Pristine United Audio Dual 1218 3 speed Turntable SOUNDS GREAT Shure CART&NEEDLE

Description

Up for grabs is a fully tested and working Dual 1218 Stereo 3 speed turntable. Table has had the RCA output cord and ground wire upgraded. This unit comes with a SHURE Cartridge, and a SHURE Needle. Unit is in amazing condition considering its age. From a smoke free home since new! Happy bidding! Free full value SHIPPING insurance. But this unit will be packed to make the trip! Happy bidding! Unit seems to work but due to its age should be gone over and lubricated. AS-IS
Specifications:
3 Speed (33.33, 45 & 78 RPM)
Cueing
Pitch Control - 6 % Adjustment  @ All Speeds
Spec Sheet Data:
4 Pole Synchronous Motor, Radial Elastic
Suspension
Idler Wheel Drive
Platter
:
Non-magnetic, 1.8Kg (4 pound) 270mm
(10.5 inch) diameter
Wow & Flutter:
+/- 0.09%
Rumble:
Unweighted: -40dB
Weighted:     -57dB
Tonearm:
Rigid, all metal construction mounted in a
4 point gimbal suspension. Counterbalance
with 0.01 gram click stops.
Cartridge:
Removable Holder, accepts ALL 1/2" mount
Weight: Accepts cartridges with a weight of 1-12 gr.
Years Manufactured:
1971-72
Price (New):
9.00
(USD)
From MV Audio Labs dot com comparison / review
Under the Hood
When comparing the three, DUAL 1218 has better 4 point gimbal tonearm assembly and can play 78 speed records. Also motors on 1225 and 1226 are asynchronous, whereas 1218 has synchronous one. Not getting in too much technical details, I will say that synchronous motor has more constant speed and is less load dependent. Within it’s limits that is. Construction of both DUAL motors are identical, except that synchronous rotor has magnetic ring, which “locks” it to magnetic field of a stator. This field is rotating at constant speed and synchronously with mains voltage frequency. So rotor runs synchronously up to some torque and then stops, when angle between stator field and rotor reaches 90°. Asynchronous motor, on other hand, has constant slippage from stator field. It starts slowing down when armature reaches saturation.
The Proof is in the Pudding
So it’s time to put some records and witness the full glory of idler sound. But first, I should remind you what was the main sale pitch for these tables. It’s improved dynamics! I will admit that I was always quite skeptical regarding these claims. It’s just that I was really having trouble wrapping my technically spoiled mind around such statements.  I mean, just imagine for a minute that this tiny needle tip is flying through the record groove and suddenly loud music passage begins. Groove modulation increases and needle starts moving around trying to track it. We are in microscopic dimensions here and you have to use electronic microscope to see anything really.
I was really in my anti-snake-oil-full-skeptical mode when listening to this newly restored table, and boy did I was proven wrong. Not for the first time, mind you, and surely not for the last one. That’s the fun part of these adventures. To be surprised and proven wrong. This was one of those times that still further changed my perception on human brain-ear abilities and how little did we understand in psycho-acoustics. I will not try to describe you how it sounds, because it’s futile exercise. What I hear is not what you may hear, so I could write ten more paragraphs and it won’t make any difference. I will just say that it delivers all that it promises. Maybe Shure’s M75MB isn’t my cup of tea, and that plastic head-shell is sketchy, but my trusty AT95E sings beautifully in this light arm.
And so my quite long lasting relationship with 1218 started and the contagious idler bug was caught. Lots of good time replaying all my record collection and finding new things that I didn’t noticed before.
Happy spinning!