Top linear trackers
I’m in the market soon for a linear tracking tonearm. Two in particular have piqued my interest, the Kuzma Airline with damping trough and the Bergmann Odin. From what I can tell, these designs have especially benefited from lessons learned during the evolution of linear tracking, incorporating features like longish tonearms to minimize warp wow, ultra low friction, low air turbulence, and mitigation of the high horizontal mass issue by use of a damping trough (not sure of the Odin on that). The Odin is known to have a very quiet pump. The lift on the Kuzma may be easier to operate. I would love to hear from anyone with long term experience with these arms or comparable other ones. I would be mounting this on my current VPI Classic 4 and most likely using my Soundsmith Sussoro Mark 2 ES. That cartridge should work with either arm based on the resonance calculations. Down the road I may consider moving the arm to a Sota Cosmos Eclipse or a Technics custom SP10R or another high value setup. I cannot afford the Bergmann Galder with Odin. If I could I probably would have reached the end of my journey.
Showing 3 responses by thekong
@ledoux1238 , I am not sure why you want to run the ET in low pressure, unlike your Terminator, capture bearing arms, like the ET, usually perform better at higher pressure, at least up to the limit of the air bearing. This is due to higher pressure creates a tighter bearing. If I remember correctly, the ET2.5 high pressure bearing can accepts up to 15 - 20 psi. If I am using the ET, I will be using a high pressure compressor with integrated surge tank, and multistage air regulators.
Dover has this interesting point about the air hosts in the Rockport / Kuzma Airline affecting the VTF! This is new to me, but while I can imagine the VTF can be affected if you are using say 10psi as compared to 30psi, I can't see why there is a problem when you have adjusted the VTF with the air pressure you will be using during play. But then, I suppose everything is possible if we are talking about the microscopic level. If there is a problem with the air host, I would think it is the lateral drag it created. So, it is very important to arrange the air host and wiring into a n shape to minimize drag. |
@ledoux1238 , I have used high pressure compressor with integrated surge tank for nearly 20 years and never had any problem! For my Rockport arm and pneumatic anti-vibration table, I am using an Jun Air compressor with a maximum output of around 120psi and a 25 liter surge tank. At this high pressure, unlike in your set up, the metal surge tank was purpose built and came integrated with the compressor. There is a regulator to stop the compressor when pressure in the surge tank reaches around 120psi. The compressor will automatically starts again when the pressure in the tank drops below a certain level. The compressor is quite loud when it runs, so it need to be placed in a separate room.
There is a regulator with gauge at the output of the surge tank for you to set the output pressure. I have another regulator closer to the arm to gradually bring the pressure down to around 32psi. The regulator I am using can be adjusted in 0.1psi steps. A difference of 0.1psi is clearly audible.
I have never heard of the idea that the gauge disrupt air flow, but then I have no idea whether it would. I do not use any pressure gauge on its own, and always as a part of a regulator.
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