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 ?
ct0517
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.
The famous Italian Puntina is back. Not to be confused with Puttana. Although this cartridge, if set up properly, may make you forget, temporarily, the later? nah...

And this time coming to us from......drum roll please......... Oh Canada.
We stand on guard for thee....

But ! ...just as our Canadian dollar is doing its best impression of acting like a hockey puck, that has just been tossed into the water.
This Canadian seller...... has smartly priced out the Puntina in American dollars. Oh...when will that US dollar ever fall ?

Do you guys remember when I posted about the high price of gas here? It was in the same post that I made reference to how Bruce has held his prices on ET 2 parts.
Well two weeks later do you remember what happened to the price of gas .... coincidence ?
Could this post trigger something again...... hah hah

For ET 2.0 and 2.5 owners. this cartridge allows you to use One FAT and One THIN lead weight at the very end of the I Beam.
My current cartridge is an MC, a little heavier and requires two Fatties on the I Beam

yes the 420str really is that light- hence its nickname Cracker Jack Box Cartridge.
Set up this way, it allows the ET tonearm to achieve its greatest vertical inertia.
For me, this produces the best tuneful bass; When used in a room that is easily pressurized without stressing the amp/s.

btw - did u know that authentic Canadian made hockey pucks make great audio component stand legs/isolators ?

First bid in... anyone here ?
Yup! Need two for when (if) I get around to doing a shootout between my ET2/TNT5 and the Forsell (which STILL sits in the box).