In 1984 the Dual CS505-2 was the go to budget turntable for the HiFi enthusiast. I treated myself to the standard version for the princely sum of £80.
Initially it was partnered with a QUAD Valve system, later with a High-end Marantz receiver and a pair of Mission 70 speakers. Somewhere along the way the original OEM Ortofon cartridge was replaced with the magnificent Goldring 1010 cartridge.
I stuck with Vinyl for many years, while also embracing the new-fangled CD thing. By the time my brother asked if he could borrow my turntable to recording a load of his old 60’s records onto cassette, toddlers clumpy feet on a suspended wooden floor made vinyl increasingly difficult for me to use. So, the 505 went off to Liverpool in the late 1990’s. It would not return for 15 years. He lost it.
It was 2014, while looking for some old photographs at my brother’s house, that I noticed the dark grey corner of a plastic box sticking out on a high shelf in his spare room. “Is that my old turntable up there?” “Oh, yes I think it is. So, that’s where I put it.” Old Friend’s re united.
Despite looking rather sorry for itself, It didn’t take long to get it working again. I cleaned it up and dug out an old record to test. I worked straight away.
I went on to replace the drive belt and check the alignment and setup of everything. The phono plugs had been pushed up hard against a wall behind an amp, so were a bit scratchy. Replacing the cable sorted this, and while I was at it I gave the internals a good clean and lubrication.
In this form the turntable did excellent service for a couple of years, partnered with a Cyrus amplifier and B&W speakers.
I shan’t be too harsh on Dave for “losing” the 505. Had I kept it, I would probably have sold it on or given it away years ago. I was really pleased to see it back.
I did later address the cosmetic issues by building a new plinth.