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Rabco SL-8E Vs Top Quality Pivoted Tonearms

I am very curious to find out your opinion on the following question……is a Rabco SL-8E linear tracking tonearm (in top operating conditions) as good as a top quality pivoted tonearm such as Graham 2.2, VPI JWM 9, Triplanar, etc., etc. while concidering the following parameters.
The Rabco is not the top quality linear tracking arm ever made but it has the inherent advantage of being linear tracking (as similar as possible to the cutting tool) where the Graham, VPI, Triplanar, etc. are top quality arms in built quality and design but have the shortcomings of a pivoted approach.

So, given the lower quality but better methodology for tracking of the Rabco against the higher quality but less accurate approach for tracking of the pivoted arms which one do you believe will render, all else being equal, the better sound reproduction the Rabco or the Graham, VPI, etc?
ruben1

Showing 1 response by dover

dover
2,177 posts
 
The Rabco is servo controlled, operating on error correction logic, which means the cartridge crabs and wriggles sideways across the record. The cartridge tracking is like digital - a little bit out ALL of the time.
Personally I wouldn't subject my cartridge or records to this barbaric form of tracking.
If you want to go linear tracking, then find a used Eminent Technology ET2 or Transfi Terminator - they use air bearings.
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