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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.
earthtones
thekong
203 posts
 

@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. 

 

mikelavigne
2,152 posts
 

another vote for the CS Port linear tracker. i own the CS Port LFT1 turntable which has the linear tracker. what is special is it’s low pressure low flow which results in amazing subtlety and nuance. and the air box is completely silent. great bass and rendition of space. and very elegantly made.

https://www.csport.audio/products/products-afu1-2-en.html

back in the day i owned other linear trackers; the Rockport Sirius II SE for a year, then the big bad epic Sirius III for 8 years, so i know me some linear tracker.

ledoux1238
276 posts
 

@thekong Thanks for that explanation. So pressure levels can reach 120psi! At that level,  it would make sense that all accessaries are purposefully built with fail safe mechanisms. 

@mikelavigne +1 on the CS Port arm. 

You were one of the very early adopters of the CS port system, certainly in the US; low pressure arm with non-servo motor, the exact opposite of the Techdas brute mentality. 

mikelavigne
2,152 posts
 

in September 2019, i did receive the first CS Port products in the Western Hemisphere. i contacted CS Port in Japan to inquire and they referred me to the UK distributor. it was another year before anyone else in the US bought any.

why i pursued it, was feedback from a friend in the UK who had been a fellow Rockport linear tracker owner 15 years prior. he knew i would appreciate it, and he was spot on. i listen daily with great pleasure.

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