Hi Thuchan
the Kuzma came after the ET2. To the casual observer they look similar, but are two very different designs and need to be set up differently. The biggest differences, the Kuzma’s smaller manifold moves and the ET’s larger manifold does not. The Kuzma needs its airline tubing and wiring for damping, the ET does not. However the ET’s Achilles heel for the basic setup is in how the wiring is laid out to fit on many tables for business sales. The first thing all advanced setups do is use single shot wiring direct to the phono. The other big difference is that the ET2 is unique with all tonearms in the way one sets VTF. The biggest technical setup errors IMO come in this area. The ET has high horizontal inertia and medium vertical. It is very important due to the vertical leaf spring counterweight (and resonances in play ) to use the weights in a manner as described in the manual, to achieve the highest vertical inertia for the best bass. Next you tune the leaf spring I beam, for cart compliance, much like a suspension on a car with single, double ,triple leaf springs. No pro reviewer ever achieved this level of set up with this tonearm. Yet everyone on the ET2 thread is educated on it. Reviewers I assume do not like to read manuals. :^(
fwiw
In emails with Dertonarm years ago he went wrong in this area of setting VTF with the bass performance. Very easy to do if one is used to a pivot arm where you slide the weight forward closer to the bearing to get more VTF. You need to go the opposite way with the ET 2.0 and 2.5. It was awkward for me to discuss this with him at the time as he was already past this point, and on his analog mission. I actually asked King Nikola to bring the conversation up to him on another thread recently.
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Thuchan
What I learned regarding linear trackers: it might be not the best choice using carts with rubber parts due to the heavy side movements.
For a design like the Kuzma I would not use a high compliance cart for reasons I mentioned above. With a properly setup ET 2.0 or 2.5,
you can play whatever cartridge you like.
"the lateral forces are .1 gm. compared to .2 gm on a conventional arm. These figures apply if you do not play records that are not severely out of round. If you like to play severely eccentric records, ones with run out greater than 1/8 ", then we suggest you use a low mass pivot arm"
taken from ET 2 manual - Page 47 - Antiskating and Frequency Modulation Distortion Section.
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So you can use any cart you like with the ET 2.0 and 2.5. But if you are an MC type guy you should acquire the 2.5. The 2.0 was introduced when MM’s were the most popular.
If I can say one more thing and it very important. The ET 2.0 and 2.5, like to be on a plinth that uses a pillar style armboard as opposed to flat plinth. The reason for this is the ease to which a "happy face’ wire loop can be employed. It offers the least resistance. Like I said the wiring is the "Achilles Heel" in regards to setup. If you do set it up I look forward to your observations. Please post observations on the ET2 thread.
Cheers
