2. analog
  3. 1266367593

Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?

My answer to this question is yes. Linear tracking arms trace the record exactly the way it was cut. Pivoted arms generally have two null points across the record and they are the only two points the geometry is correct. All other points on the record have a degree of error with pivoted arms. Linear tracking arms don't need anti-skating like pivoted arms do which is another plus for them.

Linear tracking arms take more skill to set up initially, but I feel they reward the owner with superior sound quality. I have owned and used a variety of pivoted arms over the years, but I feel that my ET-2 is superior sounding to all of them. You can set up a pivoted arm incorrectly and it will still play music. Linear tracking arms pretty much force you to have everything correct or else they will not play. Are they worth the fuss? I think so.
mepearson
rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear Mepearson: This " humble " Audio Technica 10" tonearm is a winner and IMHO better than the vintage Technics and Fidelity Research ( that I own. ), it competes with any pivoted tonearm out there. Btw, I'm using it and is a current model:

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtnrm&1270496166&/Audio-Technica-1503-Mark-III-l

if you want it new you can find it here:

http://www.audiocubes2.com/brand/Audio-Technica/product/Audio-Technica_AT-1503_IIIa_Transcription_Universal_Tone_Arm.html

Regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
darkmoebius
899 posts
 
How about the Dynavector DV-507 mkII? How does that, and it's "Bi-Axis Inertia Controlled Dynamic Balance ", rate against the other top pivoted arms?
darkmoebius
899 posts
 
02-19-10: Rauliruegas
This alone characteristic where IMHO the pivot tonearms are superior makes a difference: this bass range frequency is the foundation of the music and it is here where tiny differences makes the difference of course if we own a system that can play clean in that bass frequency range.
02-19-10: Mepearson
Well Raul, I own a system that "can play clean in that bass frequency range."
While many of us may have components capable of producing these low frequencies - I'd guess very, very, few have rooms with dimensions and/or extensive acoustic treatments that allow the accurate reproduction of those lower frequencies.
rauliruegas
9,123 posts
 
Dear darkmoebius: Agree with you. There I'm talking more on bass quality than bass quantity: an important difference.

regards and enjoy the music,
Raul.
darkmoebius
899 posts
 
Agreed, Raul. But clean reproduction of the fundamental note and it's harmonics, across the entire frequency range, is a direct function room dimensions and acoustic treatments. I'd guess that most rooms are subject to serious modal ringing and suckouts without such treatment. Multiple subwoofers placed unevenly around the room can help mitigate much of the problems, but ~4 are often necessary.

Offhand, something like reviewer Mike Levigne's room is what would be needed to for truly accurate response.

It would be interesting to see frequency and decay plots of different reviewer's and audiophiles rooms. I think people would be extremely surprised to see what's really going on in their rooms.
More to discover