Help with Dual CS 530

usp1

I am just getting into turntables, so While I am looking for a quality entry-level turntable, I was able to snipe a Dual CS 530 on fleabay for $60 shipped. It arrived yesterday and seems to be in very nice condition. It has a Grado cartridge (not sure what model). Overall I am pleased with the purchase. The table holds speed very well (at least the strobe indicator seems steady). All functions seem to work well except one (see complaint 1 below). And the table is cosmetically in very nice condition.

But there are a couple of things that could be better, so I am hoping someone here can point me in the right direction:
1. The table is supposed to be fully automatic but I find that the first time I press Start the arm does not automatically go to the start of the record. I have to manually move the arm and lower the stylus on to the record. However, it does return automatically when it reaches the end of the record and thereafter pressing start automatically moves the arm to start position and lowers the stylus. (I am unlatching the arm from its stand before pressing start )

2. the sound is flat. I was hoping to hear that vinyl magic but this thing sounds like my Sony boombox. A Cd played through the same system sounds much better. I can think of several reasons...the phono on the AVR could be crappy; or the cartridge/stylus need to be replaced; or this is just a crappy table.

Any suggestions on where to begin?

monepolk

It's been a while since I've had a turn table, but from what I can remember on some models you have to press start more than once. I believe I had one that depending on how many times you pressed it determined which track it would play. Can't help you with the second part.

usp1

Thats interesting...How does it know where to place itself for the next track?
In any case, it does not seem to want to move by itself the first time I turn it on. I have to let it play all the way to the end of the record and auto return for it to want to auto start. No amount of pressing start seems to make it budge the first time.

TNHNDYMAN

USP1- Try the following...

With the arm height lever in the up position and without pushing the start button- gently pick up arm and move it to your left until you reach the label, and you should feel the auto return mechanism engage.

Allow it to return the tonearm to the rest position. Now push the start button and see if it goes to the beginning as it should.

I have found sometimes if I start and albumn and then manually lift the arm and return without it going to the end and returning itself, it gets the mechanics out of sync. Best of luck.

monepolk

That's interesting...How does it know where to place itself for the next track?

It had a sensor that sense the lines between the tracks. After you selected the track number by pressing the start, the tone arm would float across the album to scan it and then go to the track you selected. Sorry this wasn't the case for you.

usp1

I tried your suggestion but now it seems to skate across about 1 inch before starting to play. Also, it seems to be just as finicky as before.

TNHNDYMAN wrote: »

USP1- Try the following...

With the arm height lever in the up position and without pushing the start button- gently pick up arm and move it to your left until you reach the label, and you should feel the auto return mechanism engage.

Allow it to return the tonearm to the rest position. Now push the start button and see if it goes to the beginning as it should.

I have found sometimes if I start and albumn and then manually lift the arm and return without it going to the end and returning itself, it gets the mechanics out of sync. Best of luck.

usp1

Update: I managed to readjust the tonearm so that it does not skate anymore. The autostart is still a bit dodgy. It seems TNHNDYMAN was correct abou the auto mechanism going out of sync when the record is stopped halfway. So I suppose what is required is to always make it autostop even if I want to stop midway by moving the arm in to the centre.

(Poor Rod Stewart ...I am pretty sure I have enough scratches on his album from all the skating that the stylus did)

TNHNDYMAN

nice to be right or on the right trac at least occasionally.

How old's the cartridge? Do you have the counterweight set properly and or what settings for the anti skate adjustment?

usp1

I must have disturbed the adjustment when it started skating. I ended up having to adjust the counterweight and antiskate adjustment. Currently the antiskate is at almost close to zero.

Not sure how old the cartridge is but it does look old. The stylus may need changing as well.

TNHNDYMAN

The anit skate setting should be equal to the tracking force of the cartridge. Depending on which Grado you have, it's probably between 1.5-2.0 grams.

First turn the counterbalance clockwise until the tonearm wants to hover in mid air (obviously try to protect the needle while doing this by not letting it drop onto the platter or side of turntable). When you have it balanced in mid air, reset the front of the conterbalance to zero- the part that has the numbers on it should rotate freely independent of the rear of the weight. Now turn the whole counterbalance assembly counterclockwise to about 1.75 and then rest arm on the tonearm rest. Turn to antiskate setting to 1.75 ie equal to the counterbalance setting.

Now try to play and see how it sounds. You may have to fine tune the setting up or down slightly to find the sweet spot.

Also your stylus is probably in need of replacement. If you could take pics and or provide the exact Grado cart you have it would be easier for recomendations to be made. On alot of the Grado carts you can use multiple stylus within the Grado lineup. Alot of people find the Grado Black to be a nice entry level cart- good value overall.

usp1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DUAL-CS-530-FULL-AUTOMATIC-TURNTABLE-NICE-/330835561887?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&nma=true&si=txNCG3O9l28%2BwiSh4mHcn%2FPUYOg%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here is a link to the original ad from fleabay with pictures.

usp1

Today I pulled out an old Yamaha receiver, with a phono input, I had lying around and used it to hook up the Dual to my main listening rig. OMG...what a difference. I take back everything I said about the TT in my original post. Everything seems to be so much better. Much of the difference is attributable to the fact that my 2-channel system is much more better than the HT system but I suspect the phono on the old Yamaha is also much better.

I can only imagine how much better a really good TT with a good phono amp would sound.

TNHNDYMAN

Glad it's working better for you. If you upgrade the stylus on that Grada, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

PolkieMan

I lot of HT receivers don't have a phono preamp. The preamp does a lot more than just bring up the level from the very weak output of the cartriage. It's called the RIAA curve. Here is a cheap preamp that I bought that really works quite well and has a headphone jack. Later on you will want something better. You will notice they go in and out of stock very fast the price is so good.

http://www.shopblt.com/item/pyle-ultra-compact-phono-turntable-preamp/q724_pp444.html

usp1

TN - I will look into it further.

Polkieman - My HT receiver, an, Onkyo 804, does have phono but apparently not as good as the yamaha receiver. The yamaha stereo receiver. It was a bit more money about 20 years ago than what the onkyo cost a bout 5 years ago. So I should not be surprised. I will look into the pyle.
I actually have a rogue 66 magnum preamp but the phono-stage does not have tubes right now. I need to get 4 6dj8/6922 tubes to get it working.