Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Hi Cabbiendi

I would like to ask, what kind of air pressure regulators are you using for the arm ?

I hope others chime in as well.
I use three regulators. The first two are inside the Timeter compressor pump.

http://mercurymed.com/catalogs/RDR_Compressors_Accessories.pdf?phpMyAdmin=8bad005e4170814880e9a1aebf2262f1

The main regulator in there, can be seen in the manual link below on page 5 - part no. 13. Part 21 is the tube that drains moisture like a cars ac system.

http://www.alliedhpi.com/images/zs168-263-002.pdf

It is a 50 psi patient respirator and has been a top turnkey air system for me for many years.

this compressor/pump runs all the time. I take 19 psi from it down the line 100 feet of tubing and the rest of the psi escapes into the air at the pump through a regulated T valve. The separate in room regulator is located next to the ET 2.5.

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1301961480.jpg

This one I know is a diaphramatic regulator / air filter and water container.
I can say because of the quality of the timeter - I never see a drop of water in this regulators bulb.

I have a choice to use this in room regulator, as an actual "regulator", or to open it (top knob) so it just acts as an air filter / water trap.

Ultra fine air regulation (specially at low pressures) is better done with diaphragmatic regulators.

But there are passive ones with same performance.

Cummins Hydraulics - where I bought my in room regulator told me the industry considers anything up to 125 psi as low pressure.

Are you in the hydraulics/pump business? Can you provide more info or insight ?

Welcome to the thread.

Cheers Chris

A "new - never - mounted ET2". the ad says.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eminent-Technology-ET-2-Tonearm-New-Never-Mounted-/181296809289?ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:CA:3160

Not affiliated with the ad.

Hoping everyone has a healthy, prosperous 2014.

Cheers

Hello Chris,

Thanks for your detailed answer.
I have always been in the ophthalmic industry. In this field some processes are very delicate and require dry air at a very specific pressure.
For such applications we always used diapragmatic air perssure regulators. They indeed expel air through small nozzles to regulate at a very fine level. Standing close to them you can listen the air bleeding out of the nozzles. They are not noisy but I'm not in the condition to say they can be installed inside the listenig room.
Reading the post of Frogman (Dec 12) I imagined that his relief valve could be acting as a bleeding nozzle giving a finer level of regulation, but I do not know.
Chris, I am not sure your in room regulator is diaphragmatic. They look flatter and I never saw one of them with water separator and filter.

Anyway, if I understood well you have a loop system taking 19psi out of the 50psi mains and the overpressure go back to the compressor..?? This is an smart design.

I never had an ET tonearm but I have the highest respect for this design. To me, it can compete against any tonearm. Until I found this thread I sincerely never imagined the air pressure could be so important.

Regards,

Hello Chris,
For some reason, my first answer was not shown.

Thanks for your detailed answer.
I have always been in the ophthalmic industry. In this field
some processes are very delicate and require dry air at a very specific pressure. For such applications we always used
diapragmatic air pressure regulators. They indeed expel air through small nozzles to regulate at a very fine level. Standing close to them you can listen the air bleeding out of the nozzles. They are not noisy but I'm not in the condition to say they can be installed inside the listenig room.
Reading the post of Frogman (Dec 12) I imagined that his relief valve could be acting as a bleeding nozzle giving a finer level of regulation, but I do not know.
Chris, I am not sure your in room regulator is diaphragmatic. They look flatter and I never saw one of them with water separator and filter.

Anyway, if I understood well you have a loop system taking 19psi out of the 50psi mains and the overpressure go back to the compressor..?? This is an smart design.

I never had an ET tonearm but I have the highest respect for this design. To me, it can compete against any tonearm. Until I found this thread I sincerely never imagined the air pressure could be so important.

Regards,

Hi Cabiendi

In this field
some processes are very delicate and require dry air at a very specific pressure.

An interesting comment. thanks for sharing. The quality (dryness and cleanliness) of the air is very important to the tonearm since the pores that allow the air through to elevate the air bearing spindle, can start accumulating water mineral deposits, other particles .. carried by moisture; thereby reducing the effectivness of the tonearm and the pump. The arm is also designed for very easy cleaning. Anyone buying a used ET2.0, or ET 2.5 or having run one for many years should be performing this procedures documented in manual. Being successful (meaning getting the best sonics) with an ET2, ET 2.5 entails becoming familiar with its parts, and the way it works. this is my opinion after 10 years.

I am not sure your in room regulator is diaphragmatic. They look flatter and I never saw one of them with water separator and filter.

My in room regulator normally doesn't come with a water container and filter.
I purchased the filter/bulb separately with the appropriate threading to attach to it. I am in the business of business contingency planning / business continuity. The processes involved have made me somewhat anal in regards to backup systems . :^) Its ingrained in me that you just can't have enough of them.

http://www.xmc-pneumatic.com/products/HAW-Series-Air-Filter-regulator-1082135.html

Model aw2000
I could get a smaller regulator one that would put the 19 psi into the middle range for the regulator, but this one has been working well and the smaller one had to be special ordered. I am told by the shop that uses and sells it, I verified yesterday that it contains a spring and diaphragm.

The other thing we need to remember with both the ET2 and ET 2.5. Both use only a percentage of the incoming air to work as designed; the rest gets bleeded out around the edges of the manifold. The air has to go somewhere. As has been discussed here they are a captured air bearing meaning air circulates the air bearing spindle 360 degrees.
So when we discuss a bleeding effect in the air supply - the tonearms themselves are also designed to release air as part of their design. Bruce has confirmed this to me in previous discussions.

Placing of a draft detector near the tonearm parts should allow one to see how the air is released and if there are any leaks near the bolts themselves.

Cabiendi - your perspective from an ophthalmic industry view is very interesting.
thank you for your insight and I look forward to more input from you.

Cheers Chris