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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We have all plowed for potatoes with our vinyl Harry :^)

Right now - not sure I will see the day again when I can drop $50-60 on a new LP record again. My two - 22 year old fraternal millennials are still draining me down faster than the world's oil supplies. I did not plan good for this. They have absolutely no sense of ownership, only know debt; and with the Greater Toronto Areas housing market going up 25 % a year they will never know home ownership here.

Was this bad info, myth, sales pitch or what? Do suspensions really wear out even when the cartridge is not being used very much?

John

So searches kept bringing up the Acura sports car then I found this.

AQ7000 NSX

Output: 0.3 mV
Tracks: 1.8g
Loads: 200 Ohms- 47 kOhms
Unloads: 10 Ohms
Compliance: 12
Weight: 11 g

Its a really nice cart. Since you asked; my two cents if I were in your shoes.

You have three options I can think of.

1) contact J Carr direct and ask for his opinion. maybe send it to him for inspection and possible tune up. this will probably take a long time

2) contact one of the Cart retippers/rebuilders in the US. Have them look it over. Of course due to age they will probably recommend something.

3) start using it on a select set of records till you can determine its real condition. Listen to them with your Lyra first then do the switch.

The chances of it being a time bomb is low due to who built it and you know its full history. But...... there were other reports on the internet of people losing the stylus.... 8^0 

So with this info I would be inclined to put into use.
 
Then again I am not much of collector with carts as they are wear items - I see them like tires on my cars. If I am not using them, they are sold. I have maybe 5 carts remaining.  A couple MC and 3 or 4 MM's.

How much would it cost to replace it with a like new cart today - that would help me to decide.

My two cents. hope it helps a little.  

Chris 


Hi Chris,
Thanks for your thorough answer.
In fact, I've already replaced the AQ 7000 with the 
Kleos, and it is now my backup just in case of disaster. Luckily I have no cats, the kids are grown, and if I ever get some housekeeping, they will not be allowed in my listening room.
I looked at the link for a tonearm cable as well as yours. This would be my last upgrade. I like to have something to look forward to. Eh?
Cheers,
John

Hi John,

"I like to have something to look forward to. Eh?"

yes, for me there has to always be something there, that I am looking for, pursuing. I have found that keeping these "somethings" simple, but not easy to reach, is the secret to being sort of satisfied. Keep me from getting into trouble.

re: the kitty

I have always been a dog person. never had a cat. He is not allowed downstairs due to the hairs. My daughter acquired a dog and a Bengal kitty. We have been babysitting them while she travels. I show her dog called Lucky as my new RCA Victor dog on my systems page. Now this Bengal kitty; she has charisma, is independent and does not ask for much. I like those qualities. As a small kitty my daughter and I would watch her climb over my frequent play albums in rows on the floor; which was kind of cute. But no one told me she would grow to be able to jump 6 feet, and walk up the sides of walls.

Chris


Hi John
id say you were fed a load of baloney. If the suspension was bad it will no longer play without the body hitting the record. Until that happens play away. Now obviously that doesn't take into account the state of the stylus. You could send to a retipper and have a new tip put on. Make sure you don't use a guy that replaces the cantilever as well. This will change the voicing of the cartridge.