Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Hi Danny
Pictures of the Acutex 4 series can be seen here. Go down about 2/3 of the way down.

http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=6675.45

412 and 415 look like kissing cousins. 420 is very different.
I wasn’t clear in my last post. The 412 has lots of strong bass. The issue was it was over emphasized bass above 40 hz unlike the 420 which is more linear (sic) in my room on the ET2. This is based on running the 15 IPS tape and LP together, the lp about 5 seconds behind, and switching between the two on the fly.
Note that I was clear that this was a triple, not double leaf spring setup on an high pressure ET2 not a ET 2.5. ET 2.0 spindle resonates at a slighter higher HZ than the larger 2.5 which in my case now currently has the double leaf spring on it and my MC once more. The single leaf spring is just lying around these days. I should make up some more as they cost only $15 each. You can see the leaf spring hear. For a double, glue two together. Triple etc….

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1335035482.jpg

We have Frogman to thank for this one. We are able to match the cartridge compliance at one end (cartridge) to the other end (counterweight) and use whichever leaf spring works best in our own systems. Think of it as two of almost same weight persons (cartridge end heavier) on an elongated teeter totter with springs on their bums.

As an update - yesterday afternoon one 420str was air lifted, scheduled to arrive this week at its destination. Tallahassee, Florida.

Addendum:
I have no doubt that if the ET2 manual ever got updated by Bruce, there would be a separate chapter on matching the tonearm with the compliance of the cartridge. Newly bought tonearms really should come with a single, double and triple leaf spring I beam.
Maybe they do ?
Both my ET2 tonearms were bought used.

Great link Chris, I had forgotten about it. Definitive comparison of the Acutex 3xx and 4xx.

Hey Guys, I've been quietly thinking of the next step in regards to my set-up with the Acutex. I've had several thoughts on it after re-reading your posts and thinking of how to better dress a wire loom. I still like my over the spindle option but have new thoughts on the support mechanism and wire/clips.
I want to implement the new support along with different cartridge clips first, so I can get proper cart set-up with my old wire loom, before building a completely new wire loom.
I also want to completely do away with the braid/shield I currently use. I'm thinking of a combo of silk/cotton tubing and/or teflon tubing as part of the support structure and vibration control scheme.
Any thoughts from you guys would be helpful.

Slaw – fwiw - here are my thoughts on the ET2 loom so far for me.

When this thread started I had many questions about the wire loom. The options seems daunting. I had mounted the arm multiple times on different TT setups and found the full plinths to always be the biggest PITA for this tonearm. On the old stock HW19MKIV and TNT the wire used to go down through a hole in the plinth !

What I have found personally since is that on an arm pod / pillar or tower, its good to get the “SMILE” half circle loop where the wire exits the arm. There seems to be minimal wire movement this way with this tonearm when leveled properly. I find with this half loop I can add enough blue tac to the counterweight to make the arm free float – then I can touch the wire in the loop around with my finger and the armtube does not move, regardless of its position over the record.
So for a full plinth this setup is more difficult to do. Frogman has his set up this way. I hope he doesn’t mind me posting his pic again. With a smile :^)

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1337980360.jpg

If I ever put my ET2 arm on a full plinth again I would do something similar so the wires comes out of structure like a bridge pillar to form that half circle - smile.
Now with an arm tower/pillar or armpod it can just hang off the end of the armtube to create that loop the other end connecting directly to the phono stage. It makes it really easy.

Is there a better way ? Thoughts ?

My looms are naked and I have no noise with MM and MC. I attribute that to the place I got them from and the fact the preamps are right next to the tonearms.

BTW - If you want to know if your wire loom/TT/Preamp is up to par mount that 420str on a direct drive or idler where the motor is inches away from that cartridge. It will tell you right away if your setup is ok or has issues. Wires, TT motor related, other. Its a great test cartridge in this respect.

Slaw - had a look at your virtual page setup – your loom seems to mimic the Kuzma Airline arm ? Up and over as you say. How is it working ? In the pic it looks more rigid this way ?
I also saw the motor mount for your VPI table. Did you make that ? It looks gorgeous. The thread drive is working out well ?

Cheers