Dual 1225 problems

[Smaz]

Hi, I have a few problems with my Dual 1225 tt:

1. When I use the Start switch the tonearm rises up but only moves an inch or two to the left, missing the edge of the record. When the record ends the tonearm lifts up but doesn´t return to the holder. Insted it lowers again ("thinking" it´s back above the holder), usually back on the end groove, sometimes even on the label giving the stylus a hard time. Sometimes it moves a little bit back in the right direction and plays a few seconds of music at the end of the record.

This wouldn´t be a big problem otherwise but I´m sick of having to run to the turntable to move the tonearm manually when the record ends, fearing for my stylus.

2. When playing 7" singles, it skips a lot, usually back a few grooves and gets stuck, making it impossible to enjoy my 7 inchers. I´ve tried adjusting tracking force etc. without results.

Any help would be appreciated!

[shrice51]

My experience is with a 1229 only. That being said, I had to situate the TT so I could work under it to see what was going on. Damn thing slipped sideways and hit me near my eye, but that's another story. Anyway, if you're able to lay under the TT and can activate the start/stop lever and rotate the platter by hand, you may be able to see a paddle raise up to push a rod up. This rod is directly connected to the tone arm lift. The rod has (or had) a plastic cup on the end of it that acted like a slip clutch. This wears out, and/or there is lubricant on the paddle looking device. When the auto start is activated, the paddle lifts up on the rod and moves the rod in one direction to make the tone arm move to the right and hit the tone arm stop on the top side of the TT. Then the paddle that lifted the rod goes in the other direction to move the tone arm into the correct drop down area. If there is lubricant on the paddle or plastic cup, or if the cup is missing or worn out, the rod will not be set in the correct starting positions which means the tone arm will be placed incorrectly. I cleaned my paddle device and replaced the plastic cup with a plastic pierced earing stay (come by the dozen in a small bag at the jewelers for cheap,) and all works like brand new.

Steve-

[Smaz]

Thank you very much, I´ll look into it as soon as I have the courage!

[Jyrinki]

Have you found the courage yet Smaz? I have exactly the same problem with my 1225 and I am also wondering if I dare to disassemble anything.

[3rd_Ear]

"Steuer-Pimpel" (don't know the word in english, sorry).

Replace it with any suitable cylindrical piece of soft plastic. Suitable is e.g. the inner isolation of a coaxial tv/radio-antenna cable.

The length of the thing is essentiell for a correct function.

Especially avoid making it much too long, as that could eventually damage something valuable (the needle).

Dimensions are:

Inner diameter: about 2mm / 0,08"
Outer diameter: about 4mm to 5mm / 0,016" to 0,02"
Length: about 5mm / 0,02" , but the functioning length must be found by trial-and-error.

Here's a photo of an intact "Pimpel" in a Dual 1224, which got exactly the same mechanics as the 1225, apart from the motor.

[thumpin]

Excellent 3rd Ear,
Exactly what I was looking for during my 1225 refurbish. I have noticed the pin that accepts this "Steuer-Pimpel" is spring supported and can be depressed. Should I leave a small gap between the "Steuer-Pimpel" and the face of where the pin is mounted to allow depression?

Cheers from Australia.

[3rd_Ear]

I have noticed the pin that accepts this "Steuer-Pimpel" is spring supported and can be depressed. Should I leave a small gap between the "Steuer-Pimpel" and the face of where the pin is mounted to allow depression?

I did so with my 1224, but as it seems, that is usually not vital for the function. But, if you feel better with a small gap, use a bit of glue to fix the replacement pimpel in its positon on the support pin. It must at all times extend the pin's length by about 1mm, otherwise the automatic will not function.

Instead of a piece of cable isolation I used a piece of silicon rubber that was intended as a gas hose for RC-car, because that will never get brittle by the grease, unlike the original pimpel's resin.

Have a look at the following instructions, which I adopted and translated from the one made by Dual-Board-admin Dennis.Rollinger.



By the way, these instructions apply to virtually any Dual turntable with automatic start/stop-functions.

Greetings from Germany,
Dirk

edit:

A snapshot of the said replacement "pimpel":

[thumpin]

Thanks Dirk,

I have replaced the "Steuer-Pimpel" using the inner insulation sleeve from a piece of coax cable. Finished result looks very similar to your rework. The 1225 is all working again.
Cheers.

[sphutch78]

OK thats great but how do i open the dual 1246 case. I see know screws on the bottom. I have know idea how to get inside the shell besides removing the platter but im scared i will ruin something by completely removing these parts. Unsure what to do next

[Florianska]

hello sphutch78
there are two metal screws beside the platter. Unfix them and pull them up, if its possible swing the top of this screws to the outside of the chassis.
Doing this the lower end of this screws swing towards the axis of the platter and you can lift the subchassis at the side where you swing the screw.
Lift one side a bit and then the other.
REMARK: At 1st you have to dismount the cable cap at the bottom and carefully through both cables and the cap inside the chassis.
After dismounting the subchassis care for two subconstructs of the same hight e.g. two banana cartons and position the subchassis in its upright position on the edges of the subcontstruct .
Dismount the armholder and look for the functions by mooving the platter by hand in the normal direction.
Good success
Florianska

[Smaz]

2. When playing 7" singles, it skips a lot, usually back a few grooves and gets stuck, making it impossible to enjoy my 7 inchers. I´ve tried adjusting tracking force etc. without results.

Any help would be appreciated!

Can anyone help me with this? Somebody suggested that a bearing is worn out somewhere and replacing it is both difficult and expensive, is this the case?
The skipping back/getting stuck problem occurs only when playing 7" singles, 12" records play fine. About half-way thru the 7" inch the styulus jumps back a groove or two and usually stays stuck playing the same few grooves again and again. Should I just give up? Can this harm my 12" records even though they sem to play fine?

[mister_bassman]

Hello Smaz,

did you try running the 7" on 33rpm and see what happens? I mean, do they play fine on 33rpm? Of course, it's musical nonsense, but my guess is the stylus is being thrown out because of the higher speed at 45rpm.
If thats the case, probably your anti-skate mechanism is misadjusted or inoperative. So you might want to check the manual for the 1225 about how to set the anti skate correctly. If this doesn't help, the service manual for the 1225 regarding the anti-skate section should help.

Another guess: The tone arm bearing. Move the tone arm manually to the point where the stylus uses to skip. Move it carefully back and forth along this point. If you should feel even the slightest resistance, probably the tone arm bearing is damaged.

Hope this helps...

Regards
Thorben
(from nothern Germany)

[mrbusta]

This site roxx!
Thanks for the images of the "Steuer-Pimpel" sullution, another dual 1225 is now back and kicking thanks to this!

[marijked]

Hi everyone,
the platter of my Dual 1224 won't turn anymore..
Before it helped by giving at a little push, but after standing still for several years, this doesn't seem to work anymore.. I tried to open it up, to have a look inside (I downloaded the manual) but I'm not succeeding in doing this: when i losen the 2 metal screws on top, it doesn't come off and I'm afraid of forsing it somehow... Does anybody know what to do when the platter doesn't turn anymore? Do i need to open it up? And if yes, could somebody clearly explain me how? I really want him to work again....

Greetz from Belgium,
Marijke