News

A familiar name to older hi-fi enthusiasts, German company Dual was once the largest manufacturer of turntables
in Europe – its name a reference to the dual-mode power supplies the company pioneered in the early thirties for its gramophones, which could be powered either by electricity or their wind-up mechanism. Throughout the sixties, seventies and eighties Dual produced a series of class-leading products, and now as vinyl enjoys a renaissance, it has returned to the UK with three new offerings: the MTR-15, MTR-40 and MTR-75 with USB (pictured).

The £125 MTR-15 is the most basic offering of the trio, offering fully automatic operation. Styled like a pro-audio DJ deck, the £230 MTR-40 is a direct-drive turntable with variable speed control, but of most interest is the £250 MTR-75, which the company describes as the perfect option for audiophiles on a budget. A belt-driven model with a DC servo motor, it has a built-in moving-magnet phono stage. The straight aluminium tonearm comes pre-fitted with an Audio-Technica cartridge and tracking force can be fine tuned thanks to the inclusion of an adjustable counterweight. There’s also a USB output for digitising vinyl. The chassis has a sleek satin-black finish and is sat upon large vibration-damping feet.
Dual plans to introduce its more upmarket CS turntable series and Bluetooth loudspeaker later in the year and distribution in the UK is being handled by BRS. www.dual-plattenspieler.eu/en/