Great bass from a linear tracking arm?

To continue on Rushton's remark:

"design of the arm (e.g., bearing rigidity) has a huge impact."

The Walker, the (now defunct) Maplenoll, which I own, and the Kuzma are all very high air pressure designs although the Kuzma's bearing is much shorter. The ET runs on about one tenth the pressure and is consequently not nearly as stiff. Although it's impossible to do a direct comparison of an ET arm to a Walker or Maplenoll given that the former are both integrated tables, I imagine that this stiffness has a huge effect on everything including the bass reponse.

I know that if I reduce the pressure to my Maplenoll arm, tonality suffers noticably.

I get fantastic bass on my ET2 and Celebration cart. Honestly I've heard some really top notch vinyl playback and when I get home I continue to be impressed with what I hear. If there is a bass shyness I've never been that aware of it and the positive attributes of a linear tracker certainly outweigh any of the negatives.
Raul, great to hear your on a new quest! However, a pivoted arm? I question as to how one can get the BEST playback from such a device. Don't get me wrong, they can sound great when properly setup but they just don't do what the linears do. I find my ET still stomps some of the "best" pivoted arms in existance. I am really sensetive to tracking error, a byproduct of every pivoted arm ever made.
I am always suprised to read about how people spend thousands on products that can only reach near perfection in two places within the groove. Arm makers have created longer arms to help alleiviate this problem but it still exists, simple physics.
Anyway sorry for the sidetracking of this thread.

Dear Alun: Tracking error on pivoted arms: I agree with you, but all over my audio experiences with linear tracking and pivoted tonearms told me that with the pivoted tonearms ( of course with properly setup. ) the trade-offs against the linear tracking own trade-offs are less intruder to the quality sound reproduction, example, for me the quality sound reproduction for the frequency extremes ( low/high ) is a must to have in the right way ( these subjects are the which ones that separate the good from the excellent ) and IMHO the pivoted tonearms are " truer " in the music sound reproduction than the linear tracking ones about. Yes the linear tracking ones are better in the whole soundstage subject but ( for me ) the other two subjects are more important than this one.

There are many other considerations about that we could discuss some other time, it is a very complex subject.

Alun, try to be optimistic about this new tonearm quest, I can asure you that that will be a unique design and when the time to test coming I will " see " if we really achieve our targets, if not then there will be not tonearm and we could start again.

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

Sorry,Raul,but if you have ever heard an Air-Tangent(with modified pump/compressor)I believe you would change your last opinion,on the subject.This combo(the compressor MUST have alot of compression power,beyond the standard unit)absolutely will change the mind of the most jaded Pivot lover(I have a pivot,but my ears tell me something,sometimes).I am ONLY referring to an Air Tangent with this particular compressor,for this EXTREME level of performance.

I agree that setup is absolutely crucial for BOTH types of arm and pivoted can sound excellent. No disrespect towards your opinion and of course best wishes in your quest to create the ultimate. I always appreciate those who attempt to further the hobby by going out on a limb!

Cheers