Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

@frogman  Interesting question once again.  Before acquiring my Garrard I had read several posts in blogs/forums wherein people talked about the "Garrard Sound" and how some tweaks and upgrades were not good because they resulted in a loss of the "Garrard Sound."  They described the "Garrard Sound" as a heightened sense of rhythm or pace.  Until acquiring my Garrard I had a hard time imagining what they were describing and assumed it was psycho acoustic.  I.e., I just paid a lot of money for this rig so it has to sound better.

Now that I own one I think I understand.  First, and foremost, the sound is bolder.  Lower registers and lower midrange seem fuller giving a better sense of space and a better foundation from which the music emerges.  For example, cymbals, bells, snare drums now emerge from a blacker background.  For me this makes the music more "alive."  More to your point, there does seem to be more toe tapping going on.  There is a heightened sense of rhythm.  This rhythm component is, of course, more noticeable on rock/pop and jazz than on classical.  I'm not talking about speed or quickness (which I assumed would be more related to the cartridge than the table or arm).  However, despite the fact I believe the Delos to be far "quicker" than my VDH cartridge I think the VPI/ET/VDH combo is quicker than the Garrard/Ortofon/Delos. 
 
Sorry to be so long winded but your question and what I think I am hearing are quite subjective. Not subtle but subjective.  I've only listened for two days but a lot of hours in those two days and the Garrard rig makes me want to tap my toe more than the VPI.  I was more inclined to attribute this to the heavily damped Ortofon arm but as you make me stop and think about the subject, it may well be attributable to the Garrard 301. There are certainly other Garrard owners who think so.   

Well, true to @ct0517  prediction the experience with my Garrard has caused my VPI/ET II to demand my attention.  Among other tweaks, I think I'd like to try a carbon fiber arm wand.  I have two mag wands.  Does anyone have a carbon fiber wand they are not using that they might like to swap for a mag arm?

Sounds like you’re having fun Harry ?

IMO - When we introduce a new turntable setup we increase the variations factor ten fold due to different TT stands, Tables, Tonearms, Carts, Gear (loading), etc.... For this reason although changing out an armtube might help a little, it may not be the silver bullet due to the many variations you have introduced.
Words in describing what we are hearing mean different things to each of us. for example. You used the words bright, etched, and smooth.
To me - bright, etched implies detail is there, but there is setup issues somewhere. Smooth to me implies, nice but rolled off extremities. HF, LF.
How are you setting up these different carts on different tonearms and tables.

Are you loading them ?

Does your preamp have adjustable gain ?

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vpi - I don’t envy your "spring".

Well ,the way I see it, it all evens out Harry. In summer when you are forced inside due to the oppressive heat, I will be fishing on a lake that I can drink the water from.....well...except if that one buddy shows up with the bad prostate that can’t hold it in, and needs to piss from the boat. Then all bets are off.


So does you idler run fast when set in the middle of the factory default 33 1/3 setting ?

@ct0517  Re: Setup:  I've tried all variations of setup with the VPI/ET/Delos and it always remains a little bright.  Yet with the Delos on the Garrard/Ortofon that slightly bright, etched sound goes away.  We are using bright and etched with the same meaning.  Smooth was probably not a good choice.  Rich would have been a better choice for what I hear from the Delos on the Garrard/Ortofon.  Not at all rolled off in highs or lows, but an increase in detail in the mid range.  More liquid and a blacker background. 

I really don't expect a carbon fiber arm wand to make a dramatic difference, but, hey, I've got an aluminum and 2 mags, so why not have one of each.

The Delos on the VPI/ET was setup at mid point of VTF range (1.75) and, as recommended, level with record (no VTA cranked in or out.)  On the Garrard it is set up slightly nose down, tail up  The VDH Black Beauty on the VPI/ET is also set at the midpoint of recommended VTF and very slight nose down, tail up VTA.  

I am not loading either cartridge on either table.  My CAT SL-1 is 47k ohms.  I tried loading the Delos on the VPI/ET at 40, 80 & 100 ohms.  All rolled off the highs too much.  I have since made a 1000 ohm loading plug but have not tried it with the Delos on the VPI/ET. 

No, the CAT has no gain adjustment, just volume. 

The Garrard appears to be running steady at correct speed.

The interesting part is on the VPI/ET rig I am very happy with the VDH, but not so much the Delos.  Yet, on the Garrard/Ortofon I am extremely pleased with the result from the Delos.  Indeed, with the Delos on the Garrard and the VDH on the VPI they sound very similar.  Interesting because these cartridges are so radically different.

I think you have a misperception of where I live.  While I am in the South, I am in extreme Western North Carolina in the mountains.  We do not get those oppressively hot temperatures in the summer (regardless of what Al Gore would have you believe.) 
 

I run my MC carts with no load at 47k also. I have found that with adjustable gain, with those LPs that are recorded brighter if I turn down the gain a bit, I don't have to fiddle with VTA. With digital and its high compression on many albums this feature is invaluable.

My Lenco idler I thought was at speed at the factory slot setting of 33 1/3, but when I measured it with the tachometer I found it was set to run fast and it needed to be dialed down. I found this on a couple other decks too. Reason I asked. 
 
Thought you were located where it got real hot. My bad. The mountains sound great.