The Dual has a very light tonearm, which limits your choice of cartridges.
Upgrading from Dual 704 to Technics 1300G – Worth it for Sound Quality?
I’ve been using a Dual 704 with an Audio-Technica 440MLb cartridge for many years. I’ve been considering replacing the Dual with a Technics 1300G, but I keep going back and forth on the idea. Would I actually notice an improvement in sound quality?
One of the reasons I’m looking at a different turntable is that the Dual limits my options when it comes to cartridge choice, while the Technics offers far more flexibility in that regard.
What are your thoughts?
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- 13 posts total
Only you can decide if it is worth it, but there is no question that the Technics is superior to the Dual in every possible sense. It will measure better and sound better and be far more flexible. I have owned my GAE since 2016, it sits right next to a TT that costs over 5x as much and yet it is more often than not the one I turn to for most of my listening. These are wonderful TTs and you would not regret the decision to acquire one. |
The SL1300 is the better turntable but the crux of sound quality in vinyl playback is the cartridge compliance quality, frequency response at a given capacitance and VTA. the Audio-Technica 440MLb is good for compliance with the SL1300 tonearm but its frequency response is tilted bright for most capacitance loadings So, you need a new cart with the SL1300 regardless - https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/introducing-the-phono-cartridge-measurement-library.46108/post-1819037
This cartridge is what to get in addition to the SL1300 @naish - Shure V15 Type V-MR MM Phono Cartridge - Complete Kit |
- 13 posts total