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Linear tracking vs. Pivoted tracking tone arms.

After searching all 735 existing analog "threads" I only found one short discussion regarding Linear tracking arms vs. tangential tracking arms. I have been a vinyl collector for over 32 years, and beleive that pure analog is still the "gold standard". In 1984 I purchased a Sony PS-X555ES linear tracking, biotracer, turntable. It is a fully automatic table with direct drive. This table has served me well, with no mechanical or set up issues. It is still in my system today. There are no adjustments other than balancing the tonearm to a netural position, then dialing in your tracking force. Two years ago I installed a Denon DL 160 moving coil cartridge, and am very pleased with its quality. I am considering retirement for the Sony and replacement with a Michell Gyro SE with Rega pivoted arm. Linear tracking arms are not availiable. This is a belt drive, full manual table. I understand that the master LP lacquer is cut on a lathe with the linear method. Should vinyl be replayed in the same manner for optimal sound? I would really like to hear from some hard core audiophile vinyl types on this one. By the way, my system consists of the followinig: Conrad-Johnson PV10B all tube pre-amp with tube phono stage. This is split into a C-J Primer 11 tube amp and C-J MF2250 FET amp, bi-amped into a pair of KEF Reference series 3-2 speakers. The Premier 11 feeds the mids and highs and the MF2250 feeds the bass section. All cables and interconnects are Monster Cables finest. Thanks in advance for any advice.
lbo
lewm
6,770 posts
 
Dover, I do think Tony has a point about mating an air-bearing tonearm with a spring-suspended turntable. I think I have read elsewhere that such a pairing can cause problems. Especially I was dubious how a Linn LP12 would mate up with the ET2. (Someone else on this thread has that combo.) However, your success with the Sota/ET2 would go to show that what is problematic in theory is often OK in practice.
stevecham
3,298 posts
 
I wouldn't touch a linear tracker if you paid me or gave me one for free. Just because it's cut that way doesn't mean it's the best way to play back. Constant pitch doesn't exist and the feared tracking error distortions created by tangential systems are highly overrated.

Flame retardent suit all zipped up, helmet on...

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dgarretson
2,394 posts
 
Steve, one of the nice things about a linear tracker is that for test purposes you can induce constant tracking error in a controlled and calculable manner through a small change in overhang. With my tangent arm I can clearly hear the difference of an induced .5 mm deviation off zenith, as illustrated in the second graphic at:

http://db.audioasylum.com/mhtml/m.html?forum=vinyl&n=1010339&highlight=Dave+Garretson&search_url=%2Fcgi%2Fsearch.mpl%3Fsearchtext%3D%26b%3DAND%26topic%3D%26topics_only%3DN%26author%3DDave%2BGarretson%26date1%3D%26date2%3D%26slowmessage%3D%26sort%3Dscore%26sortOrder%3DDESC%26forum%3Dvinyl

If this small granularity is perceptible, then so much the more so for the much wider range of errors of a 9" arm as shown in the first graphic. The case is not much different for a 12" arm.

No flame retardent suit is necessary.
lewm
6,770 posts
 
Dave, I had not seen those data from John Ellison. Thanks for the URL. Actually, given the premise that one cannot "hear" tracking angle error; one can only hear tracking distortion, I find it surprising in fact that there is so little difference between the pivoted example and the SL example with 0.5mm overhang error, comparing only the red curves for distortion. At worst, when the stylus is between 80 and 90mm from the center of the LP, the pivoted arm gives about 0.7% tracking distortion vs ~0.2% for the very slightly misaligned linear tracker. At other distances from the center of the LP, the difference in distortion is much less and sometimes in favor of the pivoted arm. I wonder at the audibility of this difference (but I know you say you can hear it). I also wonder how many SL tonearms are running with this much set-up error and worse. I would guess it is not uncommon for there to be an +/-0.5mm error in set-up.
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 
Lew, I asked John Ellison to incorporate .5mm error into his model, since .5mm is about as close as I can get the Trans-Fi to perfect zenith on a clear day(i.e. allowing for the tolerance of measurement tools and small changes in overhang that accompany changes in VTA.) I agree that in common practice the typical owner's set-up may be less accurate. However, with or without perfect zenith as an absolute, IME the point stands that it is possible to hear a 3x difference in tracking distortion between .2% and .7%. The only way to knock a non-believer off his pivot is to try it himself.

BTW, it's not really possible to experience a clear perception of tracking distortion by comparing pivots arm of varying length. Even if acquired from the same manufacturer, the longer arm changes resonance and inertial mass characteristics in addition to tracing arc. Only a linear arm can limit the experiment to one variable.
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