Dual 1219 vs Thorens TD 166
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Dual 1219 · Thorens TD 166.
| Specification | Dual 1219 |
Thorens TD 166 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. $250 (used) | $350 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1969–1972 | 1975–? |
| Drive | idler drive | belt drive |
| Speeds | Highlighted difference. 33/45/78 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | fully-automatic | manual |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | non-magnetic, dynamically balanced (approx 3 kg class) | zinc-alloy |
| Tonearm | 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: $100 separates them, with the Thorens TD 166 the pricier of the two.
The mechanics differ too: the Dual 1219 is idler-drive, the Thorens TD 166 is belt-drive.
The Dual 1219 is fully automatic — press start and the arm cues itself and lifts at the end of the side — where the Thorens TD 166 needs you to cue the arm by hand.
Bottom line: $100 separates these reference prices. That difference is factual; this specification comparison does not assign an overall winner.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | Search at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| eBay | marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at eBay ↗ |
| Guitar Center | music retail | Free standard shipping on most orders $25+. | Search at Guitar Center ↗ |
| Reverb | used marketplace | Shipping set per seller; many listings ship free within the US. | Search at Reverb ↗ |
| Upscale Audio | hifi independent | Free USA shipping on orders over $99 (exclusions for oversized items). | Search at Upscale Audio ↗ |