Just bought a Dual 522 with Shure M95ED - what do I need to know?

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sixfinger

New Member
Hi :D

I'm all excited because I just bought a turntable after not having one for what, 30 years?! I probably have a couple of hundred LPs boxed up in storage and just got the bug to play them again. I'm not expecting audio nirvana, it's mostly about the nostalgia, the crackle and the liner notes.

I started looking at new fully-automatic TTs, got onto the Dual models, then fell down a rabbit hole of used and tripped over a decent looking 522 on eBay. It's not their finest model but it gets some love, and belt drive is probably more beginner-friendly anyway. Apparently it's working well but I'm planning to clean and service the mechanics and replace the steuerpimpel (which is apparently some kind of Bavarian elf that raises and lowers the tonearm). I also ordered a new stylus.

It's not even here yet but I have some questions, mostly around whether the M95ED was likely fitted by Dual or a modification, and whether I need to be concerned about correctly balancing the 'ULM' tonearm that I believe the 522 has. I've seen a lot of talk about which Ortofon cartridges go with the ULM arm, so I'm wondering if I'm about to receive some kind of bodged solution and if so what I should do about it?

Generally though I'm just keen to share my excitement and get chatting :rockon:
 
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sixfinger said:
Hi :D

I'm all excited because I just bought a turntable after not having one for what, 30 years?! I probably have a couple of hundred LPs boxed up in storage and just got the bug to play them again. I'm not expecting audio nirvana, it's mostly about the nostalgia, the crackle and the liner notes.

I started looking at new fully-automatic TTs, got onto the Dual models, then fell down a rabbit hole of used and tripped over a decent looking 522 on eBay. It's not their finest model but it gets some love, and belt drive is probably more beginner-friendly anyway. Apparently it's working well but I'm planning to clean and service the mechanics and replace the steuerpimpel (which is apparently some kind of Bavarian elf that raises and lowers the tonearm). I also ordered a new stylus.

It's not even here yet but I have some questions, mostly around whether the M95ED was likely fitted by Dual or a modification, and whether I need to be concerned about correctly balancing the 'ULM' tonearm that I believe the 522 has. I've seen a lot of talk about which Ortofon cartridges go with the ULM arm, so I'm wondering if I'm about to receive some kind of bodged solution and if so what I should do about it?

Generally though I'm just keen to share my excitement and get chatting :rockon:
Click to expand...
You can use M95 with an ULM arm, it can be properly balanced by using the stylus pressure scale (digital or analog). M95 with good stylus (original is best, Jico is next, EVG nudes could be good also) is higher class cartridge than the budget Orfofons for ULM arms.
 
sixfinger said:
(...) and replace the steuerpimpel (which is apparently some kind of Bavarian elf that raises and lowers the tonearm). (...)
Click to expand...

We don't have elfs here, just Wolpertinger - and we proud Bavarians surely wouldn't borrow any of these rare and precious creatures to those crazy Swabians from the Black Forest, where the Duals used to come from (and which is a part of Baden-Württemberg, not a part of Bavaria...). ;)

Joking aside, the so-called Steuerpimpel (#203) basically just is a little elastomer cap, that serves as a kind of clutch pad between the main lever (#177) and the comparatively big segment (#200) of the tonearm assembly, to which the Abstellschiene (#179) is attached (and also the antiskating lever (#215) via spring (#212)) - all numbers in brackets referring to the service manual, btw (see for example there: https://www.hifi-archiv.info/Dual/522s/). It doesn't play a role in raising and lowering the tonearm, though - instead it's just involved in automatic horizontal tonearm motion.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Thanks guys, I'm really looking forward to placing a needle in a groove again! One of those things I did a million times as a kid and probably haven't done once since I emigrated in the mid 1990s.

My dear old mum (bless her) gave my crappy teenage hifi to a cousin but kept all my other stuff, including records, in her attic for years. She finally got sick of it and shipped it all out a few years ago. I figured I'd just sell all the vinyl when I got around to it, but the idea of playing it again has wormed its way in.

That Wolpertinger looks terrifying. Fortunately I go nowhere near that area, mostly to avoid the ovens of cannibal witches. Here in Australia we only get the occasional drop bear, and they are easily deterred with some Vegemite smeared behind the ears.
 
The Shure is installed on an adapter (for Dual) for standard 1/2 inch mount cartridges. Standard procedure if you want to use non ULM arm specific cartridges.
 
Thanks. Presumably the Shure + adaptor weighs more than the original ULM cartridge? Should I expect to see an additional counterbalance weight?
 
sixfinger said:
Should I expect to see an additional counterbalance weight?
Click to expand...

Well, yes and no. Shall mean: Not just like that, 'cause, as you can see in the explosion drawing (e.g. over there: https://www.hifi-archiv.info/Dual/522s/522-09.jpg), the extra weight disc of the halfinch-mount adaptor kit, would be hidden behind the cap at the rear end of the counterweight. So you'd first need to screw off that cap.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Aha, thanks Lini. So I assume the extra weight disc was supplied with the 1/2" cartridge adaptor, and was most likely installed at the same time as the adaptor.

Of course I will check the balance when it arrives, just trying to understand what things to look out for.
 
sixfinger said:
(...) So I assume the extra weight disc was supplied with the 1/2" cartridge adaptor, and was most likely installed at the same time as the adaptor. (...)
Click to expand...

Yup, the original halfinch-mount adaptor kit consisted of the adaptor plate and the weight disc as well as cartridge mounting hardware and an alignment jig. And yes, that would seem highly likely.

The exemplar, that you've bought, would appear to still be in pretty decent cosmetic condition, btw. What's missing, is the deco ring on the platter lock, though.

Greetings from Munich!

Manfred / lini
 
Well, I now have dual Duals! While browsing the bay I stumbled on another 522 in good condition for about half the price of the first one. The first one was a pretty good deal but for the price of this one I couldn't resist snagging it as a potential parts donor. It has now arrived and it is in even nicer condition than the first one (despite being an earlier serial #) so will probably be my primary deck.

It has the Ortofon ULM cart (no 1/2" adaptor) so at some point I will be able to A/B the Ortofon against the Shure on identical decks which will be fun. Might even get a new Dualfred cart and OM10 for it.


dual-duals.jpg
 
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Buy a new OEM stylus assembly yesterday if not sooner>>>>>>.....None available, then buy a new cartridge.
 
Just ordered one of Fred's ULM OM carts and a #10 stylus to go on to the new 'primary' deck. I figure that should get me at least to the level of the factory Dual setup, and probably a decent step up.

I've got some serious doubts now about the Shure deck. I started another thread (sorry mods, perhaps you can merge it into this one) about the belt rubbing. Now that I have a nice original example to compare it to (and a replacement belt) I can see the belt had been replaced with one that was about 50% too wide and about 2" too short. That and the excessive oil leads me to believe this seller is a bit of a hack.

Also, it does not have the extra weight disc on the counterweight. It balances, but only by having the counterweight sticking out the back at full extension. Per Lini's comments above, this hints to me that the cart wasn't replaced by the original owner using the proper kit. It may well have been cobbled together by the seller to get it out the door. I don't even know if it is a genuine Dual 1/2" adaptor or some aftermarket cheapie. I'd be curious to hear opinions.

M95ED.jpg

M95ED2.jpg
 
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You could read up on how to align a cartridge with a protractor. If you have doubts about if seller knew how to set up table.
I have an LP Gear aftermarket stylus for the Shure M95. Called Thier Vivid Microline. About $100. Sounds pretty good, IMO.
 
Also - for Lini and future Googlers - I suspect that the extra weight disc actually replaces the plastic end cap rather than goes behind it. When I removed the end cap I thought I must be looking at the weight, and in trying to (gently, I thought) disassemble further I actually sheared the thin plastic arbor holding it all together.

I suspect that these counterweights cannot survive disassembly beyond removal of the end cap, either due to glue or some kind of one-way barbed end to the mating parts.

Fortunately Dualfred has me covered there too, all part of the journey ;)
 
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Old Guy8 said:
You could read up on how to align a cartridge with a protractor. If you have doubts about if seller knew how to set up table.
I have an LP Gear aftermarket stylus for the Shure M95. Called Thier Vivid Microline. About $100. Sounds pretty good, IMO.
Click to expand...

I will certainly do all of that, thanks. I have no faith in that seller.

Fortunately nothing is in a hurry at this stage, my vinyl is all still in storage crates (as is most of my hifi gear) as my lounge is mid-remodel. So I'm just tinkering around the edges waiting to getting it all set up and play. I've got a new nude stylus coming from V-M for the Shure, and now the OM10 to suit the ULM arm, and I've got protractors and templates so nothing dodgy will touch my vinyl when the time comes (although I shudder to think of the junk I would have subjected it to in my youth).

I am kinda curious to hear the difference between the Shure and the Ortofon, but slightly terrified it will set me on a dark and expensive path. Part of me wants to love the Ortofon, to be close to the original principle of the ULM, and maybe forget about the Shure. Somehow I already suspect an OM20 might be in my future...
 
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