Dual CS 718Q

One of the central elements of the design is a brushless direct-drive motor with ironless coils. The system is intended to eliminate cogging - small fluctuations in torque caused by the motor's construction - while reducing the amount of vibration transferred to the platter and tonearm. Since it uses no belt, brushes or similar wear components, it should also provide reliable operation without the periodic servicing required by some alternative drive systems. The CS 718Q supports 33, 45 and 78 rpm, while the specified wow and flutter figure is below ±0.07% according to DIN WTD.

Considerable attention has been paid to the tonearm, whose tube uses a sandwich construction combining aluminum and carbon fiber. The suspension is based on Dual's traditional twin-gimbal bearing system, positioned around the arm tube. Precision needle bearings work with a carefully machined pivot to provide low-friction movement and stable cartridge tracking. Tonearm height can be adjusted from -2 to +5 mm, making it easier to optimize the geometry for cartridges of different dimensions and mats of varying thickness. The effective tonearm length is 221.5 mm, with an offset angle of 25.6 degrees and an overhang of 19 mm.

The CS 718Q uses a dynamic tracking-force mechanism. Rather than relying solely on the counterweight and gravity, the turntable employs a precision spiral spring designed to maintain nearly constant stylus pressure as the tonearm moves horizontally across the record. According to Dual, the mechanism remains stable even when the turntable is not perfectly level and can improve tracking on slightly warped records. Tracking force can be adjusted from 0 to 3 g. The spring-based antiskating system is also continuously adjustable, allowing compensation to be set precisely rather than selected from several predetermined positions.

No cartridge is installed at the factory. Owners select one independently, according to their preferred sound and the character of the rest of the system. The tonearm accepts cartridges weighing between 3 and 13 g, while its 0-3 g tracking-force range makes it compatible with a broad selection of appropriately specified models. The precision-machined headshell provides azimuth adjustment, helping the user align the cartridge correctly in relation to the record surface. It is also removable and secured by a screw mechanism, allowing several cartridges to be prepared for different applications and exchanged without repeating the entire setup process each time.

The die-cast aluminum platter measures 305 mm in diameter and weighs 2.2 kg together with its 4-mm rubber mat. Its underside is covered with rubber to reduce resonances, while the bearing combines a hardened steel spindle with a brass bushing. The assembly is mounted in a curved MDF plinth offered in satin black or natural walnut veneer. Large 68-mm feet are height-adjustable and incorporate elastomer elements intended to isolate the turntable from vibrations arriving through the supporting surface. With the dust cover closed, the CS 718Q measures 435 x 367 x 155 mm and weighs 10 kg.

The rear panel provides both RCA and XLR connections, although both carry a phono-level signal. The CS 718Q has no built-in phono preamplifier, line-level output or digital output, so it must be connected to an amplifier with a suitable phono stage or to a separate phono preamplifier. Dual has retained an automatic stop function that also raises the tonearm when playback reaches the end of the record. Starting playback remains a manual process, but the owner does not need to monitor the stylus once it reaches the run-out groove. The Dual CS 718Q is available in satin black and natural walnut veneer. The turntable is supplied without a cartridge and is priced at €2,490/$2,849 although final pricing may vary between individual markets and distributors. Info and pictures by Dual.