Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

412 versus 420 on a ET 2.0 HP with a triple leaf spring.
Initial impressions.
The numbers from the printed manual.

412 /// 420
20 – 35khz /// 20 -45khz - Freq response
30 db at 1 khz /// 33db at 1khz Channel Separation
27db at 10khz /// 29db at 10khz
3.5 mv at 1 khz /// 3.2mV at 1khz Output voltage
STR /// Perfect STR Stylus
24 x 10(-6) /// 42 x 10(-6) Compliance
1.3 – 2.1g /// 1.0 – 2.0 Tracking Force

Compared to the Grey 420 the stoplight 412 looks like a model plane fighter engine/machine gun that is actually firing. Guaranteed to attract a little toddler if nearby for those with little kids around.

Again sounds pretty ridiculous for the price. How much do you guys think these things actually cost to make anyway? I am curious.

IMO - Its lacking that natural gusto aggressiveness and extension that its bigger brother the 420 has, that is also present on master tape dubs. Much more polite sounding especially in the very low bass – much like the Empire 4000 DIII.
Hardly any hours but it has too much happening (emphasis) in the midrange and upper bass for me to get comfortable with it on my modded Quad 57’s. Too much of good thing ? Very early but I am pulling up anchor and will try it somewhere else later.

A question for the cartridge experts. I would appreciate your expertise here.

What is the difference between STR and Perfect STR.

Specifically - How much bearing does this STR vs Perfect STR have on precise alignment and geometry of a tonearm ? I am curious.

My understanding is that the 420 has a very small footprint. Does that mean it requires more precision in alignment. I say this from my personal experience in trying to get it right on a couple of pivot arms previous to the ET2.

Hello Chris, not an expert, but 33audio has an Acutex 3xx chart showing the actual size of each cartridge of the 3xx chart. This chart probably means nothing compared to the 4xx, but its all we have, and from there we only have speculation. The Acutex 415 seems on the literature to only have compliance difference's, but sounds nothing like the Acutex 420 according to Professor Timeltel, and he has never steered me wrong.

Your take on the Acutex 412 is like mine except the bass is strong like the 420. It has trouble with cymbals on my system. Mostly white noise. I never heard cymbal problems in music before, but someone mentioned it a while back and it has ruined a lot of good music for me, so maybe it is ok for others on there systems.

Hi Danny
Pictures of the Acutex 4 series can be seen here. Go down about 2/3 of the way down.

http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=6675.45

412 and 415 look like kissing cousins. 420 is very different.
I wasn’t clear in my last post. The 412 has lots of strong bass. The issue was it was over emphasized bass above 40 hz unlike the 420 which is more linear (sic) in my room on the ET2. This is based on running the 15 IPS tape and LP together, the lp about 5 seconds behind, and switching between the two on the fly.
Note that I was clear that this was a triple, not double leaf spring setup on an high pressure ET2 not a ET 2.5. ET 2.0 spindle resonates at a slighter higher HZ than the larger 2.5 which in my case now currently has the double leaf spring on it and my MC once more. The single leaf spring is just lying around these days. I should make up some more as they cost only $15 each. You can see the leaf spring hear. For a double, glue two together. Triple etc….

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1335035482.jpg

We have Frogman to thank for this one. We are able to match the cartridge compliance at one end (cartridge) to the other end (counterweight) and use whichever leaf spring works best in our own systems. Think of it as two of almost same weight persons (cartridge end heavier) on an elongated teeter totter with springs on their bums.

As an update - yesterday afternoon one 420str was air lifted, scheduled to arrive this week at its destination. Tallahassee, Florida.

Addendum:
I have no doubt that if the ET2 manual ever got updated by Bruce, there would be a separate chapter on matching the tonearm with the compliance of the cartridge. Newly bought tonearms really should come with a single, double and triple leaf spring I beam.
Maybe they do ?
Both my ET2 tonearms were bought used.

Great link Chris, I had forgotten about it. Definitive comparison of the Acutex 3xx and 4xx.