Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners

Hi,

First time poster in this area.

Question

Anyone experiencing delays receiving arm parts from ET for their ET arms?

I have had my Sota /ET2 at The Analog Room for over 2 months. Requires a part from ET. Brian at Analog keeps calling ET and told part will arrive next week. This has continued for 2 months.

Stu

Thanks for the tip CT. Will call Bruce.

Dealer is very well known in this community. He makes calls every week.
Bruce no longer has vmail; it just rings or someone picks up.

I have purchased items from Bruce directly, like the carbon fiber arm, new weights, wand, and air pressure gauge. I really working with Bruce, but wasn't sure why this long shipping delay has occurred.

This go around I wanted dealer to accurately setup the touchy Sota/et2, and it required an et piece that broke.

Thanks for the tip CT. Will call Bruce.

Dealer is very well known in this community. He makes calls every week.
Bruce no longer has vmail; it just rings or someone picks up.

I have purchased items from Bruce directly, like the carbon fiber arm, new weights, wand, and air pressure gauge. I really working with Bruce, but wasn't sure why this long shipping delay has occurred.

This go around I wanted dealer to accurately setup the touchy Sota/et2, and it required an et piece that broke.

Hi all,

I thought I would post and say hello.

Sota Saphire (non vacuum); original owner when I purchased in 1985.
ET2 with the carbon fiber wand
Shelter 901 mark 3.

I put my pump and air tank (2 liter bottle) in the garage wall.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WbKvb5MEAq9hGfAq8


After using the Sota for 35 years, I turned in my Sota to Donna and had her team completely restore/upgrade (Dec 2020) my Sota (mag lev bearing, Eclipse controller / motor, chassis, platter upgrades). I noticed a material difference in the noise floor drop immediately.

Picture of our music room:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cr4AW1VgXBQatBE38

I have never had an operational problem with the ET2; it was setup very well when Sota/ET2 were the hot ticket back in the mid 80’s.

-stu

@ct0517 

End of November 2020 I was having my Sota Saphire restored by Sota.  Since I had the ET2 removed (before I shipped table), I called ET; I was checking in to see if there was any other maintenance / updates that I should have done by ET.  A gentleman responded, not Bruce.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Bruce is working (maybe retired?) with ET anymore. The gentleman said ET focusing only on speakers now; I think I recall him saying the machining was just too labor intensive so they are just focusing on speakers.  I don't even think they are doing any more service work.  Not sure about parts, but I suspect they are selling off whatever non speaker products/parts related to arms left in inventory...as mentioned on their website re. buying an ET2.5.

@ct0517

I built and using the Siegfried Linkwitz’ LX mini + 2 speakers

https://www.linkwitzlab.com/LXmini/LXmini+2.htm

Siegfried and Nelson Pass (Pass Labs / PassWorks) collaborated and designed an active analog JFET crossover for the this specific system (neighbors in NorCal). Fun build.

https://www.magiclx521.com/epages/17940394.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/17940394/Products/%22ASP%20mi...

I was a 30 plus year fan of bipolar speakers (Acoustats, Magnaplanar II’s and Tympani’s). I stumbled upon the Linkwitz/Pass collaboration at the San Francisco Burning Amp about 4 years ago. These were also a fun build...and now my final speakers for my lifetime. 

System to drive the LX Mini + 2 system:

Sota --> Wavestream Kinetics phono tube preamp --> Wavestream Kinetics tube line --> Pass crossover

Pass crossover output 1 (full range) to MFA 200c tube mono amps --> LX mini Seas full range speaker

Pass crossover output 2 (woofer) to Audio Research SS --> LX mini Seas woofer

Pass crossover output 3 (sub woofer) to Audio Research SS --> LX subs (Seas)

@ct0517 Agreed Chris - when you build/modify your own DIY equipment, it is personal and relinquishing that equipment is harder. I essentially reached the end of my stereo DIY building...as well as reached the end of working on muscle cars 12 years ago. I am almost done running my final ham radio antenna experiments.

I think the key is knowing you can always do more upgrades, builds and experiments, but you have to determine the point at which "you" want to stop; more so if you are still curious about orthogonal areas that require learning something completely new - which takes time to be competent. You end up trading off time and where you want to spend it...tradeoffs.

I sold off all my automotive tools and parts (engine crane, ignition analyzers, pullers, carbs, cams, etc) for restoration work. That first "release" was hard to let go. I subsequently sold off my duplicate voltmeters, oscilloscopes, signal generators for DIY stereo and ham radio builds (just kept one scope, one volt ohm and one Weller soldering workstation for future repairs). Selling off this gear / parts was much easier after letting go of my automotive gear and parts. I recently sold off my duplicate stereo gear (no second room gear or backup gear or parts...except spare vacuum tubes) - no sentiment experienced.

I will probably continue practicing piano and playing recitals for another 10 to 15 years and call that quits. Maybe I will pickup painting...