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Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners


Where are you? What mods have you done ?

I have been using these ET2's for over 9 years now.
I am still figuring them out and learning from them. They can be modified in so many ways. Bruce Thigpen laid down the GENIUS behind this tonearm over 20 years ago. Some of you have owned them for over 20 years !

Tell us your secrets.

New owners – what questions do you have ?

We may even be able to coax Bruce to post here. :^)

There are so many modifications that can be done.

Dressing of the wire with this arm is critical to get optimum sonics along with proper counterweight setup.

Let me start it off.

Please tell us what you have found to be the best wire for the ET-2 tonearm ? One that is pliable/doesn’t crink or curl. Whats the best way of dressing it so it doesn’t impact the arm. Through the spindle - Over the manifold - Below manifold ? What have you come up with ?
128x128ct0517
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,462 posts
 
This is how I see it... Again, assuming everything is level, I prefer to use my method as it is taking into consideration playing lps in real time.

According to the correct way, as stated here and in the manual, I've done that countless times over the years. But there are other factors, wire loom and it's effect, warped/uneven records, damping methods.... having said this, there's really no way you can get perfect level given these unforeseen factors. This is why I choose my method that takes into consideration the arms movement under dynamic (playing an lp) conditions.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,462 posts
 
Confucius say: "Become one with the arm"
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,462 posts
 
Ketchup makes perfect sense. (Although with the extreme adjustability this particular arm offers, you can adjust for a faulty set-up.) It has been my contention that if one uses this arm, (in order to get the maximum pleasure), you need to have your tt setup so you can visually see how the arm moves across the lp by looking at it from the left side facing the tt. (There is a whole lot to be said for the vision God gave us). A great check is to look at how parallel the spindle is with a lp while the arm is "half way" through it's travel when looking at it from the left-side-facing standpoint. At this vantage point, it's very easy to see if the spindle is correctly parallel to the lp surface.
ketchup
698 posts
 
Slaw,

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but why not do that with no LP on the platter? This way you are lining the spindle up with a precision machined surface (the platter). Vinyl is far from precise with all the warps and what-not. The stylus does not have to be in the groove for this part of the set up.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,462 posts
 
I don't mean this statement to reflect anything but as a point of passing on information.

There is obviously a learning factor with this arm. One of the Et's great abilities is it's flexibility/adjustability. This can be a negative or a positive. It all depends upon one's logical understanding of how anything mechanical works. The longer one lives with this arm, and the more that person realizes that this arm is really simple in it's overall design, the easier it will become to set up and use. The virgin user will see it as an obstacle to overcome, while the veteran user see's it as the extension of everything in life.
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