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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Strangely, I have had no issues with longevity of the common sewing thread I first used nor with the floss.


Dave that silk thread I referenced in the previous post is pretty fragile. Easily torn apart by hand.  

Just thinking out loud here ...

If one was in "Audiophile Mode"........meaning experimentation mode :^)
One could try that silk thread - a single strand only - with a later TNT motor/pulley/platter/bearing design.  If it lasts a long time, then based on my experiences in my room, I would say the later TNT version designs would indeed be better than the earlier versions. 

Cheers Chris

Dear Chris, Everybody knows those two ''zero points'' on any

decent protractor. Then there are members who are able to adjust

their carts within the fractions of one gram and even SRA without

any other instrument then their own ears. But why is nobody able

to hear the ''perfect sound'' without any distortion at those ''zero

points'' at which there is no ''tracking error'' and which provide the

strongest argument for this ET- 2 of yours?

Hi Nikola

But why is nobody able

to hear the ''perfect sound'' without any distortion at those ''zero

points'' at which there is no ''tracking error'' and which provide the

strongest argument for this ET- 2 of yours?

not sure what you mean by perfect sound, but based on my experiences with my pivot arms.....

Tracking error is one problem. The bigger problem is Antiskating and the reason we need it.
  
Because the pivot arm even though it is tangent at those two points - still wants to shoot to the spindle, while the antiskating is pushing it back. There is a tug of war going on here, and its intensity varies based on the groove modulations. I sense "groove anxiety"  by what I hear.    8^0 

It's not until you hear your familiar music on a well set up Linear tracker that you realize this groove anxiety is even going on with the pivot arm. It is replaced by music that flows like water. More definition, soundstage (all those audiophile terms)

When you remove this distortion, and hear it on a familiar album, one becomes aware of it. Once aware of it ....you tend to focus on it.  I am unfortunately anal that way. We have discussed this already before, and I used the analogy of buying a car whose front right tire is always low. That's what my pivot arms remind me of.  

Just some thoughts, other owners of "any" Linear trackers are welcome to add their thoughts good or bad. 

so
Does a dealer audio store, salon, retail outlet even exist today, anywhere in the world that has two setups that can demonstrate the above ?  I don't frequent them anymore so don't know.  

Cheers Chris 







Hi Chris,

Anyone who has let their ET Two-equipped table go off-level knows exactly what you are describing with the term "groove anxiety". 

As we have discussed before, my TNT's VPI Firestone bladders leak and are a PITA to refill/recalibrate, so I have to admit to "hoping for the best" on occasion (laziness).  It usually lasts for around one cut before the pump comes out.

Best to you Chris,
Dave   
****It is replaced by music that flows like water.****

That is a great description of the most musically distinguishing characteristic of the ET-2 compared to the pivoting arms that I have used.  There is a rhythmic smoothness that is very natural and gives music the feeling of not being constrained ...like water.  Every piece of equipment throws logs across the stream; the ET2 seems to do it a lot less than most.  Love the arm.