Linear tracking turntables, whatever happened?


Curious as to the demise and downfall of the seemingly short lived linear tracking TT.
Just from a geometry point of view I would have thought a linear arm should be superior to one with a fixed pivot that sweeps through an arc.
Obviously there is much more to it than that, sort of the reason for this thread.
I am genuinely interested in trying one out for myself as well.
128x128uberwaltz
But.... after painful setup.... with a Dynavector Ruby the Souther on a SOTA Sapphire could be made to sing !!!!!!
^- :_)
It never fails to amaze me when people post comments on Hi-Fi gadgets they have never seen live in action not to mention heard.
FYI the best air bearing TAs do not need fancy devices such as servos to show the way, the groove takes over. So any force or resistance is futile. As seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6nMtn8oEJg

Audio and picture may not be the highest quality but hope you like the music as well : )

Good night
testpilot, Thanks for supplying the name of that company, Bergmann.  If you re-read my post, you will see that I mentioned first that there was one German company I could not name, and second that I thought Brinkmann might also make an all-in-one SL turntable.  On that score, I may be right or wrong.

Ct and Harold, NO, as I mentioned, I have never owned an SL tonearm.  And NO, I don't categorically dislike the idea.  I have had a long-standing interest in the Trans-fi Terminator, which you can probably verify by doing a search here.  I have heard it and other air-bearing tonearms many times, and I agree they have a lot to offer. Up to now, if I were to want to experiment with an SL tonearm, the Trans-fi would still be my choice.  I do have an opinion that the Rabco SL8, which I have heard many many times, and the Souther are not the way I would go.  These are my opinions.  So sue me.
And Harold, Whether you like it or not, there is no such thing as "friction-less" in the real world.  Ergo, if the groove is guiding the stylus tip, there is a side force generated at the stylus due to friction at the junction (and the mass) between the arm wand and the tube upon which it rides. Albeit the best air bearing tonearms are pretty successful in minimizing this problem.  Why is it so upsetting to mention that?
Uber waltz, I know what you mean.
Even Arthur Salvatore switched back to pivoted arms as his ultimate preference when he felt they had improved enough. ;)