Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

The real fun in research is the reality. It has a certain from time to time recurring character trait of disrespecting the holy truth of any hypothesis. Without that, life would be pontifical s***. :-)

Regarding RF: It was only a problem with one phono stage, that might have some issue in the power supply (while still sounding very impressive). The power supply is one of the places where rectification "happens" (yes, it does), the others are nonlinearities in active devices or shaky contacts. No problem even with ca. 1.5m of twisted non screened solid core wires. That's my experience in the context of my system.
Very important: I compared the phonostages with a superb insulation transformer that does a lot (by sounding like less devices in the signal path).
I placed a Stadler air cleaner / ionizer in my listening room, that ran for very few hours (1-2) but was unplugged while listening. After experimenting ca. three weeks with "high quality" water in a humidifier which improved the "atmosphere" or energy but made the sound somewhat dull. The results with the ionizer are amazing: Remarkably more full and transparent - and no charged LPs... !!
We suspected already during an earlier listening sessions, that the slowly increasing amount of dry air exiting the tonearm creates - a lot! - of static charge on the vinyl surfaces. And it had a considerable effect sonically. The ionizer, building up a certain reserve of air ions (smells also a bit like Ozone), seems to eliminate this problem. Hmmm...

The Decca continues to amaze - fantastic! And this already with the Lehmann Black Cube... :-)

Pegasus - The power supply is one of the places where rectification "happens" (yes, it does),

Rectification is a really good word - ET2 thread readers Quiz Question :^)

What is the best meaning of rectification for this audio thread ?

a. the act of offering an improvement to replace a mistake; setting right
b. the conversion of alternating current to direct current
c. the process of refinement or purification of a substance by distillation
d. determination of the length of a curve; finding a straight line equal in length to a given curve

Pegasus - Regarding RF: It was only a problem with one phono stage, that might have some issue in the power supply (while still sounding very impressive).

Some thoughts with my coffee (black) :^)

Interesting - when I think power supply I think Transformers - Toroidal and EI - This is the one of the big secrets IMO , well, as well as not living next door to a neighbor running an underground radio station; to setting up unshielded phono wires with no noise/hum.

How about looking at the perspective of the phono stage. Which is better ?

Toroidal transformer.

Major advantage is that they do not radiate much magnetic field. James Bond prefers this type of transformer. :^)

EI transformer.

Radiate a significant magnetic field from the exposed windings. Low level phono audio signals and gain stages prior to the output stage of amplifiers are small enough, I think, in strength, that if they pass through a decent sized magnetic field, will cause hum in what you hear out of the speaker.

What about amplifiers.
Should we choose Toroidal transformer or EI power transformers in amps, preamps, phono stages ?

My amplifiers are always quite a distance from the preamp/phono stage. I have seen setups where audiophiles cram everything into one rack or closed in space.

So what type of transformer is used in your Amplifier ?
Does it use an EI transformers ?
Is it anywhere near your phono stage ?

Here is a fun video that was shown on the Discovery Channel.

Making McIntosh Tube Amp

Watch how they make the transformers starting at the 2:00 minute mark . Do you think you will be able to use unshielded wires if this amplifier is placed near your phono stage setup ? James Bond you have your work cut out for you. I think maybe we will need to bring back Sean Connery for this effort ?

btw - myself, I am not feeling good about how they make the transformers and also in this video toward the end; how they join the inside guts to the outside jacks. By solder on a circuit board ? Another discussion ! No more coffee for me .....

(D), of course. Although, (A) is pretty general and applicable; the ET2 has corrected mistakes found in other arm designs.

However, and a bit of a stretch to be sure, but (B) the function of a surge tank can be said to convert the pulses in the airstream of a pump (alternating current) to a smooth airstream (direct current). Moreover, and an even bigger stretch, a desiccant air filter can be said to refine (C) the air (substance) through distillation. So, yes, rectification is a good word. Wait, this is a trick question.....

Some thoughts with my wine (red, and probably too much of it) :^)

My amps' transformers? EI, all the way. However, being monoblocs they are a good distance from my front end (via 15' ics). My phono preamp uses a toroidal and is much closer..

What did my wife do with that last bottle of Malbec? :-)

Regarding EI (there are several other "square" cores BTW) vs. toroidal transformers: Things are not that simple. While a toroidal has the advantage of a more simple "flowing" magnetic circuit, it's main "advantage" is the absence of an air gap - an economic advantage. This makes for considerably less iron for a toroidal, and more inductivity with less windings. This makes for a low (ohmic !) loss transformer, with low impedance windings.
However this creates disadvantages: The saturation of a toroidal is very sharp, and with the industry practice (and the practice of almost all audiophile transformer builders) of driving the transformers too close to the magnetic saturation point of the cores ("Efficient" ! Bling!) they are *the* achilles heel of excessive sonic mains sensitivity.
And within these issues DC on the mains (a strong disturbance of high variability) drives a toroidal transformers very easily into saturation, a massive disadvantage!
The last related disadvantage of a toroidal is the inherently lower ohmic loss: It produces (much) higher charging current spikes, which on their own magnetize the (hard limited) toroidal core much harder, and again pull away reserves from the iron core. Low loss is not per se better, on magnetic circuits it creates very audible problems.
A correct air gap of a well made EI transformer (not the usual cheap chinese ones) makes it much more linear, and it absorbs DC on the mains with much less hickups. And yes, it usually sounds better.
As does a well designed "artisanal" insulation transformer with EI core.
One example more of reality vs. hype and hypothesis.
And a toroidal "out of reserve" creates very strong hum fields BTW.

In my system, there is a low count of transformers (and an increasing count of batteries). The LFD, with some hum and interference problem in our test, has toroidal transformers ;-) Close to my phono front end (1m) there is only one transformer plus the phono stage transformer, if there is one.

^^^^^^^
Pegasus - I am not an amplifier-preamplifier-phono manufacturer; but someone who bases all products I own (not just audio) on design, construction, operability, reliability, and with my audio products together - making music (lets call this part implementation).

I don't tolerate downtime, hiccups, or operability problems especially with any products that are supposed to, with others as part of a whole - bring me pleasure for leisure activities. It has been my experience with all products (not just audio), that a good design to start does not guarantee a good implementation.
In fact.

The lesser design implemented well; can have better end results than a better design not implemented well.
The setting up of a vinyl turntable system - especially the tonearm - being a perfect example ?

Now I do own audio amplifiers with both type of transformers. It is my general understanding that a toroidal transformer by design is better to minimize hum and buzz. So it makes it ideal I would think for a preamp / phono design. But in reality my understanding is it is in fact much more difficult to implement a toroidal design. Harder to make. It stands to reason then that to implement this type of design will cost more.

Pegasus
The LFD, with some hum and interference problem in our test, has toroidal transformers ;-)

Interesting. Is this the one ?
LFD

There are toroidal transformers and then there are
toroidal transformers.

True Story

Was finishing the basement space adjacent to my main music room - to hold my extra gear and it became music room B.
I assembled some gear and started listening in the unfinished room space. This gives you a good idea "with your gear", how much damping and other room treatment is going to be needed. Now, with no music playing, whenever I would get up to change the lp or cd I would hear a hum as i walked close to the gear. I followed all the normal procedures to find and eliminate the hum. It was not audible at the listening position. It did not come from the speakers or individual components that were turned on. Frustration set in.

Then one day when I was standing between the speakers with no music playing my right ear got fixed on the hum. It was a transformer that I discovered was for the front door bell. It had been mounted to the side of one of wood beams supporting the main floor. Only visible from a certain angle. I followed the cord unplugged it and the buzzing transformer stopped. What relief ! My wife was not as happy as me about this event. I promised my wife I would re-locate it to the back of the house. But I like not having a door bell ....... There is a knocker on the door. But I also discovered that people have forgot how to use those things. They need to see buttons now.

Moral of the story and Lesson Learned for me.

When trying to eliminate hum and buzz...
Look straight ahead; look to the left; look to the right; look down.

Don't forget to look up.

btw... it was not a toroidal transformer :^)