How to adjust height of Eminent Technology ET-2 tonearm

Thanks to everyone who has posted images, information, advice, and council. I've also received assistance from Bruce Thigpen, the ET tonearm designer. Short story is it's adjusted properly and working wonderfully. I really appreciate all the extremely helpful advice! I've learned a lot and have my ET-2 adjusted better than it ever has been. Thinking back to Oct 1986, I'm pretty sure my ET-2 was the first one they ever installed at my dealer. It's no wonder they may have made an error or two. I'll happily state, however, neither I nor any of my audio friends ever noticed the tiniest problem during playback. All is well. And again, thank you all for your time and effort to help me.

I've set up the ET2 on various Sofa turntables dozens of times when I was the importer here in New Zealand ( for both products ).
I've always been able to set up with the ET2 mounted directly on the Sota armboard without any spacer required other than the aluminium plate provided by ET.Sounds like you simply need to move the arc block up the post as per @ct0517 suggestion above. Have a look at the drawing he provided.

See the Bolt in the smaller Blue Circle. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hGcy2jPkRL7BYD7z7

It is important to try to keep the air bearing midpoint (inscribed line on casing) level with the record. 

As he also stated the purpose of the 3 holes for mounting the armtube is to get the centre of the bearing ( bearing spindle ) in line with the surface of the record. Then you position the arc block on the post, ideally with the VTA adjuster in the middle if possible which then gives you maximum up and down adjustability.

I'm going to bow out in order to make the process easier. Listening to one person is better. Good Luck!

Dave - if you really want to try out that cartridge it is a very easy fix.

It's a SOTA Star Sapphire vacuum

I believe you have a wood plinth. This means they installed the ET2 with the aluminum sub plate so that the three ET 2 leveling spikes don't mark up the finish.

Remove the ET2 from its base in whole without the cart installed. Take the aluminum sub plate to any Metal Shop (when the quarantine is over). They will cut you a thicker aluminum piece, and drill the mounting hole to match. Then you have the opportunity to set up the ET2 properly.

Any adjustments made with the current install which is at its height limits will be sub - standard, as the tonearm was not installed optimally to begin with. 

If you loosen that screw, and adjust the mechanism to fall in the center of it’s range.......how does your cartridge look?

This will be our starting to point

As this point, you need to have you cartridge fairly level. If it isn't,, think about all of the adjustment features previously.

Let me know.

Ideally, (that screw) should be in the center of it’s range (up,/down) when the optimum adjustment is achieved. This is key.

Referring to the link above, the 'VTA block' is equal to the "arc block". 

ct0517 wrote: ... What turntable - does it have a removeable armboard ?

It's a SOTA Star Sapphire vacuum. I've owned it and the ET-2 since October 1986 when I picked it up at The Golden Gramophone in Akron, Ohio. The ET-2 was installed and adjusted by the dealer and has never been removed. The only adjustments I've needed to made have been to fiddle with the counterbalance weights for tracking force. I've adjusted the VTA many times as well, but that's a 'user adjustment' and not something requiring any technical know-how. Looking at the photo to which you've supplied the link, I see the blue-circled screw. I've got bad news...that screw already appears to be at the very top of the adjustment range. Ugh. I was afraid of that.
Thank you for the assistance. It is greatly appreciated.

See the Bolt in the smaller Blue Circle.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hGcy2jPkRL7BYD7z7

It is important to try to keep the air bearing midpoint (inscribed line on casing) level with the record.
I recommend you skim through the manual to understand what the adjustments do before attempting to adjust the tonearm. The tonearm is Unique - One of Kind and for this reason you should not start fiddling with it before you understand its design.

What turntable - does it have a removeable armboard ?

Slaw wrote: Here’s a great trick... Cut a piece of painter’s tape as even as possible, then apply it to what you think to be 4/5 mm higher on the arc block post. This gives you a removable reference point. Not much guessing. You'll only get this here.

That sounds like a great idea! Now, if I only knew how to get to the "arc block post" to use this tip!

ct0517 wrote: Bruce Thigpen designed 3 adjustment holes specifically for that purpose in the Joint..... also known as the "Gooseneck".

Unfortunately, I'm in the top of the three holes already. It was in the top hole with the prior cartridge. I need a way to pull the entire ET-2 assembly up about 3mm. With all the possible adjustments provided by this arm, I would think this would be an easy fix!

Slaw wrote:  If you were satisfied with how your previous cartridge performed in it’s set-up, just loosen the arc block screw slightly and raise that assembly up to compensate for the extra thickness. Don’t re-tighten too much, which is a mistake many novices make.

Thank you! Now to further demonstrate my lack of experience, can you please tell (or show) me exactly where the "arc block screw" is?

Hi Dave

The entire arm assembly needs to be raised by that much.

Bruce Thigpen designed 3 adjustment holes specifically for that purpose  in the Joint..... also known as the "Gooseneck". 

See the linked picture.   

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yss4o759RiGHtNky7

Here’s a great trick... Cut a piece of painter’s tape as even as possible, then apply it to what you think to be 4/5 mm higher on the arc block post. This gives you a removable reference point. Not much guessing. You'll only get this here.

If you were satisfied with how your previous cartridge performed in it’s set-up, just loosen the arc block screw slightly and raise that assembly up to compensate for the extra thickness. Don’t re-tighten too much, which is a mistake many novices make.