Restore old Dual - or - start fresh

[GandalftheWhite]

I am getting ready to return to analog. I have been doing some reading here, but I need some experienced advice.

I have a chance to buy a Dual 1225Q for $70. It needs some work; there is a ground hum and the automatic tonearm return is not functioning. Would it be worth the expense to fix it and install a good cartridge? (Maybe a V15VxMR - $275) (It has an Ortofon OM 10 mounted on it now).

Or should I just invest in a decent mid-level manual turntable such as a Music Hall MMF-5? Needle Doctor sells that TT with a factory mounted Goldring 1012GX cartridge for $629. Is that a good match?

I still listen to rock and country, but 50% of my listening time is spent with Jazz and Classical.

The turntable will be going through an Adcom GFP-715 preamp and a Crown DC300 amp to a pair of Eastern Acoustic Works/RCF studio monitors. (The Adcom has a separate phono input)

Thank you.

[Rael]

I'd definitely recommend the Music Hall. It was my entry level table back into analog a few years ago. The cartridge installed with the Music Hall is a fine match, although in all honesty, I wasn't a great fan of it.

Besides, it'd be a real pain if you spent $275 on a nice cart for that Dual which already needs work only to find out there are other things wrong with the table or even worse, if it goes kaput on you shortly after buying it.

[miner]

Definitely get a new table. I recently bought a Rega P5, Exact cartridge and TT PSU. Total outlay was $1500 with tax. My dealer sells Music Hall, Thorens and Rega tables. I went with my dealers recommendation. For the price point you are talking about a MMF-5 would be good - save a few more dollars and step up to teh MMF-5SE.

[twitch54]

I too side with Miner, in the $500-1000 range stick with ProJect, Music Hall or Rega. I trully believe in the sub 1k range Rega is tops both analog and Digital !!

[dknightd]

I don't think I'd buy a Dual 1225 that needed work. Certainly not for $70, unless you know the history and person selling it to you very very well. I did a quick google search, it sold for $140 brand new! You are MUCH better off spending more and getting the MMF-5 (or similar)

[Alaric]

There are two differences between the Music Hall MMF-5 and MMF-5SE. The SE comes with a better cartridge and the cables are easily replaced RCA types. The MMF-5 has "fixed" cables and you won't be able to avail yourself of Doug's great CATCables.