Dual 1258 Turntable Cartridge help needed

[redpackman]

I just picked up a Dual 1259. It had some needs: platter spun backwards at times. I've got some caps coming from DigiKey that will hopefully address that situation. The left and right channel cables to the receiver/amp were horrible. Some manufacturers really offer fine cables. Duals in this period weren't one of them, some of the cheapest I've seen. Flimsy. I replaced it with some pirated cables from another better system.

But I do like the ULM and the Ortofon TKE52e cartridge on it. Sounds great (when the turntable is spinning in the clockwise direction).

I've discovered a problem however, the plastic piece/ cartridge mount for the TKE52e made by Dual on which the Ortofon cartridge is mounted has a couple of plastic L-shaped "blips" on the top that the mechanism operated by the lever on the side of the tone arm rotates into and locks. One of those "blips" is broken so the cartridge mount sags and does not make good contact and thus the left channel is at best intermittent.

Where can one get the DUAL plastic mount to replace the broken one I have? I don't need another Ortofon TKE 52e. The one I have works fine when the contacts are held together. I've looked at eBay and nothing other than mount WITH cartridge combinations that cost an arm and a leg. Does anyone know the proper Dual niumber for the mount alone (it actually has the Dual logo on it)? If I had the proper name/number I'd know what to look for. The number is NOT listed (that I can find) even on the Dual 1258 Service manual which I downloaded from VinylEngine. I believe the Dual 506 uses the same cartridge mount for it's ULM arm.

To clarify, too. I am not looking for the adapter for this turntable that allows one to mount a standard 1/2" mount cartridge to this tone arm. I am looking for a mount with two intact "mounting blips" that will allow me to mount the Ortofon TKE52e which was standard for this model, I believe.

Anyone with a good Dual mount with a dead cartridge out there?

 

[lini]

Unfortunately there is no known part number for the mounting bracket (or respectively its top plate) for these 2nd gen. proprietary ULM mount Dual-Ortofon cartridges, as that has always been a part of the cartridges and never been sold separately. So most likely your only chance is to look for a replacement body with intact hooks.

If the DN152E of your TKS52E would already be pretty worn, however, I'd suggest to consider a new TKS-OMx body from Dualfred(.de), which is a customised Ortofon OM body for that 2nd gen. proprietary ULM mount and can be used with one's original or 3rd party OM family needle of choice (best from the needle 10 upwards for reasonably high compliance). Unfortunately these TKS-OMx bodies aren't exactly cheap either, though.

(...) when the turntable is spinning in the clockwise direction (...)

If it tends not to, that usually means, that the phase-shifting capacitor(s) for the second motor winding (C2 and C3) aren't good anymore and need to be replaced - in which case the anti-sparking cap for the main switch (C1) most likely isn't good anymore either and should be replaced as well. For the replacements you'd best go for X2 type safety caps.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini

 

[redpackman]

Got the requisite caps, installed them and the TT now spins in the proper direction! Thanks for the help!