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
Dear chris, Regarding your own categorisation of the ''visitiors''
of this curious thread I would subsume myself under category
5 b. But according to my own opinion I would add category
''teasers'' and count myself as one of those. To put this cryptic
I like to tease people that I like. 
Well to me test records are ''necessary''. I own so many cartridges
that some ''fast adjustment procedure'' is needed by their change.
I always start with tracking ability test and like 60 microns ''pure''
but accept 50 if some carts (like Ikeda 9) can't reach higher value.
According to my German test record 50 Mu(aka Microns) is 
sufficient for any ''normal LP''.  So usually when I get 60 microns 
I keep the corresponding VTF as is. 
Asking which of my carts is my ''darling'' is like asking which of 
my kids is my favourite. This an ''immoral question'' (grin).
But I can answer the question about my ''darlings'': Allaerts MC2,
Magic Diamond, Ikeda 9 REX, FR-7 fz, Kiseki blackheart, Miyabi
standard , LP S and Urushi Blue sky. 




@pegasus 

re: Decca.

Pegasus
Reflecting about this review, a suspicion came up: The double tie-back thread is probably for DJ cueing reasons, but... it stabilizes ("grounds" ?) the cantilever better, and must reduce horizontal compliance.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/7d6vyJLtu76XoCEC8

tie-back thread can be seen in above link. Very strange ? design ...

If anyone is interested in some...Go Karting....8^0 ....a Decca is available for what looks like a good price .....if you deal in US Dollars. 8^(
Not affiliated with the ad.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649575330-london-decca-super-gold-phono-cartridge/

Hi Chris it looks not the "traditional London way" as in your photograph, instead it's this way:
https://audio-intl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/c_91_pro.png
If one looks carefully, one can see the thread that "secures" the cantilever from the front against backward scratched groove motion, instead of pulling only from the backside.
- BTW - anybody had the issue, that the damping trough "moved" over a long time? Ie. the bonding tape letting loose slightly, not symmetrically bearing side vs. outer side.
In consequence the "oil bath" is not level with a level arm.

- Any plusminus systematic listening impressions with the long i-beam? Ie. whether the counterweight far out (lower i-beam resonance) is preferred to less far out and a heavier counterweight?
I tend to feel ( ;-) that the bass with my high compliance cartridge / ET 2.5 is unusually quick and extended with the long i-beam, and with the counterweight rather far out.