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 ?
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@slaw 
For some reason, several months back Bruce took out the link to all of the upgrade parts for the ET II.  But I think they are all still available.  Just email him and he will be very helpful.

In fact if you google ET II magnesium arm or ET II carbon fiber arm you will find pages with them on there.  You just can't get there from Bruce's main site.

Harry

Not sure if your last post was intended for me or not, Slaw.  In the event it wasn’t or you still want company:

Well, work being what it is for me this time of year and some relatively expected life/family issues, I’ve had practically no time to “play” with my system, so the two (single and double spring) long I-beams that I received from Bruce are still sitting unused and lonely.  My impressions of my home-brew I-beam from a few years back may not be entirely relevant for obvious reasons, but the use of blu-tack should work the same way on the “official” beams.  I will certainly respond when I can do some critical listening using them.
Yes, I know this is an ET II forum but I can't restrain my recent good fortune.  A family member just gave me a Garrard 301 for my birthday.  It is complete with a Garrard arm.  As much as I love my VPI HW 19 (which I will keep and become a two turntable kind'a guy), this is a turntable I have lusted after for nearly 40 years.  Since it comes to me at no cost I can spend some $$ on an arm.  I know that while Chris is reluctant to admit it, he does have some pivoted arms.  Do y'all have any recommendations for an arm for this table.  The plinth is not an issue as I will be replacing the original Garrard plinth.  Perhaps with a new plinth it would even accommodate an ET II, but I'd like to hear your opinions.

NOSTALGIA

Many years ago there was a high end store in Soutn Dade county, Florida run by a very eccentric owner (I think his name was Larry).  He had a 301 mounted in (believe it or not) a huge butcher block.  One of those that is a freestanding table that sits in the middle of your kitchen.  Not sure what arm he was running, but it was S shaped - probably an SME.  I have no recollection of the cartridge he was using but I have a long standing recollection that, at the time (40 years ago), it was the best sounding vinyl I had ever heard.
Harry
@frogman,

It wasn’t directed at you or anyone.

I look forward to your impressions.

@vpi,

I don’t have any specific recommendations for you. I assume the S-shaped arms are shaped this way to provide more mass that would have complimented the majority of cartridges of that era? I’m envious!