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diy tangential tonearms

I hope to have a tangential tracking tonearm one day. The available new ones cost five figures and Revox is not acceptable because of the difficulty in maintaining it and others come with turntables which threaten to be difficult to repair or rebuild. I like the turntable I have and a tangential tonearm could be installed through what appear to be three standard positioned screws which hold the present arcing tonearm in place.
The expensive tangential tonearms have air bearings which minimize any rumble from the arm sliding down its track. Other such tonearms use a servo to try to move the tonearm which can't be precise enough to do any good when the spacing between record groves varies with the amplitude of the music signal. Furthermore, air bearings will introduce the hissing sound of the air and that hissing noise is bound to be louder than any speaker noise the friction of an oil bearing might introduce. Air pumps, the dirt and filter and water condensation problems are not acceptable. From what I can find, my only way to have a tangential tonearm is to make one myself.
Does anybody have any suggestions, for instance, a set of plans I could buy for a tangential tonearm which does not require an air bearing or a servo motor drive? I have built other electronics myself which I like more than what I could buy if I could afford it. I think if I took my time machining the parts it would make a nice finishing touch to my turntable. Your ideas would be of great value to me.
128x128drbarney1

Showing 2 responses by ct0517

ct0517's avatar
ct0517
2,041 posts
 
@drbarney1

Assuming your labor is free, what is your budget for materials and parts ?
fwiw
I know of two people that went this route. They both had the same challenge The Bearing "House" aka the Bearing Chamber. They both ended up with the same type of solution.

They took the (the bearing house) from an existing design and they went DIY for the everything in front and after the bearing house/chamber. If it doesn't violate patents, and copies are not made for others - then I guess you can call it DIY. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

ct0517's avatar
ct0517
2,041 posts
 
drbarney1
I am not interested in air bearings because they are too complicated and too given to maintenance requirements and the noise they make diminishes the signal to noise ratio as a whole of the system - such noise would not be tolerated if it cane from the speakers.

^^^^^^

1) Complicated - As this is an audio hobby - complicated is but relative to the individual.

2) Maintenance - As long as the air is dry there is no more maintenance than any pivot arm. Do some research on Timeter Aridyne.

3) Noise - I will assume your statement is based on assumptions or theory; or you have heard past setups which were not set up properly and or just a plain bad design.

The simple test is to ..... with the Air OFF ..... lower the stylus onto a still record. UNMUTE and turn the volume up. Then have a friend turn your pump on as you keep your ear to the speaker cone, panel, horn - whatever you are using.

Cheers - Good luck on your adventure.

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