Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

To anyone that has or is using the ET with a VPI acrylic armboard... Have you tried using it with and without the aluminum spacer that ET provides? If so, what were your impressions?

I personally have only tried it with the spacer, but now wonder if this could be a source of unwanted resonance using the acrylic armboard?

Another point of possible resonance, to me.... As I've mentioned, I'm thinking of working on my current wire loom and will be building a new one also. The choice of cartridge clips is one of my concerns. I know that the Cardas are widely used and very economical. From my experience with these, they are so delicate that I have to wonder how much resonance they impart, especially after being unhooked from time to time. When I see a close up view of them, I cringe! I know in using the Acutex with it's angled pins, that I need something different from my current clips. The Vanden Hul look very promising. They seem to be made sturdier with an internal triangle shape that would grab the cart pins more securely (at three points) while the cable end still having the flexibility to slightly bend outwardly if necessary to allow enough wiggle room to mount the Acutex on the ET.
Any thoughts?

Dear Slaw, the problem is not only the clips but also the(thin) tonearm wire . Not sure if you mean Cardas PCC Deluxe which are very good but pretty expensive. There are also Clearaudio clips which are very good made. They are also cheaper; 18 GBP on ebay.uk. What is also important are those heatshrinks which protect the wire. While not easy to solder the Clearaudio clips are the best in my opinion.

Regards,

Nandric: I thought of the Cardas deluxe, ( I assume you are referring to the ones with the spring retainers). I'm not sure of how they will work in my particular situation. Thanks for your input.

Slaw-

I personally have only tried it with the spacer, but now wonder if this could be a source of unwanted resonance using the acrylic armboard?

IMO – added resonance – yes. But whether it is a good or bad resonance in your setup only you can tell. Is this any different really than adding layers to the platter ? As ones system resolution rises its a resonance game we play with vinyl. Adding layers for me complicates things; as far as allowing me to understand what material/part is contributing to the sound.

I believe it was used (shim) to keep from marring the acrylic surface with the 3 ET2 spikes. I did use it with the TNT. I don’t use it now – my 2 ET2 arms are mounted naked with their spikes.

With the machine skills you have, as seen by your standalone motor assembly I would be making up 2 or 3 different material armboards. :^)

Nandric
Regarding your 'base' philosophy. Not to get involved in infinite regress or adding up of meanings, we all are moving at about 700 miles an hour, carried by the diurnal
rotation of our 'mother earth'. For your 'basic base' there is no futher reduction possible. But 'it' moves as Galilei persisted on and got in trouble with the 'mother church'.

Hi Nikola

I personally learned a long time ago not to worry too much about things I have no control over such as the world spinning, 18 year old fraternal twins :^( , etc…. or I would have put myself 6 feet under already by now. I prefer to have fun in this hobby and in areas I have control over, solely based on what I am hearing.

And because 'plinth=base' there is no better base for whatever TT than the slate kind. It should be counted as the real estate because of the weight and value.

All materials resonate including slate. From what I recall reading (not listening) slate resonates around 121 hz (forget what thickness it was). Lower than your acrylic Kuzma which I believe was around 207-210 hz in the tests that were done; not sure again of thickness that was used. This info is avail on the internet if you google it. How accurate it is IDK.

I have however read that using a full TT system plinth in a low resonating material helps to boost the bass in a room ? This could help if your room/speaker/placement combination is lacking in the low end ?

Glad you’re having fun with your SP10 Nikola.