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Dual CS 329
Optimal introduction: The recommendation for record player beginners
The Dual CS 329: Simplicity with sophistication for the perfect introduction to analogue music playback. With Plug & Play you get a pre-assembled complete package - plug it in and get started straight away!
The fully automatic CS 329 offers convenient convenience as the tonearm swivels, lowers and raises automatically. Simply place the record on top and press the start button. Experience uncomplicated music enjoyment.
Plinth:
- Elastomer vibration absorber inside the feet
- Removable dust cover
Platter:
- Precise aluminium die-cast
- Heavy rubber mat for resonance damping
Tonearm:
- Plug & Play: all adjustments are factory fixed
- Automatic or manual operation
Drive:
- Rubber mountings for vibration decoupling
- Precision cut belt for lower wow & flutter
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Professional Reviews 84/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
83/100
Build Quality
82/100
Features Usability
90/100
Value for Money
85/100
The Dual CS 329 makes vinyl wonderfully effortless, pairing silent automatic operation with a broad, deep soundstage and sweetly rendered strings. Thom Moon found its record handling notably smooth, while the built-in phono stage and pre-fitted cartridge deliver an inviting, no-fuss analog experience with convincing image depth.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally smooth, quiet automatic start/return operation with minimal motor drag.
Broad, deep soundstaging with sweet strings, clear small details, and convincing placement of voices and instruments.
Built-in phono stage is more than acceptable and makes connection easy for systems without a dedicated phono input.
&
Cons
Supplied AT91 cartridge can sound darker and somewhat muffled, limiting ultimate detail and vocal presence.
Conical stylus is sensitive to pops and clicks, with occasional sibilance on some recordings.
Fixed tracking force and anti-skate settings, plus no tonearm lock, reduce adjustment flexibility and handling security.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 83/100
The CS 329 is described as an enjoyable, spacious-sounding automatic deck, with convincing image depth and particularly sweet strings. Its supplied cartridge limits ultimate clarity and openness, however, giving some recordings a darker, slightly muffled balance.
Overall Sound
84/100
Thom Moon heard a broad, deep soundstage, clear string tone, well-placed flute, and strong depth on dense vocal material. He also found the CS 329/AT91 combination somewhat muffled beside a better comparison deck, with darker drums and bass, and called the result good rather than exceptional.
Speed Stability
82/100
The quoted DIN-weighted wow-and-flutter figure of 0.12% is described as typical for this type of deck. The reviewer also noted that the platter did not slow significantly while the automatic arm mechanism moved into position.
Tonearm Performance
80/100
The automatic arm operation was reported to be gentle, smooth, and reliable in use. The review says little about tracking ability, bearing precision, or adjustment flexibility beyond that practical performance.
Noise Isolation
84/100
The automatic mechanism was notably smooth and quiet, with near-absent motor drag during cueing and return. The review does not offer much direct evidence on rumble, external-vibration resistance, or acoustic-feedback behavior.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
82/100
The die-cast aluminum platter, rubber mat, and MDF/plastic plinth are sensible materials for an accessible automatic design, though the platter is lightweight. In practical use, the reviewer found record handling smooth and the automatic system gentle and reliable.
Features Usability
90/100
Fully automatic start and stop make the CS 329 especially easy to live with, and the reviewer found those functions smooth and dependable. It also arrives with an Audio-Technica AT91 cartridge fitted, a removable headshell, and connections for either phono or line-level systems.
Value for Money
85/100
At approximately $399–$499, the CS 329 combines simple automatic operation, a fitted cartridge, and pleasing if limited sound in a convenient all-in-one package. The review does not directly compare its asking price with competing turntables or make a firm value judgment.
Reviews
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Authorized dealers for Dual CS 329
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- Acoustica — online and in-store — Chester, England, United Kingdom (website)
- AES — in-store — Mitte, Hessen, Germany (website)
- Akoustiki Kritis — online and in-store — Glifada, Greece (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- American Audio & Video — in-store — Southaven, Mississippi, United States (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Art et son — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- AUDIO 2000 — in-store — Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany (website)
- Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)
and 88 more verified dealers