having sold and serviced them for a living once for a long time.

Is it better than the 1229? We will see - eh - hear. Better than the small 1228? I don´t know. And I don´t bother. I have them all, listen to them all and like them all. And that is what everybody should do.

And then there is still my L78 ...

Have a similar setup. Last year, my LR set had a 1219,1019, and PE 3048 built by Dual. The PE is close to a1225/1228. The specs are best on the 1219 then 1019, then a 4048. Wow and flutter .06, .10 and .13. Occasionally I noticed it on the PE. The PE most of the time sounded good and was very reliable the nine months I had it. January of this year I swapped out all three. Put in a better 1219,1019, and 1009SK. The 1219 has a Shure V15 III, 1019 has a Shure M91ED, and the 1009 has a M44. How do they compare? First they all sound great. Though I am a big 1219/1229 fan, my 1019 sounds wee bit better. The instruments are more pronounced. Played a Mobile Fidelity Stealy Dan Aja. It jumped out the speakers. Put a lot of time servicing the 1019. Has worked well this last 9 months. My 1219 has an original VR35HE stylus. I play this system at night to end day. Put a record on each. Like Torsten, I like them all.

 

[NoTransistors]

This thread is three pages long and started nine years ago, yet no one has touched upon the fact that the motor leads are dry and brittle and a fire/shock hazard.
So now we do not only need to drill out the bushing retainers and replace oil wicks that are long dust (early ones only), but we need to attempt to pull out the field coil and solder in four new wires.

 

[Ken Mitchell]

I sold Duals when new with a special bias toward the 1229. It had a full-sized platter over the 1019 and a better arm, IMHO. All Duals, however, are whisper quiet when fully restored as new and the controls all operate with a solidity and sense of purpose that no other table exhibited until the advent of electronic controls.

Cheers,

David

Sorry, but no. My first turntable that I bought new in 1989 was a Dual CS-503.1 with Ortofon OM5E cartridge, and it had bad rumble. No it wasn't defective, because the auto return feature broke within two weeks and the shop where I bought it replaced the whole unit. The replacement was the same. A few years later my kids broke the auto functions so I stripped out the arms and lived without it for a couple more years, then no turntable at all for about 15 years.

Dual may have made some decent turntables in those 1019 and 1229 models but the one I had soured me on the brand, and I have zero desire to ever own one again.

 

[stereofisher]

This thread is three pages long and started nine years ago, yet no one has touched upon the fact that the motor leads are dry and brittle and a fire/shock hazard.
So now we do not only need to drill out the bushing retainers and replace oil wicks that are long dust (early ones only), but we need to attempt to pull out the field coil and solder in four new wires.

Everyone pay attention to Seth’s post. Forgot to mention the potential shock hazards. Checked over all my 1000 series Duals. All good.