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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 ?
ct0517
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
2,041 posts
 
To any owners of linear air bearing arms that use significant psi to work.

We were born with two hands. I don’t know about the others here but one of my hands is more sensitive than the other to touch and feel. I am right handed but my left hand is more sensitive.

Turn on your setup and take your more sensitive hand if you have one, and hold the air tube going into your arm with your thumb and index finger - a few inches from where it enters. Do you feel any pulsations, vibrations at all ? If you do your air delivery is not optimized and you are not hearing what your arm can do.
Likewise if when placing your ear anywhere near the ET2 tonearm you should not hear any air escaping.
frogman
7,506 posts
 
Great tips Chris, and I couldn't agree more. When I started using higher pressure pumps a few years ago my Airtech surge tank literally exploded; in spite of the tank having a safety valve. The safety valve would not kick in until about 21 psi, and since my preferred psi target was 19 psi, things were generally fine. But the tank was apparently getting stressed, until it finally gave out. I constructed a new surge tank using a 6 ft length of 8" diameter PVC pipe with end caps, and used the fittings, valve, and filling from the Airtech. It works great and shows no sign of stress due to the higher pressure. Since I keep the tank/pump and regulator in the basement directly below my listening room, the tank's size is not an issue. The difference in sound with and without the use of the surge tank is very audible.
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
2,041 posts
 
I remember around 5 years back something happened to the evaporator in my pump. I didn’t know right away. What clued me in was checking the 2nd pressure gauge/regulator that is near the arm. It is also the backup system – remember I am in the business of disaster recovery planning.

The bulb in this picture
http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1301961480.jpg

Had filled halfway with water. I thought to myself WTF is going on here? What if all this water got into the capilliaries of the manifold?

It turned out that the moisture exhaust tube in the pump – its outlet was dirty/blocked and it had backed up filled with water and was sending all moisture down the tube to the 2nd regulator/filter. A little CLR on the metal outlet fixed the problem.

WARNING to New Owners and OLD.

Do not buy a used ET2 from someone that has not been using a proper moisture filter. Unless your willing to spend an afternoon and do the simple cleaning procedure (documented in the manual) of scrubbing the capilliaries. I did this for fun with my first ET2 9 years ago. Its like giving your ET2 new lungs. Page 42. Pipe cleaner and isopropol. If you are having problems running your HP ET2 arm at a higher psi. Your capilliaries need to be cleaned. Look here first. Do the procedure.

Frogman - A few more of these type of posts should be enough to scare away the poseurs from wanting this tonearm. Good thing Bruce did not use shiny silver and gold parts or we would have a real problem.
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
2,041 posts
 
To new owners of an ET2
NEVER change a cartridge with the pump running.
Else probably risk a fate to your cartridge - similar to trying to walk down slimy, slippery, wood deck steps in the pouring rain in summer – without a handrail.
slaw's avatar
slaw
22,842 posts
 
Frogman: I had the exact same thing happen with my Airtech tank.
Chris: I like to use lint free swabs for maintainence issues, from spindle/manifold/ to TT bearing cleaning.
Also, I use Techspray isopropyl alcohol that's 99.9% pure. Evaporates much faster. All available at Parts Express.
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