Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Slaw.
It will be intersting to read about your TT project.
Re the arm pod and pillar, perhaps I have missunderstood?
If the arm pod has three adjustable feet it would be possible to replicate the effect of the three feet currently used by Bruce in the arm pillar. It would be easy enough to replicate the curved VTA arrangement of the pillar in a one piece pillar / pod. The three adjustable feet would need to employ finer threads on the screws to avoid them being too coarse in adjustment due to the longer fulcrum. Is this an option?

Agree with you on the acrylic thing. It can have the negative effects you describe. I think that a lot of this has to do with how it is used though. That said if/when I build another TT, I will almost certainly use a different plinth material. Probably durallium or austenetic cast iron.

I use discarded surface plates under the TT and Pre for their vibrational energy transmitting characteristic. They then sit on soft wood and sand which should dissipate this energy. Like you, the original TT and Arm made extensive use of other surface plates, during the build process, to ensure their trueness.

It is great to read about people taking the big step of commiting time and effort to a major project like yours.

An lp recommendation... Jason Isbell "Southeastern". STRONG!

Slaw
"I do agree with Fremer that this (acrylic) isn't the best material for great transient response, tight, controlled musical bass @ realistic sound that I crave."

Interestingly, last night, I stumbled on the following comment re the VPI Scout 1.1 platter (Joel Salcido, TAS 40th anniversary issue): This one is Not acrylic and to hear Harry (Weisfeld) tell it, acrylic platters are a thing of the past. It's simply easier to machine metal to tighter tolerances, and the fact they sound better ices the cake.

Back in the Goldmund days, I understood their acrylic platter was for optimum impedance matching (with vinyl). Life moves on huh.

Slaw
"I have to say that as regards to using acrylic as a platform for the vinyl record ......"

Further reading, TAS 40th issue.
Wayne Garcia on the new Rega RP8:

"Most notable is a two-piece, 16mm thick flywheel platter made of float glass, a technique wherein molten glass is Floated over molten tin in order to create the flattest possible surface and overall uniformity of thickness. To form the flywheel platter, Rega joins two separate pieces of float glass to the underside .... adding mass to the circumference.

Damn marvellous I say!

Yes, some interesting materials and ideas being used in platters these days. Isn't VPI also making a ceramic one?

Then the Clearaudio, in their Statement and Basis are using plastics.

Take your pick.