First turntable is a Dual CS 415-2. At first the sound was very distorted, but then I spotted that the cartridge wasn't fitted into the tone arm properly. Once this was done there was a slight bit of distortion when the music is loudest. The platter doesn't really get started spinning without a push, and occasionally slowly dies in speed. The automatic start and return functions don't work - the needle has to be manually placed on and off the record. Without this, the tone arm will just fall off its support at the start, and at the end I need to manually put it back and then turn the record a few times before something clicks. If I don't do that turning, the motor won't start next time I move the tone arm over the LP.

I suspect multiple problems with the Dual, but am happy to be told otherwise!

Second turntable I was given seems to work perfectly, except the sound is always distorted worse than the Dual! It's a Technics SL-J90, rock-steady speed (in comparison with the Dual) but is just way distorted. Although neither deck appears to have adjustable tone arm weights, I did try adjusting the Technics one both ways by careful application of blu-tak, but with no improvement to the distortion, just slight differences in the sound. The actual amount of sound coming off the needle seems a lot to me, hence my suspicion that the distortion originates there.

Both decks are apparently magnetic cartridges. The amplifier is a Sony MHC-550 which is a mini system of about 1994/5 era, with Phono inputs (not adjustable for ceramic/magnetic). Obviously the Dual would probably have been the better quality one, but do any of these problems sound solvable at minimal cost?

Thanks for your help,

Al

• Turntable tone arm and cartridge setup

I think I've figured out the cause of most of the problems. The belt is distinctly loose, which could account for the failure of some of the automatic functions. I think the "floppiness" of the tone arm is due to a missing screw towards the rear.

Does anyone have access to a Dual CS 415-2 who could check whether there should be a screw just to the right of where the wires go into the base, beneath the tone arm counterbalance? And if so, any idea what dimensions the screw should be so that I can obtain a replacement?

My suspicion now is that someone had been trying to dismantle it to replace the drive belt, but having not been able to remove the clip on the platter had then removed random other screws. I can't see anything else obviously wrong or missing though.

Al

http://www.compassnet.com/concept/tables/CS415-2.htm

http://www.compassnet.com/concept/tables/cs410.htm

http://www.dual-reference.com/

Dave