Dual 1228 Droopy Tonearm Problem :(

[Matt Jones]

Hi everybody,

This is my very first post here, and I was told by a very good audiophile friend of mine to post here to discuss the issue I'm experiencing with my recently serviced vintage Dual 1228 Idler Drive turntable.

The problem I'm experiencing is that the tonearm droops low on the edge of the platter when setting to cue tracks and touches the surface of the record.

However, when I move the tonearm across the center face of the platter, it rises quite substantially.

I have a very shaky hand, so this basically makes cueing up tracks almost impossible for me. It also limits the number of cartridges I can try with my turntable because of the "droopiness" clearance space. (Various LOMC cartridges are impossible to run because of this issue. Although, I know LOMC cartridges came out quite a number of years later after this turntable was released, and is not specifically designed for MC carts.)

Anyway, I'd love to solve this problem once and for all, but I have absolutely no idea what is causing it. The Dual 1228 is a fantastic idler drive, fully automatic turntable, and has absolutely no issues with playing records or the tonearm lifting high enough to go back to its resting place and switch off.

It appears it's only the cueing mechanism that is falling somehow, or something is causing it to droop across the face of the platter (towards the outer edge.)

If anybody with the expertise could explain to me how to fix this issue once and for all, or forward me to a repair specialist in the Melbourne, Australia region, it'll be greatly appreciated!

I've created a quick youtube video detailing the problem. Apologies in advance for the quality and the dialogue.

Thank you in advance!

The video is here:

 

[mjw21a]

MC's don't have been around for a very very long time Matty. It's just you need to match cartridge compliance to the effective mass of your arm.

Hopefully someone will have some good advice about the droopy arm. Lots of very knowledgeable people on here and a great place to learn. Stereonet is another great (local) resource though I think for this issue, on this table the members here will prove more knowledgeable.

I'm not an audiophile by the way..... Just a hobbiest

 

[Matt Jones]

Thanks mate! Oh, I thought LOMC carts came out in the early 80s. My bad.

Yeah, it's a weird problem. Hopefully I can sort it out, I just have no idea where to start!

 

[mjw21a]

The Denon DL103 has been in production since the 60's.... There are certainly carts which pre-date it

 

[Montycat]

Check the black fan shaped piece at the left of the tonearm tube near the pivot point. There is a pin that rises up to meet that "fan", the height of which is adjusted by a knurled sleeve (part 68 in the parts diagram). The top of that or the fan itself might be crooked somehow. Also, if you have not done so yet, check your steuerpimpel which acts as the glide that the arm is sliding over as it does it's auto movement. They disintegrate and very often need to be replaced. There are many threads on it here, though I tend to think it sounds more like that other pin.

It might be that the arm tube is rotated slightly clockwise such that when the arm is closer to the spindle that fan near the arm tube is closer to the pin mentioned above. This would be odd but it might explain it.

Get the service manual here:

https://www.vinylengine.com/library/dual/1228.shtml

 

[NoTransistors]

Way too distant to make a service call, although it would give me the opportunity to secure parts for my Monaro.

The arm may be riding on the rubber cap of the lift pin. But to rise as it is pushed toward the spindle does seem to indicate that something is bent. Much of the arm is black plastic and would break rather than bend. But the 'C'-shaped outer support is metal [if this unit follows the general build of the 1218]. Either this or its mounting post is bent.
Also, while against logic, I would also be certain that the [replacement] clutch tip is not so large as to be touching the wide end of the auto-function's control arm., but again, this would not explain things. .Also, against logic, I would be certain that the cue is not set too high and the knurled sleeve is not set too high. But as I said, this cannot explain why the arm rises. Also, eye the arm tube and check for a bend.

 

[Matt Jones]

First up, thank you guys SO MUCH for your expertise, guidance and taking the time to reply to my message. I've actually got the original service manual that came bundled with my Dual 1228 in pretty good shape (including the original warranty certificate would you believe). And Montycat, you got me thinking that I should actually read the bloody manual! lol.

Well, as it turns out, I completely rectified the problem!! There is cueing height adjustment screw located directly to the left of the anti-skate dial. All I did was rotate the screw clockwise by about a half a turn, and the whole tonearm lifted by at least 6 mm in the cueing position! I've had it completely set up wrong this entire time! (Yes, I'm a total newbie, really.)

This is 100% exciting for me because previously I could only run low profile cartridges because of the clearance, now this opens a WHOLE new world of LOMC cartridges I can try with my beloved Dual!

Absolutely fantastic.

Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really do appreciate the effort you guys have gone to help fix my problem.

My tonearm impotency has been cured! (And no, it wasn't viagra for this aging turntable lol).

Absolutely stoked!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

[sfox52]

Welcome to AK! Glad you got this figured out. I'm curious what cart you plan on trying on the 1228. I have one also, but I have used lightweight MM carts on mine , thinking that the tonearm on the Dual is light itself so higher compliance cartridges would behave better on it. I ran into trouble trying to mount an Ortofon 2M Blue, it would not mount in the sled correctly. I have a HOMC Denon DL 110 on a different TT, I have not tried that on the Dual. Good luck!

 

[mjw21a]

I'd suggest a Sony XL-MC1 as it's relatively high compliance for an MC cartridge

I can send you the SUT I loaned you last time no worries