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
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.
"If you want the 2nd order distortions of the better triodes"
Shades of Bob Carver! Please, please, start a thread. We have much better tools and understanding now than twenty years ago.