Yes, the new Dual 604 is direct drive.
Now let's talk about something really important.
You may have noticed that most turntable stories begin and end with the drive system. The tonearm is more or less an afterthought.
But not with Dual. Because the tonearm can make a big difference in how records sound and how long they last. Which is why Dual is very serious about tonearm design and performance. And why we can be very serious about tonearms in our advertising.
Let's consider the 604 tonearm.
The straight-line tubular design provides maximum rigidity with minimum mass. The four-point gimbal centers and pivots the tonearm precisely where the vertical and horizontal axes intersect. And the counterbalance houses two specially-tuned anti-resonance filters that absorb parasitic resonances originating in the tonearm/cartridge system and chassis.
Operation is semi-automatic, with another unique Dual difference: the mechanical sensor. Switch it in and you feel when the stylus is positioned precisely over the 12" and 7" lead-in grooves. At the end of play, the tonearm lifts and returns to its post, and the motor shuts off. Automatically.
Now let's talk about the drive system. It employs a newly developed DC electronic motor with a highly sensitive CMOS regulator circuit and integral frequency generator. Platter speed is checked against rated speed 120 times per revolution. Wow and flutter are less than 0.03 percent, rumble, is better than 70 dB. Well beyond the limits of audibility.
But the important story with any turntable is simply this. The drive system merely turns the record. It's the tonearm that plays it.
Dual 604, semi-automatic, less than $260 Dual 621. fully automatic plus continuous repeat, less than $300. Both with base and cover. Actual resale prices are determined individually and at the sole discretion of authorized Dual dealers.
(Source: Audio magazine, July 1978)
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