New Cartridge for Dual 1214

[wbyeats]

Hi guys,

I'm a complete newby with vinyl. I got a Grundig Studio 12 (see it here: http://digilander.libero.it/co.....y/8871.jpg) that mount a Dual 1214 turntable and some Lps and 78 rpms. As I already have a Nad 3120 amplifier and I didn't want to use the grundig speakers, I made a hole in the grundig box and get the signal cable of the dual out of it. I mount a pair of RCA plug and I connected it to my amplifier. It sounds!

Well it's really not a pretty sound in my opinion. Its' very high and with high distortion. The first thing I noticed is that I don't connect it to the phono input of the Nad but another input. Should be a problem of the cartridge?

Now I would like to try a different cartridge to see if it solves the problem.
As I don't think that the dual has a quickly changeable headshell I would prefer to find a cartridge with a double stylus, one for Lps and one for 78 rpms. Do you know if there is any of good quality I can use with the dual?
Otherwhise what would you suggest me?
Can I use a 78 rpm cartridge with Lps? As I have another turntable I would use this mainly for 78rpms and other very old lps.

Hope you can help me
Thank you very much in advance!

[firechief]

wbyeats
What you are trying to do should work provided that you have phono inputs on the Nad amplifier.

"The first thing I noticed is that I don't connect it to the phono input of the Nad but another input. Should be a problem of the cartridge? "

What inputs are you using? Does this receiver have phono inputs? Many modern receivers dont have real phono inputs, If you go into another kind of input it will sound really bad indeed. Sounds like you either need to get a phono pre-amp or take a line out from the Grundig. Does the Grundig have anything labled "pre-amp out, or tape record out, or aux out" if so you could try going from there to the inputs on the Nad,. Might sound pretty good. I had a 1214 for years that my dad left me, and they are a pretty respectable turntable. Oh and changing the cartrage wont solve the problem.
Later

[firechief]

OK just checked and the NAD 3120 has provision for a turntable and can accept MM or MC phono cartridges. Uh --- It should work. Also I think that if you wanted to pull that cartrage to check it out. See if the little lever that you pick the arm up with will move. I mean this might double as a release lever for the cartrage. I think! If it is the cartrage causing the problem I will publically eat my words!

[wbyeats]

Originally Posted by firechief

...
What inputs are you using? Does this receiver have phono inputs? Many modern receivers dont have real phono inputs, If you go into another kind of input it will sound really bad indeed.

The input I'm using on NAD is aux, this is because I found out that the cartridge in my DUAL 1214 is a CDS 650 that is a ceramic type of cartridge not an MM or MC. This type of cartridge don't need a phono pre-amp (Magnetic cartridge - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) and they just use a normal line input. This is the reason I don't use the phono input of my NAD (I tried it but it sounds awfully).

Originally Posted by firechief

wbyeats
Does the Grundig have anything labled "pre-amp out, or tape record out, or aux out" if so you could try going from there to the inputs on the Nad,.

Unfortunately not. Otherwhise I would have used that instead of cutting the cable from the turntable to grundig and inserting it in a couple of female RCAs. This was the only way to make it sound again as the amp section of the grundig is probably gone (and I'm pretty sure my NAD would sound better)

Originally Posted by firechief

I had a 1214 for years that my dad left me, and they are a pretty respectable turntable. Oh and changing the cartrage wont solve the problem.

I don't know if the cartridge is the problem or the stylus. I'm quite sure that MM cartridge sounds better than ceramic. And probably the stylus has never been changed since 1974 so it should be ruined. Unfortunately I cannot use a MM cartridge as my turntable has a 2-pole motor and you can't use MM on this type of motor, you need a 4-pole.
The only thing I can do is try to find a better ceramic cartridge (if there is any) that fit my dual and/or change the stylus. Other people suggest me to find a dedicated ceramic cartridge pre-amp (I think is just an equalizer or similar but I can't find any).
Maybe the dual you're using has an MM cartridge...

Thanks!

mario

[wbyeats]

Originally Posted by firechief

OK just checked and the NAD 3120 has provision for a turntable and can accept MM or MC phono cartridges. Uh --- It should work.

As I told you in my other reply the problem is the ceramic cartridge. If the cartridge has been an MM or MC I shouldn't have problem to use the phono input.

Originally Posted by firechief

Also I think that if you wanted to pull that cartrage to check it out. See if the little lever that you pick the arm up with will move. I mean this might double as a release lever for the cartrage. I think! If it is the cartrage causing the problem I will publically eat my words!

uhm ... sorry but my english is not so good and my knowledge on turntables is even worse.... I really don't understand what you're saying

Thanks!

mario