Dual 1219 vs Pioneer PL-518
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Dual 1219 · Pioneer PL-518.
| Specification | Dual 1219 |
Pioneer PL-518 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £150 (used) | Highlighted difference. £140 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1969–1972 | 1978–? |
| Drive | idler drive | direct drive |
| Speeds | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | fully-automatic | semi-automatic |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | non-magnetic, dynamically balanced (approx 3 kg class) | aluminium |
| Tonearm | Dual gimballed arm | Pioneer S-shaped arm |
| Wow & flutter | — | — |
Practical differences
Highlighted cells show a lower reference price, support for more listed speeds, or the presence of a convenience feature. They are not an overall score.
The Pioneer PL-518 undercuts the Dual 1219 by £10 — £140 against £150.
The mechanics differ too: the Dual 1219 is idler-drive, the Pioneer PL-518 is direct-drive. The Pioneer PL-518 gets instant start-up, rock-steady speed under load, and enough torque to nudge or backspin the record — the reason DJs and scratch decks are built this way.
The Dual 1219 is fully automatic — press start and the arm cues itself and lifts at the end of the side — where the Pioneer PL-518 needs you to cue the arm by hand.
Bottom line: £10 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
Merchant searches
2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |
Merchant searches
2 UK merchants handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that merchant’s site.
| Merchant | Type | Delivery | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay UK | used marketplace | Varies by seller | Search at eBay UK ↗ |
| Vinyl Revival | music retail | UK delivery | Search at Vinyl Revival ↗ |