Linear tracking turntables, whatever happened?

thastum

If the record already have had a life on a radial tonearm you can actually hear it.

thastum

Well, sir, you have managed in one sentence to summarize why I and many others still use linear tracking as the preferred way to play our records. Unfortunately your statement will go "over the head" of those on this thread (the Cons) who did not "walk the walk",  and do the comparison in their own room if they own a resolving system.

The key words being "did not" - IMO, they have more chance in todays world of going all digital today than record playing "linear". 

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I had an interesting experience some years ago. A prominent Audiogon member sent me a Cd, yes a CD remember those ?
It was a recording using a specific cartridge. I then played that same music, using the same cartridge in my system with the linear tracker. The presentation was with the linear tracker very different, more realistic;  it lacked the "music borders" that Frogman mentioned on this thread in describing the pivot arm. Now understand there was nothing wrong at all with the presentation of music using the pivot arm presentation. The first time I heard it... it sounded very good. And if I had not heard the linear tracker version, I would have been fine with it.
But I had....

And that is the reason there is a pump and airline.  

I may experiment with a linear tracker at some stage but it will NOT be with pump and airline et al.

Quite a few other options from what I have learned from this thread which I am very glad I started as it has opened my eyes to a lot of ideas and information.
Thank you all for that so far.

uberwaltz
I may experiment with a linear tracker at some stage but it will NOT be with pump and airline et al.

I understand. Recognize as well , that if a linear tracker person is running in audiophile mode, the pump and airline can become an audiophile journey in itself, with different pumps and tweaks. Now myself, I deal with air, water and oil pumps in my car and boat hobbies, so an air pump is second nature to me. With that, myself I have not been in audiophile mode for probably two years now. All of I have done with vinyl is clean the cart and records. But I do enjoy talking tech in this frigid weather.  

Frigid weather... lol
Guess I am now one of the soft spoiled southerners as it is 78 degrees here in North East Florida today.

I will say, the Trans-Fi Terminator arm is VERY reliable and does not have concerns regarding the air supply.  I have one and never had any issues because of the type of pump used.  It does sound extraordinarily good for the money and stays the way it's setup.  You sometimes have to recenter the carriage if it veers too far to one side--a 2 second adjustment.