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
Hi Eric,

Sounds like you are off to a good start. My experience agrees with that of your friend re: the sandbox vs the air platform. If your TNT has springs vs air bladders/handballs, the air bladder under the sandbox can be of additional benefit. Your ears will tell.

Current thinking (at least my understanding of it) is that soft interfaces do indeed dissipate external vibration coming from beneath, but trap internal resonances within the component on top (wrong-way isolation vs transmission). Check out the Symposium website for further (better) explanation. I recently installed metal footers (SR MiG 2.0s) between my SACD player and Symposium Svelte metal-foam-metal sandwich-type platforms and recognize the sonic benefits of reducing internal resonance there.

It never occurred to me to consider the sand type. I used play sand that I let dry for a long while. I did place some industrial heatsinks hidden within the sand to dissuade the sand from packing and to provide additional mass. All sorts of creative ideas can come into play here.

On the floss drive, the drugstore variety of unwaxed dental floss is fine. Use the belts you have to determine the length needed. Tie it off with your best knot (check the web for suggested knots if you are so inclined) ensuring that the knot will not slip under pressure/tension. Dental floss is surprisingly strong so no worries about breaking it. Place the floss around the center platter groove. It helps to have a patient someone assist. Now, while holding the floss under slight tension, work it around the flywheel pulley while moving the flywheel outwardly to apply moderate tension as you let go. Do the same between flywheel pulley and motor pulley.Turn ’er on and see what you think.

You could even use two runs of floss positioned as your belts are now for better distribution of the load on your platter/flywheel/motor bearings, but I wouldn’t suggest trying that on your first attempt. Explicatives are probable.

In my case, the sound is much faster and my TNT lost a great deal (the right amount) of its tendency to sound fat and slow.

Cheap and not time consuming, so if you don’t prefer it little is lost, assuming no unfortunate incidents with your arm/stylus.

Best to you Eric,
Dave

Nice setup Eric 

Wish you guys were closer so we could hang out. With cold weather here soon for me, I will be spending a lot more time In My Room :^)

Dave - how much did you have to bump up the frequency on your speed controller for  the floss ?

Cheers
Chris 
Hi Chris,

I don't recall exactly, but I did have to change the setting. It is set at 58.04 FWIW. 

I did forget to include that above. What a kind and clever way to point that out :)

Best to you Chris,
Dave
Hi Dave - going from memory from many years ago I think I can see 57.90's on the SDS display window for the thread setup I had on the TNT ?

Why am I able to remember this but can't remember where I left the keys ?

Mike from VPI at the time recommended the Spider fishing line which he used. Go into the fishing store and find 15 types of Spider line.  Anyway did not have any success with fishing line or the Kevlar that I ordered in.

Eric et al - the thread/floss is a slippery slope - prepare yourself for it 

Once there - there is no return - like this tonearm. for me anyway. 
"Why am I able to remember this but can’t remember where I left the keys ?"

Someteimers (vs Alzheimers). Frequent syndrome for fathers of teens and post-teens.

Best to you Chris,
Dave