Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

a) regarding wiring: I have to try again to photograph - the lighting makes pictures difficult... patience :-)
b) Fridge magnets & damping: Drop a circular magnet into a vertical copper tube. An enlightening sight - the magnet centers itself and *creeps* down very slowly instead of passing quickly!
Magnetic attraction is needed for static force only or for DC so to say.
With movement or "AC" the magnet induces a current into a close conductor (for which alu is moderately good), which creates a counter field, ie. a damping action. OK :-)

Hey Pegasus,
I'd really like to see a picture as well. I don't understand the placement of or type of magnets you describe, but would really like to try this tweak.
To everyone: I solved the loose cartridge connector problem, A pair of hemostats is a useful thing to have. -Just the right amount of squeeze tightens the connectors on the pins.

Harry/John
here is one of the attempts at magnetic damping must be at least a couple of years now.

"Attempt at Magnetic Damping"

that is a 2.5 spindle. You can tell its a 2.5 because the end cap does not overlap but sits on an insert that makes it flush with the spindle. Bruce also tried this experiment with the strongest neodymium magnets.

Pegasus feel free to email your pic to me if you like.

bcpguy (at) bell (dot) net

and I can post for you.

Chris

So just a question.
Bass waves are slower than all the others. So why do people put subs X feet behind their mid and tweeter drivers ? Just asking.

If I was you Harry I would be very tempted just "temporarily", to set up in near field for one hour - just to hear what was possible with one sub.

I’m not exactly shure what this would mean? More upfront placement = faster bass?
Placement is a question of "allowable" phase angles between drivers caused by offset drivers (specially in distance to the listener). As long as this offset phase angle is not far off, there is no "real" problem.
Bass waves travel at the same speed as any acoustic wave in air, but have longer wavelengths, so offset distances in the low bass can be considerable without being audible. Usually it’s said to be desirable to be below 90 degree - I’d keep it lower, to be on the safe side in the cutoff region where the subwoofer is still emitting considerable upper bass levels.
At 40 Hertz xo this would still be 67cm for a quite tight max. 30 degree difference. This results in an allowable 120 degree two octaves above, at 160Hz, at eg. -24dB (for 12 dB/oct.)
But I agree, that close-field placement is the preferable "error", because a) the excursion / level of the subwoofer can be considerably lower, b) the decrease of room reverberation level relative to the direct sound level should reduce audible room resonances & bass colorations = c) the modification of the subs frequency response by room resonances drops an order of magnitude.
But... it works only if there is no spurious midrange energy exiting reflex tubes or coming from the driver. Still - the lower sub levels reduce distortion and "box talk" & "cone cry", both help.

Chris & Everyone,
Will respond to Chris and his subwoofer discussion later.  Right now I have a crisis.  While listening tonight I was hearing dreaded rumble in quiet passages.  Upon investigation I discovered the shaft on my stand alone motor assembly for the VPI HW-19 was so loose it was actually wobbling.  And we all know what a warbling shaft can cause - Rumble!  

My SAMA is the original in the round silver base not the later one with beveled corners.   Been searching Internet and all places that had it appear out of stock.  I don't think VPI makes this SAMA any more.  Does anyone know if the motor assembly can be removed from the base and replaced and, if so where the replacement motor can be purchased?  Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Harry

P.S.  Tweaking is fun.  Breakdowns are not.😰