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Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners


Where are you? What mods have you done ?

I have been using these ET2's for over 9 years now.
I am still figuring them out and learning from them. They can be modified in so many ways. Bruce Thigpen laid down the GENIUS behind this tonearm over 20 years ago. Some of you have owned them for over 20 years !

Tell us your secrets.

New owners – what questions do you have ?

We may even be able to coax Bruce to post here. :^)

There are so many modifications that can be done.

Dressing of the wire with this arm is critical to get optimum sonics along with proper counterweight setup.

Let me start it off.

Please tell us what you have found to be the best wire for the ET-2 tonearm ? One that is pliable/doesn’t crink or curl. Whats the best way of dressing it so it doesn’t impact the arm. Through the spindle - Over the manifold - Below manifold ? What have you come up with ?
128x128ct0517
nandric's avatar
nandric
3,263 posts
 
Hi Slaw, They are 6x2 mm and made from beryllium/copper.
The shrink is 13 mm and can be cut of course. If you need
less expensive 'tags' for experiments there are also Michell Engineering 'solid brass /silver plated ' which look like Clearaudio and cost 12,50 GBP.

Regards,
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
1,798 posts
 
Slaw
I liked the pic you provided us of the wire Take Five Audio built for you. I loved the attention that was paid to the gradual step down coming out of the WBTs. Was this accomplished with teflon tubing?

Slaw - I just got Gene's answer

I am quoting.

"For those WBT RCA's the buildup was done with several layers of shrinktube. The first piece is 1/16" CPX 100 Black, you have to be EXTREMELY careful when applying heat so that you do not fuse the insulation together on the wires. From there it is built up using 1/4" and 3/8" CPA type shrinktube with the last piece covering the first two for an overall clean stepped appearance."

here's the pic again - I am not affiliated with Take Five - Just a customer.

http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/i/f/1332259084.jpg
slaw's avatar
slaw
5,785 posts
 
Thanks guys! I am not confident at all when it comes to soldering these little tonearm wires to heavier gauge clips. I just received my AN wire... boy is it skinny! The great part about it is, it is extremely flexible, which will ultimately be a plus with an ET wireloom. I have at least 3 projects ahead of me, all having to do with the ET.

Chris: My post regarding the aluminum plate supplied w/ the ET was just to hopefully get anyone's experience w/or w/o the plate on a VPI acrylic armboard. My concern being that the acrylic may be too soft or not, to be used w/o the plate, and how each may have sounded. I have, as an upcoming project, a DIY armboard, so I'll most likely eliminate the plate as I'll be using a harder substance as the interface. That's my plan and I'm sticking to it, (for now) lol.

Any tips on soldering will be very much appreciated. I'm usually more likely to take my sweet time getting mentally prepared.
nandric's avatar
nandric
3,263 posts
 
Hi Slaw, Use an old cart and put one tag in one of the connectors. Fasten the cart in an vice (?) and you have both hands free. One to hold the wire in the back of the tag the other for the soldering iron. Use first some old tags and wire for practise.
dover
1,165 posts
 
Slaw -
With regard to the aluminium plate/acrylic. I would not run the plate, it's added resonance. I have moved away from metal spikes, and if I use them I radius the tip so it is not a sharp point. I say radius, as in rounded, NOT flat. The idea is a small radius tip sitting in a larger radius hole as per most unipivot bearings. My suggestion would be to radius the tip of the grubs screws and then you should be able to couple directly to the acrylic without damaging the surface. In an ideal world the acrylic would have a dimple in it for the radius tip to sit in.
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