Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?


My answer to this question is yes. Linear tracking arms trace the record exactly the way it was cut. Pivoted arms generally have two null points across the record and they are the only two points the geometry is correct. All other points on the record have a degree of error with pivoted arms. Linear tracking arms don't need anti-skating like pivoted arms do which is another plus for them.

Linear tracking arms take more skill to set up initially, but I feel they reward the owner with superior sound quality. I have owned and used a variety of pivoted arms over the years, but I feel that my ET-2 is superior sounding to all of them. You can set up a pivoted arm incorrectly and it will still play music. Linear tracking arms pretty much force you to have everything correct or else they will not play. Are they worth the fuss? I think so.
mepearson
Otherwise you will find very few sonic statements in any of my posts

a profound thought for sure....which caused me pause.

after i read the above comment i sat for awhile and pondered exactly why it bothered me so much. i have yet to answer that question in my mind. and please assume the only problem here is my own.

i do not mean to inhibit idea exchange here or turn the topic into some philosphical exchange. i'm simply relating my perspective.

If we read Dertonarm's full quote or at least the line before that then it's really not disturbing at all. He wrote:

"My sonic descriptions were done to "illustrate" the sonic results of the bearing rigidity and the mechanical problems in linear trackers. Otherwise you will find very few sonic statements in any of my posts."

I very much appreciate him for not getting into prose of sonic pornography of typical magazine writings. The cause and effect in the design and execution of an audio product are rarely discussed and often veered off into the writer's neurosis. Overall I've been really enjoying this thread from users of all genres of tonearm with their valuable experiences and "sonic results."

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Hi Dertonarm,

Two C-37's and all of those tapes!! OMG :-) My spouse and I just received 13 Tape Project albums last Friday...we had listened to all of them by late Sunday! We enjoyed sonic bliss weekend - lol.

I'm delighted you've experienced the physical presence and dynamic with analogue cartridge/tonearm that you previously achieved with analogue tape! I'm wondering...do you think, generally, that vinyl possesses the low frequency information that would probably be present in a great tape, i.e. an EQ'd tape used for vinyl mastering that deliberately has the low frequency energy absent? I'm thinking Direct-to-Disc recordings probably have all the musical signal present...

Thanks for your thoughts!

Vbr,
Sam
Mikelavigne, I certainly want to set one thing straight: I do have strong opinions about sonics, their differences and relations to components and synergy effects.
And could express them.
I just think that it is a waste of time to display them in public. As there are only a small handful of Audiogoners who actually know from first-hand experience me in person, my preferences, taste, background, audio set-up and therefor my subjective perspective and taste in reproduced sound.
For all others would be just empty blah-blah - or more precisely what Hiho said.....
I can relate sonic signatures to technical design features and certain electrical and/or mechanical interactions between components inside an audio chain.
A lot what is posted here on Audiogon by some is nothing more than posing and congratulation each other what fine equipment the other owns and what a nice if troublesome passion this all is.
For me it is about performance and why and how a certain component can (if it has the potential...) can be brought to show off its virtues.
This may sound calvinistic and like cold german technical view to some.