Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?

So let me correct my initial comment on the Triplanar's bearings:
it ( the Triplanar ) has of course the one and only best ball-bearings and the bearings used in it are several grades above the best used in any other device on this planet - money no object.
I hope my humble apologies for not getting this right in the first.
Dertonarm (Threads | Answers)

:^))).

Interesting stuff Dertonarm. Even though they have very solid reputations, the Kuzma arms are obviously way down the "quality audio" scale. Their Stogi arm utilizes ABEC 5 bearings while the Stogi Reference has ABEC 7. This then is likely just above the quality of playground marbles. 8^)

"See - in most every high-end device there are 2 or 3 custom-built/designed and extremely expensive parts that are built by a division of the NASA or at least by a very special secret JAN-company which usually would never manufacture them due to cost reasons."

Don't forget the magic pixie dust.

Has anyone compared recent linear and pivot tonearms on a 2-arm TT at the same time w/ the same cartridge for an A/B comparison? What did you notice?

I guess the affiliated question would be - are there cartridges that work equally as well on the two? Even within the pivot world, some carts sound better on one arm than another.

In the case of lateral force issues mentioned about linear arms, is this more a of mechanical/longevity concern or one of noticeable sonics, too?

Has anyone ever had a cartridge wear out more quickly or be damaged by this lateral force of a linear arm?

I find this whole discussion very, very, interesting and educational and would like to thank all the experienced participants for helping those of us novices understand the issues in layman terms.

I was about to raise question that DarkMo just did.

"In the case of lateral force issues mentioned about linear arms, is this more a of mechanical/longevity concern or one of noticeable sonics, too? "

I think the discussion somehow got steered towards lateral force comparison and stress on cartridge etc. Which does not mean linear arm are inferior performer.

I also think original poster gave in too soon. I happen to believe that the linear arm are 'overall' superior performer. In my experience ( again I have not had top notch pivot arms in my TT set up at the same time with same cartridge (it would be definitive experiment though, like Darkmoebius suggests) but I do have other two TT set ups with pivot arms and I have optimized these two to death but still, in terms of completeness of notes and air around it as well as center of earth bass ( when present) sets its self apart from the other two TTs. Stand alone the other two TTs sound real good. It is only when you play back to back, the completeness of natural sound reproduction with linear arm is without a doubt 'better' in many ways.

I do agree that lateral force and stress issue are legible concerns. But I tend to Clean the linear travel rod more often to reduce friction.