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
Bigalt: I think you, and maybe, only you, can appreciate the 3.5 platter/bearing and other mods I've done to my TT. Despite your pronouncement that you may not be able to hear nuances, I think you can at least appreciate your past history/vs/current going's on.

I'd LOVE to see your system!
Bigalt: Reading (further) into your comment "and the sound it provides" makes me think that, you could provide all of us great insight on, (what I hope) are your further comments based on your (obvious) long history with analog, (specifically the ET).
Slaw.

Taking a look at your systems page, I see a nice compressor setup with aux receiver. A few questions please...

What is the total volume of the two receivers? You get impressive cycle off time, more than a typical LP side, which has to be a good thing.

Also, is it an oil less compressor? If not, any concerns about oil vapour getting into the arm? Obviously the filter and separator are inline to protect against this, but we worry about such things don't we.

Many thanks
Hello Slaw - in addition to Richard's question I am interested to know about your modded thread drive VPI TT. Specifically..

What type of thread are you using ?
How many LP's does it last for; and when the thread does give up the ghost; is it all at once and SNAP ! or are there the indicators of wavering pitch.

Ct0517: Bigalt's 8 tt's should not surprise you. I think it is more of a "I wish I was there" factor. ha ha. (Shhhhh... you are very, very close)

hah hah
Slaw - do you recall a conversation we had about 3 + ? years ago. You were interested in 2nd TT - a Rek O Kut idler drive and asked me my opinion of idlers. One of my tables was a Jean Nantais Lenco idler. Do you remember what I said ?

"Be careful what you wish for, it's a slippery slope." in reference to this turntable journey.

My multiple turntable craze was a temporary diversion for me. A welcome one as it helped in taking my mind off of other less pleasant stuff during a difficult time. I had at one time five TT's but only two in use at any one time. It was a comparison of drive types using the same tonearm and cartridge on two of them; same time using 15 IPS tape as a reference and switching between them. It was a fun, safe time right up to the point end when I got bold with experimentation and beheaded the well endowed Dynavector XV1. The drive type comparison is found on my system thread. A short visual synopsis is

here

In short very different, each drive type in the way the music is presented, all other factors being equal. Much like listening to a band or group in different venues, and or different nights. No two performances the same.

fwiw
I have just one main table now. The other two, are there in room 2 still but not in use. Would consider selling them but in no hurry to sell. As long as there are audiophiles buying this gear, prices will continue to rise, imo. At 53 I consider myself as one of the younger aging audiophiles trying to carry the audio flame. My kids soon to be 21 both love music. But convenience and portability are their most important considerations. They do not strive for the in room experience with the musicians. I believe this is because when they go out for entertainment, they go to clubs that reproduce music electronically.... mostly. When I was their age I was ...mostly..... in small venues listening to live bands... live music.

I am trying to capture my personal fountain of youth. get those endorphins flowing .....

This thread is now well over one million views ......8^0

Happy past July 1 Canada day, and to my American friends Happy July 4th.

Canada Day for me was memorable...
there was a small traffic jam on a cottage road. As we approached the backlog it looked like cars were backed from what looked like a brown animal with babies (greenish in color for some odd reason in the distance ?) crossing the road. As we approached; it turned out to be ....a Beaver carrying a 6 foot maple tree branch across the road. He was in no hurry.

Back to running with the bears. :^)

Happy Listening
Richardkrebs: Thank you for your questions. The tank on the Jun-Air is around 7 gal., so is my auxillary tank that is an aluminum tank from Harbor Freight. This is not an oil-less compressor.

I can tell you emphatically that even before I added this compressor into my system, my way of virtually eliminating any and all pulsing and moisture was done superbly by my Motor-Guard M-30 (toilet paper filter). ( I do remember adding a comment that when I had a compressor that ran continuously that produced a large amount of moisture, I had remedied all concerns with the Motor-Guard filter). Still I pointed out that upon introducing the Jun-Air, it made an improvement that was noticeable and welcome. (Keep in mind my (DIY) Motroxix regulator and the (pre-filter and post-filter) that are really not needed but go to my over-riding philosophy of more insurance is better, as well as these two things are (visual) reminders of a potential problem that I may never have. They Do not interfere with the sonics at all. Frankly, with this compressor, I doubt if you need all of the above filters and traps, etc...

I have a (storage bottle) for oil/moisture that escapes from the tank as well as a needle valve that I can easily open to expel any excess in the tank into the orange bowl.

IMO, this is a perfect set-up, certainly one I'd recommend to anyone. From what I hear, (from the technicians for Jun-Air), these compressors never fail! I use the recommended synthetic oil that, while expensive, should rarely need changing.