Vintage Dual 1228 Turntable : worth to upgrade cartridge ?

Playpen,

Thats total Hogwash. A properly set up 1229 will blow the skirt of most entry level tables. Mine certainly does and it isn't just my opinion either.  Come listen anytime.  If your P&E table is vintage, it was built by Dual. Dual bought P&E back in 1972, and built their tables until about 1978 when P&E was phased out. 

My Dual 1229 using a Grace 747 sounds better than my grease bearing Garrard 301 using a SME 3009.  Both were infinitely better than my Linn LP12.  

Norman

Radni,

The Dual alignment guage is necessary to properly set up the Dual arm.  It can be done without, but it's a real pain.  You can often find them on eBay. I will see if I have a spare I can lend you. 
Maybe that's why Playpen had such a negative experience with his Duals. 
N. 

I remember that my Dual 1228 when purchased from a dealer , it came with the cartridge M95 ED already fitted on it . I have never removed or loosened the mounting screws or tried to remove cart from shell. So chances are  it is fixed properly. So I will download a protractor and then check if cart fitting is ok, then decide further. 
Yesterday I recalibrated or readjusted from scratch the tone arm , counter balance, strobe, and set the tracking force at 1.25 ( from 1.5) , fresh  Shure stylus RS 9E is fitted only week ago ( I had one in spare from the time I bought Dual ) . To my surprise , there was a great improvement in sound , background noise came down ,  which even my wife noticed and told me without even my asking . 
I think Dual is doing great for me for now. I am happy till upgrade bug strikes, but otherwise journey with Dual will happily continue . 

 I have the Dual alignment gauge.Norman I'm glad you find your 1229 to your liking.I tried mats,total contact cleanings,many cartridges on mine,the alignment tool to no avail.I have the ability to finely adjust the VTA on my Rega and P+E 2040 which makes a huge difference.I tried it on my Dual but it is basically up or down for a stack of records.I do like the Duals build quality though,I still have my original 1019 and owners manual I bought in the 1960's.

Playpen,
Yeah, you're right about the tonearm with regards to VTA. Remember I removed my 1229 tonearm and replaced it with a Grace 747.  This gave me the flexiblity I wanted with regard to tonearm adjustments.  It can be done with the Dual via pickup spacers and yes using platter mats but is a pain.  When I used my 1229 arm I left it level with the platter and used an Oracle Platter matt when I needed to drop the tonearm tail down a bit. I liked the Oracle mat so well that I still use it.

Other mods to my Dual were bearing replacement, and removal of all the automatic functions.  I also pulled the motor apart, cleaned an lubed the bearings.  The Dual continous pole motor is a jewel. Silent and powerful.

The 1229 in stock form (properly restored), its a fantastic table. They are worth seeking out and as i

Your PE2040 is a keeper.  I was never a big fan of the PE tonearms, (they too have pull out headshells....yes?), but they are excellent idler drive tables with that wonderful German build quality.

Be sure to keep the bearing race well lubed and the bearing set in an oil bath or grease pit.  (easy mod, does wonders) 

You might try an arm pod and a different tonearm on the PE?  I would imagine that if you tweak a little it will kill the Rega.

N