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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
dgarretson
2,394 posts
 
Hi Frogman and Ct0517, I have been running in a NOS 420STR for just a few hours and am similarly impressed. Amazing performance from what could be mistaken as a missing gray plastic piece from a Revel model.
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Revel(l) models! Man you just sent me back 40 years. Loved them! And yes, the Acutex looks like something that would go underneath the wing of my F-100 Super Sabre model plane. Glad you are enjoying the cartridge. It will continue getting better for a few weeks.
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
1,798 posts
 
Dgarretson glad your enjoying it. The only adjustment I had to make in my system after listening to the tape was to lighten up on the VTA a bit as there was a touch too much bass in my room.
Mine has quite a few hours on it. I can tell you it just keeps smoothing out the more hours I put on it.
I am a little nervous about putting my MC on to compare for fear this piece of plastic that looks like it came out of a cracker jack box might kick its ass.

dgarretson
2,394 posts
 
Listening to the M420 last night put a smile on my face while reading Mike Fremer's comparison of the $9K H&S Ice Blue to Ortofon A90 and Lyra Atlas. I felt no more than a slight tingle of penis envy for these MCs.

It's interesting how much smaller Acutex's tri-pole induced magnet assembly is in the 420 series as compared to the prior 320 series. The 320 marketing literature talks about the advantage of oversized magnets. Accordingly the 320 has a much larger and heavier 6.2gm 320 body. The cantilever armature of the 320 is also more complicated, with tabs that project radially to the induction poles inside the cartridge body. In contrast the 420 is a svelte 4gm. The 420 looks cheaply build in comparison to the 320. But maybe looks are deceiving. Unfortunately one of the armature tabs on my 320 is bent and in need of repair, so a comparison will have to wait.
ct0517's avatar
ct0517 OP
1,798 posts
 
The second example occurs at 2:51, also in Brecker's solo. One of the things that made Brecker's sound so distinct was the post-Coltrane technique of "splitting" a note. What is meant by that is that the player is able to play a note and make other notes sound at the same time; gives the sound of that note a very dramatic quality. The way it is accomplished is by (in this case) playing the high G on the tenor by fingering the G an octave below and sounding the harmonic one octave above. In the process, if the player has enough control over the instrument, a third note "E" can be heard; he is in effect playing a chord on a melody instrument.

When tonearm/cartridge settings are not correct, what should be heard as three distinct notes becomes simply distortion in the sound of the note. The closer I get to correct VTA and azimuth, the more distinct the three notes become.

Frogman – your being a musician is obvious and gives you such an advantage when listening to LP’s. What a great post. Your turntable system is an extension of your instruments ?

Look forward to more recommendations from others.

I’d like to recommend Miles Davis KOB a very popular LP that many have and is great sounding. I am not ready to post any remarks on it yet...

Anyone else ?

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