I need help with a Dual 1219 that rumbles?

Thanks for all the good info. Very interesting idea about the platter bearing being loaded with the idler wheel. There is a slight oscillation in the frequency of the noise. Bill at fix my Dual has had this thing twice. It works perfectly and sounds great but he hasn't been able to eliminate the noise. If I wanted a Rega I would buy one. I will check the article in Tone. I actually have it sitting on the spring suspension on the saw horses. I think the hard rubber thing is probably the problem. It is 38 years old or so. The tt is floating in the plinth. thanks again for all the great input, Markus

This brings back memories of my first hi-end system. I was 16, and bought a Dual 1215-S turntable in 1971 I think it was, along with KLH 17 speakers and a Harmon Kardon receiver after studying Consumer Reports. The whole thing cost me about $300. A lot of lawns cut to pay for that system!

After I hooked everything I realized the table had both wow and flutter. Dual at that time was located in Mt. Vernon, NY, about 20 minutes from where I lived. I took the table there and told the service guy, an older German guy, that I just bought this turntable and it had wow and flutter. He sort of laughed at me, then took the table to the back room, and came back a short while later to say I was right. He replaced both the platter and motor. It was fine after that and ran well for years.

Thanks, that sounds encouraging. Maybe I will see the end to this problem. thanks Markus

I would replace the idler wheel or have the one you have restored. The rubber on them gets old and hard. Any flat spots will give a thump sound or rumble that can be heard in quiet passages.

I believe Turntable Needles has a program to restore old and worn idler wheels.

You could try Ebay too, but may not see much improvement...but send the worse one for restoration.

Markus1,

I have a Dual 1229.  It's the same as a 1219, but with a strobe.  I run this table everyday, and it's absolutely dead silent. I can't hear even hear the motor when it's running.  

You either have a bad idler wheel, or the motor needs to be pulled apart and lubed.  This is something I personally do every few years.  I also keep the plater bearing set in synthetic grease and make sure the plater bearing race gets plenty of oil.

I have rebuilt many Dual turntables.  Email me and I will help you sort it out.  My Dual 1229 (I replaced the tone arm with a Grace 747), is better than my Garrard 301.   Honestly, it's one of the best turntables I've ever heard.  

Norman