Eminent Technology ET-2 Tonearm Owners



Where are you? What mods have you done ?

I have been using these ET2's for over 9 years now.
I am still figuring them out and learning from them. They can be modified in so many ways. Bruce Thigpen laid down the GENIUS behind this tonearm over 20 years ago. Some of you have owned them for over 20 years !

Tell us your secrets.

New owners – what questions do you have ?

We may even be able to coax Bruce to post here. :^)

There are so many modifications that can be done.

Dressing of the wire with this arm is critical to get optimum sonics along with proper counterweight setup.

Let me start it off.

Please tell us what you have found to be the best wire for the ET-2 tonearm ? One that is pliable/doesn’t crink or curl. Whats the best way of dressing it so it doesn’t impact the arm. Through the spindle - Over the manifold - Below manifold ? What have you come up with ?
128x128ct0517
Hi Chris,
They "wear out" due to age.  They get hard and crack.  Putting the pump in another room is the easiest way to mitigate vibrations.  An even better way is to use a large air compressor to get rid or the air pulses, but that's a different matter altogether.  The info in the link above is for someone wanting to bring their pump back to factory configuration and operation.
"wear out due to age"

Oh I realize that Ketchup. Firstly my apologies for going audiophile on you guys..temporarily. The recent chill in the air has forced me inside. Must be the contributing factor.
    
I said what I said because I thought hanging a pump motor would "improve" on the set up. Another way is to add the surge tank - yes.

"Putting the pump in another room is the easiest way to mitigate vibrations"

It's still sending noise down the air line like electricity.
So a very easy way of finding out how much noise for those interested. (Discussed here already)  

If one wants to find out how much pump noise is being sent down the air line follow this procedure.

******************

1) With pump on and system muted - Lower the ET2 onto a still record.
2) Turn off the air pump.
3) Still muted turn the volume up to regular listening level and Unmute the system.
4) Place your ear next to the speaker.
5) Have a friend/wife turn the pump on while you listen to the speaker. Note any differences.

So it would be an interesting comparison with a standard WISA setup and a hanging one. anyways. 

ps.

6) One can also start jumping up and down around the turntable after #5, and, if  there is no noise out of the speakers..... your setup is solid.

Ok.... will turn audiophile mode off now. 8^0

@ct0517 
Hi Chris,
My Denon is the M version.  From my reading I believe it did not have a conical stylus but a line contact on a boron cantilever.  I'm pretty sure my Denon has been retipped, including cantilever because the chap I bought it from said it had an aluminum cantilever and only 50 hours but was not NOS.  The DL-103M is way to old and out of production to have only 50 hours and it had a boron cantilever.

The Delos has been resting too long for me to make comparisons with the Denon.  I am running it on the Garard 301 through an ARC PH-3 to my CAT SL-1.  Compared to the Van den Hul Black Beauty on the VPI. running directly to the CAT the Denon does nothing wrong.  It just has a little less. Totally sins of omission.  Not quite as much air, extension up top or separation of instruments.  Bass extension is very nice.  Sound stage not quite as deep.  The differences are not large.  It is not something one notices if one starts listening on the Denon.  It is not until I switch over to the VDH that I hear the difference.  But considering the more than 10X price difference the difference in sq is small.  And it is just very musical.

Re my sub crossover.  I don't know when you last looked at my virtual systems but there are other changes since last we chatted.  I was running a Sunfire True sub with no crossover.  High level input from my amp to the Sunfire.  Gone is the Sunfire, replaced with a Vandersteen sub which uses filters to reduce bass from one's amp and regenerate in the sub.  My amp has a 200k ohm input impedance.  If I set the Vandersteen input filter/crossover at 200k ohms it is crossing over at 80 hz, but it sounds best set at 100k ohms.  I think this produces a slightly lower crossover point but I'm not sure.

Even though I'm running my signal through another box (the crossover) with associated extra plugs and interconnect the Vandy woofer was a huge improvement.   Not only is the bass more precise but the improvement in soundstaging, air and room cues was substantial.  Releving my main speakers of bass improved everything up above.

I intend to try you near field sub experiment next rainy day but my room does not allow permanent near field placement of the sub.

vpi,
Nice looking tables!  Did you ever think about putting the ET2 on the Garrard?  I don't think I've ever seen that combination before.  I have an ET2.5 and a Garrard 301.  I might have to try it.

Ketchup,
I briefly considered putting the ET-2 on the Garrard but considering the obscene amount I paid for the plinth I quickly decided against drilling more holes.  I'll eventually be putting the Delos back on the Garrard and I was never satisfied with the Delos on the ET-2.  But it really sings on the Garrard/Ortofon rig,

If you decide to try it, let us know what you hear.
Cheers,
Harry