Linear Tracking or Not?, Any Experiences and Recs


I am considering the advantange of a linear tracking tonearm compared to a bearing or unipivot arm. From my uderstanding there is no arm that can compare. Is this true. Does this make the top of the current arms not worth considering. Are there any cartridge that will reject or demand the use of a linear tracking arm. From what I understand some carridges won't work on a linear tracking arm, as well as several turntables.
dgad

Showing 3 responses by dgad

Whart,

You have me curiuos. I would love for you to compare the Airline to a Triplanar and to a Schroder. this would be the cats meow. Now, from what I undertand the XL table is a perfect match for the airline & gives you world class sound. I strongly believe in some tables possesing table arm synergy. Maybe some Audiogoners can fill in here. I do know that there is a lot of talk about cartridge & arm synergy. What about table and arm. To name a few simple examples, Basis w. Graham or w. Basis arm, VPI w. its own arm, the Kuzma combination, and TW Acustic w. Schroder or Davinci. There are more but I feel that some such as Walker or Rockport would lose thier magic w. an arm other than a linear tracking arm. I wonder if Mike Lavigne was ever able to compare a different arm on his Rockport (doubtful as it seems difficult to setup). Has Raul ever used a linear tracking arm? There is a lot to learn, but once again I turn back to system synergy as the key to having a world class system.
Karl-Heinz,

How is the low level bass on the Kuzma? I have heard that linear tracking tonearms can have problems w. the disipation of energy since they are more similar to a Unipivot in this point. Also, they sometimes preclude using an outer ring due to the positioning of the arm. To me unless you have a vacuum platter you are making a compromise. Firmly fixing the record to the platter yields much a much quieter background & increases dynamics considerably.
Karl-Heinz,

I know you love the Davinci w. the Universe. How do you like the Universe on the other tonearms? I find the Universe somethig special and different.