Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?

Darkmoebius, if you are really interested about pivot vs linear on the same TT and with competitive cartridges in a true top-flight set-up, you should get in touch with Thuchan.
He has everything from ET 2.5, Goldmund T-3F, Kuzma Airline, the big SAEC 12", DaVinci 12", Kuzma 4Point, FR-66s with all the top cartridge you can name on 2 Micro Seiki 8000, Goldmund Reference, Garrard 501, TX-1000 Naka, Continuum Criterion and Kelch Reference.
He can shine some light.

BTW - it always depends on the rigidity and construction of the cantilever/suspension system of a given cartridge whether it reacts fast to the forces in a linear tonearm (read: wears out fast...) or whether it can withstand the slight abuse for much longer.
In general, cartridges with low compliance are less sensitive to fast wear-out.
High compliance cartridges with high body weight are apparently the most vulnerable.

Dear Albertporter,There are foreigners in this forum.What
do you mean by :^)))?

Regards,

Pryso, well - ABEC 7 isn't bad. It's good and heads away from playground marbles.
That there still are higher levels of precision ( = less friction + less noise ) doesn't mean the "7" isn't good.
A single ABEC 7 ball-bearing in miniature size will set you back about $14.
If bought in 100+ quantities it will be down to $8/pc.
That's about 1/10 the price of an ABEC 11.
ABEC11 are used in high precision laser linear slides and µm-measurement devices.
We see 60 cent brass RCAs jacks in $6k phono stages and 35 cent signal-coupling capacitors in $12k line stages.
In this world a ABEC 7 ball-bearing is already more than I expect to see in a modern high-end tonearm.
Frankly, I think you'll have a hard time finding a ball-bearing higher up the ABEC-scale in any other top-flight pivot tonearm.

Nilthepill, let me suggest to give a listen to a top-flight linear tonearm in direct comparison to a top-flight 12" pivot tonearm with the very same cartridge.
You may be in for a surprise.
The "force problem" of the linear tracker is inherent in the design - you may clean the bearings (and should do so anyway), but you do not alter the mechanical dilemma.
I have had several top flight linear tonearms and I certainly do like the logic idea behind the principle.
However - with todays cartridges (with the way cartridges are designed and mechanically built) the forces in any linear tonearm are medium to long time suicide for any suspension.
What we need to overcome the problem is a linear tracker which has an automatic feed of the complete moving assembly of the tonearm.
We need to eliminate the progression from the stylus.
This can be done, but will be really expensive, as it can not deal with linear progression, but need to be in short-time-loop with the real groove-spacing of the LP on the platter.
Once this is done, the full theoretical advantage of the linear tonearm will be obtained.
What still will be an issue after that problem is eliminated, remains the less than perfect stiffness and hardness of the bearing.
A great pivot tonearm has only the drawback of tracking error.
A great linear tonearm has a bundle of drawback by design - the zero error tracking being its only strong point.
Would love to see a linear tonearm addressing these points.

Dear Cjfrbw, the pixie dust goes extra - its the MK2 version..... (and then you still have to think/dream/imagine/muse about the most beautiful vision - otherwise it won't work according to Barry).