Wonder how many pairs of trainers he gets through a year?
My goodness he’s a little bit selective with his examples 
He’s also a bit annoying
Trick or water into wine?
I mean, WTAF ? Brilliant !
The woman’s good but it must be time for this again - perhaps the inspiration for all of these
Of course it had to be done in front of a crowd, and she wasn’t allowed 140 takes 
.
Pop quiz: does anyone know what the difference between a Dual CS505 and CS506 was?
BiL has just bought one of the latter (along with a fat Kenwood amp and some mad Arcam tuner).
Chat GBH answer:
Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the two turntables: the Dual CS 505 and the Dual CS 506. It’s worth noting they are both vintage models from Dual (circa late 1970s / early 1980s) so condition and servicing matter a lot when comparing them today.
Key differences
1. Positioning & cost / market tier
- The CS506 was positioned as the more advanced (higher spec) model in the “500-series” belt-drive line for Dual. (vintage-turntable.com)
- The CS505 was introduced as a stripped-down/price-cut version of the CS506. (zstereo.co.uk)
- For example: “The new Dual CS505 was simply a stripped-down, price-cut CS506” (from one review) (zstereo.co.uk)
- So if you find one, expect the CS506 to have somewhat better components (in the original spec) and a higher original retail cost.
2. Specifications & features
Here are a few of the spec differences gleaned from various sources:
- CS506:
- Belt drive, 2 speeds (33 & 45). (vintage-turntable.com)
- Uses the ULM (“Ultra Low Mass”) tonearm & cartridge combo (Dual emphasised this in their marketing).
- Example spec: platter 304 mm / weight ~0.9kg, wow & flutter ~0.04% WRMS. (vintage-turntable.com)
- Note: There were some variants (CS506-1 etc) with different motors etc. (vintage-turntable.com)
- CS505:
- Also belt-drive 2 speeds (33 & 45). (radiomuseum.org)
- Slightly lower spec in some areas: e.g., one data sheet shows wow & flutter ~0.05% WRMS. (retrotechaudio.co.uk)
- Some components/features omitted compared to CS506: e.g., the wood plinth on CS506 may have been a feature; CS505 “lost the real wood plinth … and its stroboscope light, even if the strobe markings on the platter were retained.” (zstereo.co.uk)
- Later versions of the CS505 improved the headshell to accept standard ½″ cartridges (important for modern upgrades) whereas earlier CS505/CS506 used the proprietary Dual headshell / cartridge mount. (hembrow.eu)
3. Cartridge / headshell / upgrade issues
- This is a practical difference for someone buying used today: The CS506 (and earlier CS505 variants) used a proprietary Dual headshell / mount system which makes finding compatible cartridges/stylus more difficult (or at least requires adapter). For example: “Standard ½″ cartridges will not fit this tonearm. Dual supplied an adapter…” (for the CS506) (vintage-turntable.com)
- The CS505 later versions (-2, -3) adopted or improved to standard ½″ mount, making modern cartridge replacement easier. (hembrow.eu)
4. Build/material/finish & features
- The CS506 likely had a more premium finish/plinth than the CS505, given the CS505 is described as “stripped down”. The review says: “it lost the real wood plinth of its bigger brother, and stroboscope light” when discussing CS505 vs CS506. (zstereo.co.uk)
- Both have semi-automatic features (arm lift at end of side) and floating suspension features in some variants. For example, the CS505-3 spec sheet mentions “floating sub-chassis … semi-automatic system … arm lifts up …” (audio-database.com)
5. Serviceability / condition considerations
- Because the CS505 was the more budget model, and many units may have been used heavily or perhaps less maintained, condition can vary.
- With vintage turntables, belt condition, motor health, tonearm bearings, suspension all matter. For either model, checking condition is crucial.
- The proprietary headshell issue of CS506 (and early CS505) means that if the adapter is missing, your cartridge options may be limited or more expensive.
So, what does this mean if you’re choosing between them?
- If you find a good condition CS506 with original headshell/adapter and everything working, it should offer slightly better spec (depending on condition) and maybe better material/finish.
- However, if the headshell/cartridge mount is non-standard and you plan to upgrade, the CS505 (later versions) with standard ½″ mount might give better long-term flexibility.
- Budget wise: a well-specified CS505 (especially a later version) may give excellent value and “good enough” performance for many users, especially if you’re not chasing top audiophile fidelity.
- Always check: is the belt good, is the motor stable at speed, is the tonearm bearing good, is the headshell/cartridge mount standard or proprietary, is the plinth/suspension intact, are there missing features (like strobe light) you care about.
My verdict
If I were recommending: unless you find a CS506 in excellent condition (and you’re comfortable dealing with the possibly proprietary cartridge mount), a CS505 (preferably a later revision with standard ½″ mount) may be the more pragmatic buy. It gives most of the benefits, greater upgrade flexibility, and likely lower cost.
If you like, I can check more detailed service/spec sheets (motor type, suspension differences, exact revision changes) for both models and send you a comparison table with pros/cons and which revision of CS505 to watch out for. Would that be helpful?
Cheers. Like everyone in the 80s I had a CS505.
The amp looks a bit mad; it can drive two pairs of speakers and it has a load of digital inputs (from 1990-93).
God knows where he got it all from.
How many staff (besides the driver) would’ve been on last night’s train where the attack occurred? Hearing witnesses, including an off duty TFL staff member, describing the driver’s and their own actions in getting people to safety, we can only be thankful that all of these staff are so well trained in handling such incidents. Certainly all of the usual gobshites and politicians who are critical of train staff and their pay during industrial disputes are unusually quiet about them tonight.
Yes. This. The person who intervened- a member of the Train Crew is fighting for their life.
And yet there will still be calls suggesting driver only trains are safe.
I’ve bought this impressive unit for podcasts; camping trips and irritating people on the train:
It may not be Hi Fi, however I’m very impressed with it’s looks; build and sound.
Lord Boots and me will carry out a full Listening Review soon.
Is this a stealth Meatman?