Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

@bdp24 

Eric not sure if you saw the question above. 

Can you please provide more detail on how you created this tank circuit?

I have had a couple emails asking about this circuit. If you have any information on this, pls post. Thanks Chris   

Hope this post finds everyone well.

Stay Safe, Social Distance, Stay Well .  

Best wishes - & hopefully less long states of mental hibernation or coronation...
I wanted to bring to your attention this jewel of a technical discussion from Pierre Lurné:
https://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/lurne_air_bearing_e.html
now, well... :-)
- even a french emperor walking the naked truth may be clothed by invisible (very, very) small pieces of textiles covering some sensible parts of the body (impeding some directions of clear vision).
Even if he's called Prince Pierre Lurné who built one or two of the most beautifullly and perfectely crafted one point tonearms. (Which sound excellent too.)
- split horizontal and vertical resonances are rather an advantage than a drawback. (I've not seen or read ever convincing proof of the opposite, and Moerch is following this path with his top arm).
- therefore some of the cartridges with remarkably good bass do feature distinctively different compliances in both planes leading to the same split resonances with conventional tonearms. (eg. Decca, all true mono cartridges like Myajima).
- Listening, measuring and comparing the vibrations on the headshell of the ET2 vs. the vibrations on the outer bearing housing with a measuring coupler showed a remarkably similar frequency response at least up into the upper midrange.
Ie. the air bearing seems to be pretty stiff & well coupling to audible frequencies. The ultrasonic spectrum hitting conventional roller bearings, seems to me rather a multitude of metal to metal resonances of scattered and reflected energy back into the arm modulated by slightly elastic and moving point contacts. Ie. a process prone to  a certain alu-foil on comb quality, a form of distortion.
So I think the air bearing grounds vibrations rather well - and without introducing variable noises (except those inherent to the air film itself, which are like a very low level stable white noise).

Hi all,

I thought I would post and say hello.

Sota Saphire (non vacuum); original owner when I purchased in 1985.
ET2 with the carbon fiber wand
Shelter 901 mark 3.

I put my pump and air tank (2 liter bottle) in the garage wall.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WbKvb5MEAq9hGfAq8


After using the Sota for 35 years, I turned in my Sota to Donna and had her team completely restore/upgrade (Dec 2020) my Sota (mag lev bearing, Eclipse controller / motor, chassis, platter upgrades). I noticed a material difference in the noise floor drop immediately.

Picture of our music room:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cr4AW1VgXBQatBE38

I have never had an operational problem with the ET2; it was setup very well when Sota/ET2 were the hot ticket back in the mid 80’s.

-stu

I'm the proud new owner of an ET-2.0 attached to a SOTA Star Sapphire and looking for cartridge advice.  Tonearm has the original aluminum wand  single leaf spring on the I-Beam.

I've seen the yellow sticky, but I'm still learning about the concept of cartridge compliance.

It came with a Shure M97xE with who knows how many hours on it and sounds "fine".  I put my newer Nagaoka MP-110 on and that was a noticeable step up.  I'm shopping around for $200-400 cart and wondering what would take it to the next level (and pair well with this tonearm).  Anybody have experiences with these on the ET-2:

AT VM-540ML
AT VM-740ML
Nagaoka MP-150
Grado Opus3
Denon 103R
Hana E
or any other suggestions in that price range?

Thanks for the PM Tim - as it alerted me to the thread. Guys, I have been away and am in the middle of moving house. My gear is being consolidated into one large room. I have decisions to make regarding speakers. 8^0

Hello Pegasus and welcome to the thread Stu and DJspinner.

Djspinner - I have my doubts that you are going to use your new kit for DJ work 8^0

Congrats on the ET 2. The ET 2 design allows for "any" cartridge to be used by swapping out armtubes and I Beam leaf springs. Also with its patented worm gear VTA system, does not change VTF when you raise and lower VTA. All other tonearms regardless of design change VTF when you adjust VTA. Someone name another? This makes the ET2 still IMO one of the most advanced tonearms on the planet, and from my personal experiences the most advanced.
Your choices DJspinner.

AT VM-540ML
40 x 10-6 cm/dyne
AT VM-740ML
40 x 10-6 cm/dyne
Nagaoka MP-150
18 x 10-6 cm/dyne
Grado Opus3
Compliance: 20μm/mN
Denon 103R
5 x 10-6 cm/dyne
Hanna E
17 x10-6cm dyne

As a general guideline in the numbers above. the higher the first number, stick to the aluminum armtube. As you go lower (15-20) consider getting the Carbon Fiber or Magnesium Armtubes from Bruce Thigpen. Definitely get Bruce to send you the new longer I Beam with double leaf springs. This longer I Beam eliminates half the counterweight needed and this increases vertical inertia. From my experience the double leaf spring works better with all cartridges except those with the highest compliance. So we are trying to (for those looking to better the sound) match the better armtube and leaf spring to the cartridge compliance. You will hear the difference if that is your pursuit.

This compliance word that we keep hearing about, I simply refer to how springy and soft/hard the suspension of cartridge is - that holds the cantilever/stylus in place. The softer/springier the suspension the higher the first number. I think of Cars that come with buttons now that change the suspension from soft (cushy ride) to hard (sporty). Those that are fans of vintage carts.....that suspension has hardened over the years lowering the compliance.
We can still get music from a cartridge that is not matched to the better suited ET2 armtube/leafspring setup. It just won’t sound as good as what you can get from a well-matched combination. These types of choices that change "real mechanical aspects", are part of what makes IMO, this analog hobby so much more interesting and involving than digital.

Can there be a better hobby during a lockdown ?
unless you are moving house....

Stay safe, stay well.