Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Dover - The issue I had with changing VTA on the fly is that the bearing tube can go out of level very easily when adjusting VTA. This may have been due to the fact that I used a single point ground when tightening the bolts holding the bearing to post. Whenever you loosen or tighten the pillar bolts you need to recheck the bearing tube is dead level.

An observation on running the wire on the outside of the armtube.

Running the wire in this manner allows one to disengage it; set the ET2 up without it, then add the wire and see how big the influence of the wires is on the leveling of the air bearing spindle.

Its significant.

Some of you may be throwing the level of your VTA post out dealing with the wire influence? The happy face loop going direct to the preamp has worked best for me.

Also to consider - what if your TT platter goes out of level with the changes in season – have you guys ever thought about that ? Its only a few bolts to disassemble and reassemble the ET2 to check the subplate levelling.

When the pillar is assembled the vertical bolts should imo just slightly be touching making firm contact – each side very much the same. Any significant adjustment to the screws for the air bearing spindle should be an indicator that something is out. If it is go back and fix the sub plate level and your turntable platter level.

There is one more option here. More of a bandaid but what the hell. It requires some thought ahead of time. Gather the records you intend to play - lets assume eight of them for example. Sort them by thickness - greatest thickness to the least. Go in one direction with the VTA for your listening session. It will be much smoother even if your pillar post is not perfectly level. Going back and forth on the VTA will make a wrongly setup post more noticeable.

Dover – thanks for the wine recommendations. Dorothy happens to be a whiskey girl. Hardcore all the way just like the ET2. No pussy footing around here.

Her personality is also just like Bruce’s for those that have had the pleasure of talking or emailing with him. All business. If Bruce wasn’t into flying I bet he could come up with a hell of a race car :^)

When any wine is being served I accept it - as it is Gods drink. Well that’s the excuse to my wife. If I have to buy it myself I am more a red wine guy. Prefer wine I can’t see through. So it is Pinot Noir over Gris for me if I had a choice. White wine tends to taste like grape juice to me for some reason and goes down same. Car keys please....

As it is summer here now I enjoy Sleeman Cream Ale while listening to bull frogs and authentic Canadian Loons that have come home.

Correction: the review I posted was not Stereophile. It was Audio magazine, 1987, reviewer Edward M Long.

Dover: "Back in December last year I posted a postulation that one could consider mounting the cartridge slightly forward of the tangent line."

I don't believe you "posted a postulation."

You reacted to information known since Edward Long published it in the measurements section of his Audio review, year 1987 (that channel synchronization wasn't achieved until an overhang of .125 in was used).

I phoned Bruce Thigpen on the issue in 1987 ie overhang, and channel synchronization.

He said "He's probably right. I was aware of this, and should have, but never pursued it further."

We assume, I suppose, on this thread, that BT can solve all problems, but he has fingers in other pies.

John47 - We assume, I suppose, on this thread, that BT can solve all problems, but he has fingers in other pies.

No not really John - check the original post for this thread.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1325551242&&&/Eminent-Technology-ET-2-Tonearm-Owners

Its asking for ways (as a team)to improve the tonearm.

My personal definition of a great design is one that can be tweaked and made better without changing the basic design.

With that I have tremendous respect for people that think outside of the box and don’t follow the herd. Are willing to take some chances.

In this audio hobby with my personal experiences I could name maybe 4 or 5 individuals including BT. I believe we all have this list of people from our own experiences?

Cheers

06-17-13: John47
Correction: the review I posted was not Stereophile. It was Audio magazine, 1987, reviewer Edward M Long.
Dover: "Back in December last year I posted a postulation that one could consider mounting the cartridge slightly forward of the tangent line."
I don't believe you "posted a postulation."
You reacted to information known since Edward Long published it in the measurements section of his Audio review, year 1987 (that channel synchronization wasn't achieved until an overhang of .125 in was used).

John47 - it would be helpful if you read my posts more carefully.

This is precisely what I wrote -

Back in December last year I posted a postulation that one could consider mounting the cartridge slightly forward of the tangent line. The theory is that if you are running at the tangent then there are no lateral forces on the stylus and it will “chatter”, slowly eroding the high frequency grooves over time.

The postulation has nothing to do with the Audio article on timing differences - it is about possible tracking issues at tangent due to the lack of lateral forces on the cantilever.
This is similar to olden days cars that had kingpins in the front steering - drive in a straight line and the wheels wobble, but as soon as you turn the steering wheel off centre, then the wheels stop wobbling and start tracking securely.

The following paragraph on the timing differences between channels highlighted in the Audio article is a different issue, albeit one that has the same possible remedy of running forward of the tangent.

So when you said

I don't believe you "posted a postulation."
You reacted to information known since Edward Long published it in the measurements section of his Audio review

you are wrong.