Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Ct0517 - I last used my ET2 with a Garrot modified Denon 103. Also used Koetsu Black & Shure V15VMR.
As far as springs go, I really didn't use the spring effect at all. I found that even with low compliance cartridges, when you reduced the horizontal compliance, the bottom end tightened up, but became more and more out of time with the music. TT at the time was a heavily modded Sota Star. The solution I ended up with was leaving the end cap only partially done up, and used teflon wedges partially inserted either side of the "spring" to a point where the initial movement had almost no restriction whatsoever, but the range was limited and ultimately tempered by the teflon. This with the magnetic dampening explained in my earlier post yielded the best results with both high and low compliance cartridges. I guess what I ended up with was virtually a decoupled counterweight assembly with a very gentle progressive dampening via the teflon wedges.

Ketchup, thanks for sharing the data. The question then becomes: how do the different flow rates affect the sound when PSI remains the same? Did you notice differences in the sound with different pumps with the regulator allowing the same PSI?

Frogman,

There was no listening done during these tests. I barely had enough time to complete the tests as is and my ET-2.5 is not even mounted on a turntable. I have the data now, though, so listening tests should be possible down the road.

Frogman: I tend to agree with the jist of your comments. I do think you misread my assessment of "Aja", as I stated that it is compressed. Thanks for the effort taken to respond so in depth.

I know music is a very personal thing with me and can therefore only conclude that other's feel the same. It is an area that should be carefully discussed with other's feelings at the forefront.

Just a general comment on the ET arm. I know others have had similar comments but here is mine. I've owned mine for over 20 years and just recently when I put in my new armboard I realized how quick and easy it was with an even greater degree of 'getting it right' the first time with even more accuracy than I've had before. It's a long term relationship that is well worth it. IMO.

I used to know a guy that had owned his ET2 for over 15 years. During this time he had 2 wives. During the marital turnovers he managed to keep his ET2, but did give up some other prized gear. IMO – if this ET2 tonearm had lots of shiny metals on it that looked like gold and silver, he may not have been so lucky to hang onto his ET2 this long. It’s a sleeper.

Its already been said here that the ET2 has stood up to the hardest test of all – time. Anyone can buy a 20 year old ET2 tonearm on the used market and make it work. Even if replacement parts are needed they are available at reasonable cost.