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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 ?
128x128ct0517

Showing 4 responses by halcro

halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
OD is 'outside diameter'.
ID is 'inside diameter'.
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
BTW - If you want to know if your wire loom/TT/Preamp is up to par mount that 420str on a direct drive or idler where the motor is inches away from that cartridge. It will tell you right away if your setup is ok or has issues. Wires, TT motor related, other. Its a great test cartridge in this respect.
Interesting Chris....as I have also found the 420STR to act much like a LOMC on my Victor DD in its susceptibility to 'feedback' when the volume is turned up?
This despite the fact that the phono stage gain is set to the low MM value which, incidentally displays no such 'feedback' with 'normal' MMs?
Do you have any thoughts on why this should be the case with the 420STR?
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
Hi Thekong,
In a suspended reinforced concrete slab......there can be frequencies from 5-10Hz and higher.
In a suspended timber-framed floor they could get up to 10-16 Hz but would not normally get as low as the concrete.
Of course....the 'creaking' we can often hear in suspended floor structures as they 'move' whilst we are in bed at nights......are of a far higher frequency.
It's really the very low frequencies doing the damage as Structure-Borne Feedback as they are indicative of 'movement' within the floor structure.
halcro's avatar
halcro
2,664 posts
 
The most extremely test of this sort that I have seen was that, while following your initial settings, instead of jumping around the TT, you kick on its stand!
This is not a test for Structure-Borne Feedback.
It merely places a Dynamic (hitting) sound source into a structure.
I have never seen a scientic correlation between 'Impact' sound sources and Air or Structure Borne sound sources?
It is like the ubiquitous "Boink Test" that some audio reviewers used to do........tapping on the plinths of their turntables to see how 'immune' the turntable is feedback?
Chris' test of jumping on the floor around the turntable is a little more viable as it transfers the impact-induced source into Structure-Borne feedback within the floor........ however the form of that feedback is quite different to that which our systems are normally subjected.
Any suspended floor system (timber or steel-framed or reinforced concrete) will be subjected to Structure-Borne Feedback because of the stresses and deflections caused by the structural spans.....as well as the materials used in the floor construction.
These stresses result in subsonic low-frequency Structure-Borne feedback which passes easily into equipment racks, support stands and into the turntable plinths sitting upon these racks/stands.
That's why a wall-mounted turntable shelf is the best way to minimise this.
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