Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

hmm.... 34 watchers on the ebay ad now..wow
this thread ...about to hit 800,000 views - wow - who would have thought ?

When and will any of the 34 watchers commit ?
Kind of like watching the Daytona 500 yesterday ?
the race was a bit of a let down for me.

I would like to personally thank the seller and watchers for providing some temporary cabin fever relief, as we head into the home stretch.

Lets consider something.

I have a Canadian friend who would like to partake in this unique ET2 world and is considering this item.
A used parts complete base ET 2.0, not 2.5 and non-HP, with aluminum arm tube, no pump - sells for approximately $700-800. Give or take.

This NOS one with a base pump has a $900 American reserve. $900 US is now $1132 Canadian dollars. :^(

Add 13% Canadian tax., shipping and customs fees. hmm... :^(

If I was selling this ET2 for $900 Canadian, an American buys it for about $710 US.

BAD ET2 Behavior

If I may be permitted to use the analog of a dog.

Bad dog ....bad, bad dog !

So what do you do when your dog is bad ? You send them to dog school of course !

But we all know that dog schools are really for Dog Owners :^) so.......

EXAMPLES OF BAD ET2 (Owner) Behavior

The ET2 was designed as a unique universal tonearm able to be mounted on a number of different table designs. Some were good even great combos; but in the name of business and sales some combos were not so great and this leads to the first Example of BAD ET2 (Owner) Behavior.

This involved my old VPI HW19MKIV Spring, Sprung turntable.

If nothing else this thread has driven home the message of staying level. The ET2 needs a flat surface and it does not even need to be level since it has its own leveling spikes. But once set - the level of the surface can not change. This VPI table never stayed level - whether due to environmental season changes affecting the self/suspension, and or an ET2 owners careless bump after two glasses of New Zealand white wine.

The above would result in the owner performed maintenance involving turning one of the two Vertical Post bolts to right (re-balance) the situation. The problem builds up over time as one or the other bolt are turned down further, resulting in immense pressure down on the plate, and upwards as well into the Pillar post and the adjoining VTA Block/manifold possibly throwing it out too.

If you want to see the abuse your ET2 has had in the past; undo both vertical pillar bolts and see if there is an indentation from both bolts in the base mounting plate.

Now - how to avoid this problem, and make sure it never happens again ?

1) Choose a turntable that is able to stay level. (in the case of the VPI HW19MK IV - rubber pucks can replace the springs ensuring it stays level.

2) If a turn of one of the vertical bolts is needed for maintenance, FIRST ...undo both bolts so that the pillar post is floating on its horizontal bolt mount. Then re-balance the air bearing spindle by gently turning down both vertical bolt screws as required. Ensuring firm but not rigid contact.

other ET2 Bad Owner examples ...
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I'm guilty on both counts, Ct0517.

I used to rest my turntable/arm atop a pneumatic isolation platform. Sounded great...until it didn't. The platform would lose air, the et2 would register it and then spit out inferior sound. I put up with this for months (trying out various fixes), but I finally had to concede defeat and removed the platform.

One of those 'fixes' was to constantly mess with the vertical leveling screws. For months I did exactly what you say not to do: I just turned the screws tighter and tighter. I should have known better since the first et2 I bought had indentations so deep into the mounting base that I had to sand the thing down in order to mount the pillar correctly.

So, send my dog to school and me to the dog house.

"analog of a dog"
Good grief. Just read the 2nd line of my previous post.
This is what happens when u prepare a post in email; it passes spell grammar checks; u r full off a large coffee and nature calls so you cut and paste and go about your day. :^(

It's actually kind of growing on me this morning. Analog of the Dog.

A good name for a new album from a 70's rock group maybe ?

Banquo363

I should have known better since the first et2 I bought had indentations so deep into the mounting base that I had to sand the thing down in order to mount the pillar correctly.

Banquo - At least you looked under the cover to find out. Some buy these arms already mounted on a table - 20 + years old sometimes. They never take the tonearm off to check it out. Who knows what lies beneath.

A new ET 2.5 from Bruce is $4500 American dollars and it does not come with a pump. A Used base ET 2.0 comes on sale every few months on ebay. I know because my Ebay alert is still there. Mentioned in the previous post a base used ET2 sells for about $700 - 800, so it can be an alluring option if someone is looking to try one especially compared to buying new. However it can be a bit of a crap shoot as you Banquo show us.

Every long term ET2 owner has learned with their ET2, ET 2.5. It is not plug and play. No one can come on here and say they knew how to set it up and use it from the get go. The ET2 manual although very long and thick; is actually written at the 5,000 foot level IMO. To get to the heart of a refined setup as we have discussed here would add XX pages more to it. Anyone disagree ?

To use an "ANALOGY" again (amazing what one letter does) Consider this. Well I did this morning anyway.

Buying a used ET2 can be like buying a used Manual Transmission car off someone that learned how to drive stick on it. A new clutch, (think ET2 VTA worm gear block and mounting plate to start) may be required due to the abuse some give to the horizontal and vertical bolts in learning 1) how to set it up 2) then to make music with it, and 3) refine the setup of this instrument. Hopefully if they get to level 3 they have gone easy on the bolts - firm not rigid. Think musical instrument.

It is good practice to get a car checked out before you buy it. No different here and even more so and not just from the headaches and frustration it can save you. You see although an expensive car clutch can be replaced on its own; Bruce does not sell the VTA blocks and mounting plates separately.

Something to think about. Maybe makes the NOS ET2 that just sold more appealing; if u were in the market for one?

Cheers

The last acutex 420 str I saw fetched an astonishing price . Any bets on how much this one will go for?

At any rate, a good opportunity for those who have been searching for one.