CS 505-2

About the CS 505-2

The Dual CS 505-2 is a German-made, semi-automatic belt-drive turntable produced by Dual in the mid-1980s, with documented production running from 1984 to 1989. It uses a belt-driven flywheel system with a Dual SM 100-1 16-pole synchronous motor and offers two speeds (33⅓ and 45 rpm) with ±6% pitch control via a strobe-marked platter for fine speed adjustment. The deck was sold with a choice of plastic plinth (black) or wooden plinths (typically walnut or black, with some markets offering rosewood), all featuring a spring-suspended sub-chassis for acoustic isolation. The 304 mm, ~0.9 kg non-magnetic platter is removable and designed to minimize rumble and magnetic interaction with cartridges. The tonearm is Dual's ULM (Ultra Low Mass) aluminum tubular tonearm in a 4-point gimbal tip bearing, optimized for high-compliance cartridges and low tracking forces, and the original cartridge was a Dual/Ortofon ULM 65E or similar Ortofon OM-series depending on market and package. Operation is semi-automatic with auto-stop: moving the tonearm onto the record starts the platter, and at the end of the side the mechanism returns the arm to its rest or lifts and stops the platter, depending on variant, combining convenience with audiophile-oriented manual cueing. Contemporary and later reviews consistently note low wow & flutter (~0.05% WRMS), rumble around -69 dB weighted, and a warm, musical sound with good stereo focus, making the CS 505-2 a popular recommendation for affordable hi-fi vinyl playback. Due to its robust build, easily serviced belt-drive, and upgradeable cartridge and mat options, it remains a sought-after model on the second-hand market among vinyl enthusiasts.