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 ?
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Been away for a while, hope everyone is well. Chris, the Forsell is still packed in it's boxes. I hope to be able do a shootout between it and my TNT6/ET2 before too long; will keep you posted.

Re your most recent post: just wanted to remind all about the importance of not overtightening the bolt that secures the elbow to the bearing tube (any and all bolts, for that matter). Doing so will certainly misshape the bearing tube and affect tracking the inside of a record.
Hi Frogman

the Forsell is still packed in it's boxes. I hope to be able do a shootout between it and my TNT6/ET2 before too long; will keep you posted.

Exciting shootout ahead. Brings back memories for me. Please let us know how it goes.

Actually Frogman with your knowledge of the ET2; I selfishly would like for you (if you don’t mind :^) - to drill a very small hole (no big deal) in the Forsell and mount your ET2 on it if possible. Compare your ET2 to the Forsell tonearm - on its own home turf. Sort of like vinyls version of “mano a mano” ?
My ET2.5 reached new sonic levels with me once it went onto a table that does not require the thrust bearing. Bearing resonance is real and they (bearings) impart their sound on tables I have owned. Anyone that has tried different bearings and lubricants with their tables know this. Thicker lubricants slow and dull the the music; thinner oil makes it leaner but it loses texture. My JN Lenco bearing is self lubricating. So I was aware of the bearings impact on the sound; but it did not hit home to me until I used a table that had no bearing.
I am willing to bet 100 Canadian Loonies that the Forsell will forse (sic) you to convert the TNT to thread. :^)
Cheers
I may just do that; would be the only fair comparison of the two arms. Interesting comments re thrust bearings; makes complete sense. Re thread drive: I have no doubt its the way to go; just one of the many
unfinished projects and will definitely try it. BTW, spending most of the summer at our upstate place while I play at a couple of summer music festivals and finally had a chance to get the system up here up and running. Vintage Luxman DD has been showing the advantages of DD's pitch stability. But, boy do I miss the tonal qualities of my TNT/ET setup. Also, speed stability yes, but also a strange lack of rhythmic impetus; almost as if the music doesn't move forward the way it should. More tweaking is in order. Regards.
Frogman - I may just do that; would be the only fair comparison of the two arms

That is a review of impressions I would be willing to cough up some coin to read.

something a little different - I came across this.

The man behind this thread. Scroll down to the bottom for a picture of Bruce. His rotary woofer is the only loudspeaker in the world that can reproduce the sound of Niagara Falls accurately.

Falls Fury Rotary woofer
Interesting comments on the Terminator linear tracking arm from Dgarretson on the MM thread who has fabricated a lightweight carriage from carbon finer instead of aluminium....
08-16-13
The wand has dual front and rear counterweights for continuously adjustable vertical effective mass.
Total horizontal mass of arm, cradle, and carbon fiber sled is 45gm, and can be increased by weighting the air sled.
08-18-13:
I've tried it with as little as 35gm horizontal mass and as much as 100gm-- approximating the range of horizontal effective mass from ET to Kuzma airline. So far less horizontal mass sounds better in all instances. This does not hold true for vertical mass.
Just another reminder that the best place for adding lead mass is on the end of a fishing line. It has no place on the ET.