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 ?
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Showing 3 responses by philcoffino

My ET2 rebounds wildly from runout groove. Fix?

Oracle with ET2 have been in storage for a few years. Before setting up again, I would like some help. A recurrent problem has been the arm moves toward the spindle in the runout groove, then rebounds, skittering a ways toward the record periphery. Repeat endlessly, until manual intervention. I assume that energy is stored in the I beam spring.
Easy fix?
Rebounding arm fix!

I thank the forum contributors for their suggestions.
Careful leveling has mitigated but not solved the problem. Rebound is now observed only with some records, perhaps those with runout grooves more steeply pitched.

I assume that energy is stored in the I beam spring upon inward acceleration of the arm as it encounters the more steeply pitched runout groove, then suddenly decelerates when the groove becomes circular nearest the record center, and the Ibeam with associated mass gives up its energy, pitching the arm back toward the periphery.

Bruce Thigpen offered to send me an I beam with a less compliant spring, which may solve the residual problem.

Arm setup was impaired by my inability to find my stylus pressure gauge. It is useful to know that a US dime weighs ~2.2 grams. That made it possible to jury rig a balance so that my Benz Micro Ref could be set to that pressure.
Slaw-

I am using no damping. Have seen descriptions of magnetic damping, but not sure where to place a magnet or what sort to use. Meanwhile I am awaiting arrival of a "double spring" I beam, presumably one that is stiffer than my present one.