Linear tracking turntables, whatever happened?

Eric. Cleaning the record is not an issue. Cleaning the stylus however requires a one knee drop. I don't like to talk about my knees. I have runners knees. At middle age my Doc says my hearing is great, like a young mans, but my knees are old age. 8^(

You mentioned that you like the armwand pointing at you. With La Platine, it is a design that can be positioned - turned, so the armwand is pointing anywhere on the clock really. Like wise the motor can go left, back or to the right. Kinda cool.
I am very familiar with the short arm wand as I still own a Dy navector hybrid tonearm. I know that Bruce did a lot testing before he settled on the length of the ET2 armwand.  

Just to give you all a laugh and bring this thread back to the actual area I first envisioned.
I bought an old Sansui P-L45 table in working order but no stylus.
Fitted a replacement AT stylus that was correct to the AT p mount cart in it and spun an album.

I am honestly shocked just how nice it sounds!
For a grand sum of $55 all in.

Talk about the high life!

The description of sliding the record into place is perhaps inaccurate, only because it sounds tricky. It’s not tricky.

The record must held on a slight angle and inserted into the space between the manifold beam / cue bar at the top, and the TT platter / spindle below, then placed on the spindle.

It sounds much harder than it is. As soon as you have the arm fitted to the TT, it is obvious how to move the record. Try it with an old one first, or use a modicum of care, and everything will be fine.

If the spindle is short, that helps a lot, which is why I built my TT that way.

I do have a question on these higher end arms that just occurred.
Do you need or can you even use any type of record clamp or weight or rim clamp?

uberwaltz
I used to be a short drive to Larry's at TTW. I knew Larry before "TTW" and the higher prices. I was therefore able to pick up and experiment with a lot of stuff when I was in "that phase". We talked about setting up one of the ET2's in his showroom. It never happened, and remembering back I always found his showroom unbearable due to the cigarette smoke. You don't want the tonearm, or yourself inhaling that stuff.

Then found a local machinst who would made some custom for me. Then the phase came to end. You know, been there, done that.

Accessories, paraphanelia can make this Audio hobby interesting, especially with vinyl and, people go to both extremes with it, as it relates to the record.

Some will lock down the plastic, with multiple weights and clamps. Make it more secure than a high security prison.
  
Then others, will try to make the record float on points.

Both camps say they get excellent results.