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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 ?
128x128ct0517
frogman
7,478 posts
 
Chris, after looking at your picture (thanks) and after thinking about it further, would placing multiple magnets in a straight line not cause the damping to vary as the spindle "sees" additional magnets as it moves toward the rear? What I plan on trying is one single magnet on either side of the manifold, as close as possible to the manifold.

Regards.
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
2,041 posts
 
Frogman - I have been thinking about that too. Since that pic I have them on top of one another in one pillar. Will try that out. My TT setup does not allow for magnets on both sides as the arm is on a pillar. Look forward to your observations with them on both sides.

Richard, Dover, others - based on your experience if only using the magnets on the counterweight side of the manifold - can u tell me what the most effective arrangement was. I will try various arrangement as well as one larger magnet instead of few smaller ones.
richardkrebs
422 posts
 
Chris
Yes various magnets tried in..,...completely original ET2 , ET2 with fixed counterweight. My manifold with and without lead slug.
All iterations also tried at wand and counterweight end.
( not both ends simultaneously )
All tests done at 12 psi
Dover, for a given resonant system, all else being equal, addition of mass will lower the resonant frequency and reduce the amplitude of this resonance.
I had a dual manifold arm on the drawing board well before I rebuilt the ET. Feel free to check with RW for confirmation.
I currently have a pseudo active dampening/mass system in the early stages of development. It doesn't use mags or conventional feedback and IMO it is elegant in its simplicity. If it works it would eliminate the lead weight.
And to miss quote the Bard just a little......

Thou doth protest too much, methinks
ketchup
700 posts
 
Richard,

I know we're talking magnets right now, but I have a question about your design. You did away with the original arc block which enables overhang to remain constant while VTA/SRA is adjusted. Does your design incorporate such a feature?
richardkrebs
422 posts
 
Ketchup
No it doesn't incorporate the arc on the VTA adjustment

I didn't have the machining technology to do this back then

I tune in the approx VTA then check alignment. Then final fine adjustment of VTA and recheck alignment again.
The new arm will likely have the arc feature.
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