Mounting cartridge in Eminent Technology ET-2 tonearm

you might find this discussion here about your arm interesting

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/eminent-technology-et-2-tonearm-owners

Parallel is for VTA, I would measure the height of the old and new cartridges before the switch, get a clue if/how much up/dn difference you will have if any (true height in play position with tracking weight applied, various suspensions move differently). 

metal ruler 32nds and 64ths

How is azimuth adjusted with that arm tube when you remove/re-install it? That can be very frustrating on some, it may be better to leave the tube attached, and simply change the cartridge, more difficult, but if prior tube rotation was difficultly achieved ..... I use a speck of tak to hold screws or nuts in place temporarily

sticky tack, just a speck needed to defy gravity

You need to verify correct azimuth, I use a 1/8" thick mirror, same thickness as an LP, view when lowered, look ar cantilever, any deviation from straight will be reflected in the opposite direction in the mirror. It is both easy and vital.

mirror to check azimuth

magnifying mirror with light to reflect/view bottom of cartridge

Yes, read the thread linked by Elliot.  Lots of valuable info.

I strongly recommend you remove the arm tube in order to install the cartridge.  Much less likely to damage the cartridge.  Setting azimuth is quite simple.  Simply loosen the screw at the rear and top of the arm tube and rotate as needed.  Of course retighten when done.  

VERY IMPORTANT:  a cartridge with a different weight and height is likely to throw the balance of the arm off.  It is unlikely that whatever surface your table sits on, or the table itself is perfectly flat. There is no typical anti-skate adjustment to correct for a tonearm’s tendency to want to move towards the inside of an LP, or towards the outside of the LP. Either tendency will cause the stylus to favor one side of the groove or the other.  There is an adjustment screw in either side of the bottom of the pillar that holds the manifold housing that can be turned with an Allen wrench that allows this adjustment and balance the movement of the arm.  Put the stylus guard on the mounted cartridge and using either cueing method gently cause the arm to “bounce” a bit on the bearing tube and observe the movement of the arm.  Does it want to move inwards or outwards?  Make necessary adjustment if needed.

I highly recommend you read the ET2 manual for detailed instructions on all of the above and much more:  Good luck and enjoy this great arm:

https://www.eminent-tech.com/techsuppt.htm

https://www.eminent-tech.com/techsuppt.htm
 

I only adjust the pillar once, and that is when I install the arm on the table.  I adjust it so it’s perfectly perpendicular to the platter and so the tonearm spindle is parallel to the platter.  Machinist squares and straightedges work well for this step.  Once that is done, I never touch those screws again. 

Next, level the turntable platter.  After the TT is level, you need to level the arm spindle because you will NOT have the TT perfectly level.  You actually use the air bearing and spindle of the arm as a measuring device for this step.  As frogman mentioned, adjust the counterweight of the arm so the arm wand floats (no vtf).  Then, level the spindle by adjusting the TT’s feet until the arm does not want to move inward or outward when you "bounce" the arm as frogman mentioned.

Then, level the spindle by adjusting the TT’s feet until the arm does not want to move inward or outward when you "bounce" the arm as frogman mentioned.

No this is wrong - if you level the platter, and then alter the TT feet to level the ET tonearm spindle then the platter would now be out of level.

You level the platter, then level the ET using the 2 pillar screws at the base of the ET arm.

No this is wrong - if you level the platter, and then alter the TT feet to level the ET tonearm spindle then the platter would now be out of level.

You level the platter, then level the ET using the 2 pillar screws at the base of the ET arm.

I disagree.  My method uses the spindle as the measuring device.  If you make the pillar perpendicular to the platter and the spindle parallel to the platter and do it precisely, your platter will end up being perfectly level when the armwand does not move inward or outward when bounced.  This is a far more accurate way to level the platter than using a bubble level.

I just referred back to the manual and this is exactly how the procedure is described.  I guess that's where I got it from many years ago.

@ketchup 

I have set up many ET's - on some the spindle can go out of level when VTA is adjusted - in your terms of reference it would then not be parallel to platter.

I check the spindle is still level every time I change VTA to be sure everything is level.

Some bubble levels are quite good - I use the one supplied with my Naim Aro and with the bubble in the centre by eye, it meets or exceeds some quite expensive electronic levels. Using the Naim bubble level and then checking the level with both a Rega,Cartridge Man level and a commercial Starrett yielded no further improvements - the error from the bubble level was below what the electronic levels could measure ( they all read 0.000000 ). That actually surprised me when I checked it. I had expected the electronic levels to pick up some error.