Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?

Samujohn, you are right - equalization can (and in pro audio it is a truly mandatory all-present tool) enhance playback intelligibility.
But the result is neither true to the original spirit of high fidelity, nor does it show the real thing - applied on the frequency-band as a whole it just enhances the illusion in a very special way.
I too apply equalization in the very low 2 octaves of the audio band - to adapt woofer response to the room and the respective cabinet. Here it is of the utmost importance and a mandatory for me.
From the upper bass/lower midrange upwards it because hostile territory and does degrade the sound while smoothing the response.
It is a bit curing the sonic demon's with Luzifer's help.....
Eq in audio must be applied with the utmost care - it is tempting for sure, but if applied in higher dose it can and will spoil the whole lunch.
It is very reminiscent of illegal pharmacy in the way it works.

Agreed. I also venture that tubes are prized by many because they like their gentle, well known, distortions. I often wish I had some tube amp compression in my tiny car, so I could enjoy classical music while commuting.

03-16-10: Samujohn
Agreed. I also venture that tubes are prized by many because they like their gentle, well known, distortions.

Just wait until Atmasphere gets a load of that line!

Darkmoebius, he's right. Tubes make lower-ordered distortions, much more preferable to the human ear than the higher, odd-ordered distortions of solid state.

Tube distortions can be dramatically reduced by careful design. There's more about that over on the amps/preamps forum :)

If you want the 2nd order distortions of the better triodes, you can have them with transistors too. It is a matter of design - not tube vs. Transistors. But indeed - this is something for other threads.