Experience With Linear Tracking Turntables

I have an early 80's Pioneer PL-L800 that I found in a thrift shop for $15.  It had no cartridge, so they couldn't test it.  I took it home and to be cautious, I installed a simple Ortofon Omega ($36) cartridge.  It plays great and it's one of the best $50 I have ever spent!  Cool design and works perfect. 

Thanks for the responses thus far.  I understand the benefits of a linear tracking tonearm.  From a common sense standpoint coupled with high school geometry, it does make sense.  

But if is such a good thing, then why are there so few linear tracking turntables out there?  Is it merely economics & price points?  Stands to reason that it is more expensive to produce these arms.

There are so few because there are no benefits! Read your question again: 

But if is such a good thing

That is the question: IF! IF it is such a good thing then yes. But is it? Since when? It looks good on paper. That's it!

On paper a pivoted arm is never tracking except at two infinitesimally small points as it moves across the record. If tracking error was such a big deal then everyone would hear it, right? Right? So then there would be comments all over the place from people, "I hate records because the distortion is so high at the beginning, and in the middle, and at the end, and it only sounds good for like a fraction of a second."

So I ask you, where are all those comments? Where are there ANY comments from ANYONE saying ANYTHING about how this bothers them? Not the geometric theory part. The actual hearing part. I'll tell you: NOWHERE! Tangential arms are a solution looking for a problem that does not exist. Except maybe in the minds of people who bought into tangential tracking arms.

I own Mitsubishi LT-30. All 15 kg of it.

Having said that, belt became goo and, maybe, it will be replaced at some point. If I can clean the mess it left there.

As far as simplicity goes, it is not simple. Not just a motor, belt (or no belt), platter, and an inert arm with cartridge. This one also takes a regular headshell.

At this point in history, it is a nice novelty, but I do not see, or have heard, much advantage over an ordinary turntable.

"I lucked into this Vertical Linear TT which has conventional and removable headshell."

In fact, some of the linear tracking turntables were advertised as "it can play upright, too". Technics SL-7 (mentioned above) and SL-10 were that way, too.

Technics SL 7 turntable played vertically - YouTube

I own a Holbo air-bearing table. Linear tracking air-bearing arm, as well as air-bearing platter. An extremely great sounding table, relatively easy setup, and the thing doesn’t look like an oil rig. 

The air pump is extremely quiet in operation, no negatives on that point. Really, I have no negatives to report at all with this table. Every type of turntable has its compromises. 

Probably the biggest thing with this type of table is cleanliness, keep the arm bearing tube as clean as possible. I cover mine after I am done playing it, otherwise, play and enjoy. FWIW