Last year we gave our competition a lesson in geometry.
This year it's physics.
For years, we've patiently explained why curved tonearms contribute nothing to record playback except higher mass and instability.
Finally, this simple lesson in tonearm geometry began to sink in. And as you've seen, more and more turntable manufacturers are now going straight.
While that's a step in the right direction, they still have a lot to learn before they can match the performance of a Dual.
Which brings us to Ultra Low Mass and the physics of tracking records.
Simply stated, the lower the mass of the tonearm, the better it will track. Especially on warped records.
So when we introduced ULM with total effective mass under 8 grams, it was quickly recognized as a major breakthrough in record playback technology (Conventional tonearm and cartridge combinations typically have 18 grams total effective mass.) All the independent test labs quickly appreciated the benefits of ULM. Julian Hirsch reported in Stereo Review: "...tracked the most severely warped records in our collection, usually so well that we heard nothing wrong." And when you consider that most records manufactured today are warped, ULM is not just desirable--it's essential.
No surprise that our competitors are beginning to lower the mass of their tonearms.
But that doesn't make their turntables perform like a Dual any more than straightening their tonearms did.
Which brings us to the most important lesson of all: You can't equal a Dual by simply imitating one part of it. Or even two.
Because what makes a Dual a Dual is much more than its straight-line tubular design or Ultra Low Mass.
It's also the four-point gyroscopic gimbal. The new XM300 alloy (the most rigid and resonance-free material ever used for a tonearm. The tunable anti-resonance filter that matches the tonearm to the mass and compliance of all available cartridges.
And the unique tracking force and anti-skating systems that don't disturb the tonearm's perfect dynamic balance or increase its effective mass.
Beyond all this, there's the matchless craftsmanship long synonymous with Dual and West Germany.
Fortunately, you don't have to wait until other manufacturers have learned all their lessons.
Because we did our homework a long time ago.
Nor have we overlooked the subject of value. For example, the single-play,
semi-automatic Dual 508 with Vario-belt drive is less than $160.
For the complete curriculum covering all ten new ULM turntables, write to:
United Audio, 120 So. Columbus Ave., Dept. A, Mt. Vernon, NY 10553.
Dual -- United Audio is the exclusive U.S. distribution agency for Dual.
( Audio magazine, Jan. 1982)
Also see:
Dual ULM turntable (Dec. 1981)
LUX PD-277 fully automatic direct-drive turntable (Aug. 1979)
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