Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Dear ET friends,

I've just bought a used ET 2 arm with an old Goldmund Studio (which I'm restoring to look like new, it was damaged badly)

I've bought a 50litre compressor to run the arm, but this is all brand new to me, any other advice would be most welcome.

Biggest question is what cartridge would work on the ET2 with Goldmund, I use a homebuilt Nuvista valve headamp, based on Conrad Johnson, Counterpoint SP 7 valve preamp, 250watt Mossfet power amps driving stacked double Dahlquist.

I've had great success & many years of pleasure from Goldmund Studietto with VdHul MC 10, so I'm tempted by the Colibri XPM or similar as there are special deals on offer, but I've read many conflicting reports & warnings against Colibri on a linear tracking arm.

Its the best sounding modern cartridge I've heard, but very high risk, I can only afford one cartridge which should last for many years, so really can't make a mistake on this. My old MC 10 has been retipped once, still sounds stunning after 27 years... thats what I'm hoping for on ET 2.

Does anyone have experience with Colibri on ET 2 arm please?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dear ET friends,

I've just bought a used ET 2 arm with an old Goldmund Studio (which I'm restoring to look like new, it was damaged badly)

I've bought a 50litre compressor to run the arm, but this is all brand new to me, any other advice would be most welcome.

Biggest question is what cartridge would work on the ET2 with Goldmund, I use a homebuilt Nuvista valve headamp, based on Conrad Johnson, Counterpoint SP 7 valve preamp, 250watt Mossfet power amps driving stacked double Dahlquist.

I've had great success & many years of pleasure from Goldmund Studietto with VdHul MC 10, so I'm tempted by the Colibri XPM or similar as there are special deals on offer, but I've read many conflicting reports & warnings against Colibri on a linear tracking arm.

Its the best sounding modern cartridge I've heard, but very high risk, I can only afford one cartridge which should last for many years, so really can't make a mistake on this. My old MC 10 has been retipped once, still sounds stunning after 27 years... thats what I'm hoping for on ET 2.

Does anyone have experience with Colibri on ET 2 arm please?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Leon-Krige - welcome to the thread.

I've just bought a used ET 2 arm with an old Goldmund Studio (which I'm restoring to look like new, it was damaged badly)

Was the ET2 tonearm damaged as well ?

I've bought a 50 litre compressor to run the arm, but this is all brand new to me, any other advice would be most welcome.

The base ET2 needs just 3 psi to work. Did the package you bought come with the standard pump to work with first just to get up and running?

VdHul MC10

I've had great success & many years of pleasure from Goldmund Studietto with VdHul MC 10, so I'm tempted by the Colibri XPM or similar as there are special deals on offer, but I've read many conflicting reports & warnings against Colibri on a linear tracking arm.

Its the best sounding modern cartridge I've heard, but very high risk, I can only afford one cartridge which should last for many years, so really can't make a mistake on this. My old MC 10 has been retipped once, still sounds stunning after 27 years... thats what I'm hoping for on ET 2.

The VdHul MC 10 looks identical to my Benz Micro MC3 that I have used for many years in the ET2, ET 2.5.

The ET tonearm is unique in design, and setup requirements and this includes other linear trackers. It has a patented VTA system. There will be a learning curve with it. For this reason initially I would use a cartridge that mistakes can be made on. Everybody needs to walk first with an ET2 before you can run. There are no exceptions to this. Once running however you don't look back. This has been my personal experience and those I know that use the ET 2.0 or ET 2.5.

Regarding conflicting reports & warnings against a Colibri on a linear tracking arm - you hear alot of 'stuff" on the internet. I am interested in seeing some of these reports. We can help you debug them. Get the facts and weed out the myths and audiophile heresay. Feel free to share links or any information. At the high level view my opinion is unless the author provides specifics I always ignore these reports. I feel with most people who are genuine with no agenda; if they have had a good or bad personal experience, they are willing to share details with others and try to help them.

Colibri

Technical Data:
Stylus Shape: VDH - IS
Stylus Radii: 2 x 85 Micron
Frequency Range: 5 - 65.000 Hz
Tracking Force: 13.5 - 15 mN
Static Compliance: 35 Micron/mN
Tracking Ability at 15mN at 315Hz: 70 Micron
Channel Unbalance: < 0.5 dB
Channel Separation at 1kHz / 10kHz: > 35 / > 30 dB
Equivalent Stylus Tip Mass: 0.24 Milligram
Vertical Tracking Angle : 22 Degrees

fwiw - I have used a sonus blue gold cartridge loaded at .3 vtf with the ET2. It has a compliance rating of 50 with no issues. I also use an XV1 at 10 x 10-6 cm/dyn.

Please skim through the ET2 manual.

Key parts of the manual to me.

Page 28 - for proper counterweight setup
Page 39 - cleaning the air bearing (especially if bought used)
Page 46 and onward - Advanced tonearm/vinyl info.
Antiskating and Frequency Modulation Distortion
A must read for anyone serious about their vinyl setup.

Hoepfully this info is helpful to start.

Cheers Chris

Just to add imo the Achilles heel for the ET2 is documented quite clearly in the manual on page 47 by Bruce.

"If you like to play severely eccentric records, ones with run out greater than 1/8th of an inch, then we suggest you use a low mass pivoted arm.”

My experiences is the ET2 is not limited by the cartridge, but the record itself, and the wiring positioning.

I can't imagine anyone at this level of vinyl play using eccentric records with expensive cartridges ?

Hello Chris,

Thanks a mill for your reply, I started feeling like a dumb blonde novice, (ok lets face it at this stage I am...)

Still setting up the space with the compressor etc, the Studio should be fine now, broken wires repaired, checked speed etc, all good to go, I've lasercut some plexiglass sheets to hide the glue & holes which the previous owner left.

Visibly the ET arm looks fine, hope its mechanically sound, I just always wanted a Studio as extension of the baby Goldmund which has given me 30 years of joy, but I've heard incredible reports about the ET arm, so I will learn slowly. There was no pump, likewise no powersupply with the STudio, I'm using the home built PS from my Studietto which is good.

Hence the compressor which will be linked from a stairwell below, I figured it would work to use the 50l tank as the air supply, not really to run it while playing, if this is a bad idea please let me know, I haven't opened the compressor box yet, just heard its a good alternative?

PS: Not fixed on the Colibri, but it sounded incredible on a friends Dynavector tonearm, despite his warnings that the cantilever angle is not aligned with the cartridge, is difficult to set up, & apparently it swerves very far out on its path playing on linear tracking arms. (from Vusi Khumalo who has posted some well informed threads on this forum)

I can only afford one good cartridge, no mistakes, hence the questions asked, some heavily discounted Colibris were on offer on this site, that's where I picked up the idea. But I've heard controversial feedback whether they are first grade cartridges, hence the concern, I just can't afford a mistake, single dad, university teacher, not a stockbroker!
For the moment I will mount my old MC 10 & learn from it.

Thanks again for the encouragement & advice, it helps a ton to know there are well informed users out there, this is definitely not a walk in the vinyl park...