Dual CS 505 vs Pioneer PL-518
Side-by-side specifications and a plain-English account of the recorded differences. Full profiles: Dual CS 505 · Pioneer PL-518.
| Specification | Dual CS 505 |
Pioneer PL-518 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Highlighted difference. $175 (used) | $190 (used) |
| Category | Vintage | Vintage |
| Status | discontinued | discontinued |
| Years | 1981–? | 1978–? |
| Drive | belt drive | direct drive |
| Speeds | 33/45 rpm | 33/45 rpm |
| Operation | semi-automatic | semi-automatic |
| Cartridge supplied | None | None |
| Phono stage | No | No |
| USB output | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| Platter | aluminium | aluminium |
| Tonearm | Dual ULM (ultra-low-mass) 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 Dual CS 505 undercuts the Pioneer PL-518 by $15 — $175 against $190.
The mechanics differ too: the Dual CS 505 is belt-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.
Bottom line: $15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 ↗ |