Bang & Olufsen Beogram RX2 vs Dual 1229
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Bang & Olufsen Beogram RX2 · Dual 1229.
| Specification | Bang & Olufsen Beogram RX2 |
Dual 1229 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. $300 (used) | $325 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1985–1989 | 1972–1974 |
| Drive | belt drive | idler drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm |
| Operation | fully-automatic | fully-automatic |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium | non-magnetic, dynamically balanced (approx 3 kg class) |
| Tonearm | B&O radial arm (MMC cartridges) | Dual gimballed 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.
There's a real gap here: $25 separates them, with the Dual 1229 the pricier of the two.
The Bang & Olufsen Beogram RX2 spins its platter via belt drive; the Dual 1229 uses idler drive instead. Neither is objectively better — a motor that's mechanically isolated from the platter by an elastic belt, which is the usual route to a quieter noise floor — the default choice across most of hi-fi versus a rubber idler wheel driving the platter rim directly, giving huge torque and a punchy, immediate character that's become a specific taste among collectors.
Bottom line: the Bang & Olufsen Beogram RX2 has the lower reference price; the table shows which documented features change with the $25 gap.
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |
Retailer searches
4 US retailers handle used or discontinued decks like this — each outbound link searches the deck on that retailer’s site.
| Retailer | Type | Shipping | Product search |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | View at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | View at Upscale Audio ↗ |
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | View at eBay ↗ |

