Linear tracking turntables, whatever happened?

Lewm - As to the problems, everything of a technical nature has its pluses and minuses. So for a linear tracking tonearm, the problem is to drive the tonearm and cartridge across the LP surface, some sort of for force is required. That can be in some cases a servo motor, in some cases gravity, and in some cases just an attempt at zero friction back at the pivot point.

Huh?

The best linear tracker tonearms use the same force for movement as a pivot arm - the groove.

But they do not need antiskating and the cart does not sit at an offset.

Have you ever actually owned and used a linear tracker in your room, Lewm ?  

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Uberwaltz - I believe you are referring to the packaged deal TT setups that included a table, tonearm, cart and available for reasonable amounts? Something like the Technics SL10 I have kicking around in a closet somewhere.

@ct0517 
You are correct,my initial thread post was in reference to the all in one decks like the Revox b795 etc.
I do realise there are still a number of aftermarket linear tonearm for sale.

But not really anything you see sold as a complete package ready to go as per conventional tonearm/belt drive/direct drive TT are.

So more of a question along the lines of why did they appear to fail as a package deal to the consumer in general?

It would be foolish to judge a linear tonearm by the look. Should they be made of gold and diamonds to please all the doubting Thomas´ and naysayers ?

As our fast running friend just pointed out, OP may very well refer to vintage packaged deal TT setups. Actually my friend once had that Technics SL10 and it worked just fine and sounded quite convincing.
Beautiful gadget.

Uberwaltz
IMO - Those decks are probably the closest thing to the convenience of a CD player.
Put in a record and close the cover. But owning a good TT rig requires TT hygiene. The record and stylus needs maintenance and cleaning. Its I think easier to forget about this especially to a younger person. The styli , from younger lazy people (like my son i.e.) , probably got so gunked up with dust and other debris that they deteriorated the sound worse and worse over time. The stylus hard to see if you can believe it.  

With the focus on convenience they were made very compact with a tiny tonearm/plinth. Not good.  But overall for its size still had heft.. 

I used to own an sl1200 that I used to loan out to people.  I should have done a comparison shootout with the sl10 when I had the chance for curiosity. But have since sold the sl1200 ...and ...unlike my stocks  8^(((... the sl1200 has gone up in price... alot !  

The best linear tracker tonearms use the same force for movement as a pivot arm - the groove.

This depends on what is meant by this statement.
A number of linear trackers employ an air bearing, and thus have lateral tracking mass that is several times that of the vertical tracking mass. Quite often with such arms the side to side forces on the cantilever become the tracking angle error! This can exceed a good radial tracking arm.


So I'm not sure that qualifies as 'The best'.


A servo to control the rear of the arm as the arm moves across the LP (such as the old Rabco SL8) is a better solution, although the Rabco itself had many other problems. But if a modern version of such an arm were built, it could easily solve most of the issues that were a plague to the Rabco.