Linear tracking turntables, whatever happened?

I have a Thales. I have had a lot of tonearms. This is my last. No where else to go. There maybe equals. Not better. My view only. ✌️🖖

Ah, I meant the SM, not the XM. Thanks for forcing me to check, @cleeds 

https://ateupwithmotor.com/contentfiles/uploads/1972_Citroen_SM_front.jpg

Interesting comments here on LT tables. After going turntable-less for about 14 years, and had previously owned a couple of LP12’s and Well Tempered Labs(which I still highly rate), I bought a Holbo linear tracking, air-bearing turntable system last July. 

This turntable for one, does not look like an oil rig that some LT units resemble, is fairly simple and straight forward design. It uses a simple low pressure pump that is for all purposes extremely quiet, so much so, it sits on the lower shelf of my equipment/TT stand. I certainly do not hear it running!

While setup of arm azimuth can be a little fiddly, it really takes no more patience than any pivoted arm. This arm, as well as the platter are supplied air from the pump, it all works really well, keep it all level, and keep the main arm air bearing shaft clean, you are good to go. I haven’t had any of the fiddliness and constant adjustment stuff talked about above, so no clue about that.

The best of all, this table just makes great music, and that with my using a very cheap, entry level MM cartridge, a Nagaoka MP110. Yes, this part will be my focus of this new year, a new cartridge upgrade. Also, Bostjan Holc of Holbo has been fantastic to work with-I have no affiliation etc. with said gentleman, but prior to US distribution here in the US, we worked together to get the table here, and he has quickly answered my concerns, setup questions etc. By the way, Holbo is now distributed by Jeff at High Water Sounds, NYC. 

I am always interested to hear the varying takes on the technologies and design that goes into products, and like anything, many debates over what is best or worse, and why. Yet really, as is said, many ways to skin the cat, and in the end, what can one “hear”-or not, that which makes one technology better than the other(s). Like pivoted versus linear, they both exist for their varying reasons. The main thing is that the product is well engineered, reliable, and most of all, sounds good and does what it is supposed to do! 

I love this turntable, it was a huge stretch for me to get back to vinyl after all these years, but I am glad I made that stretch! So all, enjoy your pivoted arms or your Linear trackers, they all have their merits, but most of all, enjoy the music! If you do get the chance though, give a Holbo a listen, you just might like it! Have fun all, now back to music....

Hi i have now been tunning with my VYGER: Indian signature where there is a Visio carbon linear tonearm for many years now. It runs great and with almost no problems
. Aditional i also have a DaVincy : Grandesse Ref 12” radial tonearm which also is a very good tonearm.
 For linear tracking you need a somehow stiff cartridge <10 to manage the horisontal  forces that mainly comes from excentric rekords.
If you want to play loud and realistic i beleave the linear tracking has huge advantages, as the distorsion is remarkebel lower.

If the record already have had a life on a radial tonearm you can actually hear it. Maybee they will live longer if only played via a linear tonearm, if it is correct set up. 
So should also the needle on your cartridge.
Enrico from VYGER has updates the air/vacum pump mk4, as well as the motor controller to a very very high level, so noise or heat ( watercoled) isent really a problem. 
However the Thales tonearms does also solve the trackingerror problem and maybee in a more easy way but i have no expirience with these yet. ( is on the wish list )
regards Thastum

As and ET 2.0 owner for 25 years (Upgraded to 2.5 10 years ago), I have a few observations.  One - it is difficult to completely dial in. That being said after using the Feickert app for azimuth and fine tuning by ear, I've not made any further adjustments to setup parameters in the last six months, other than tiny tracking weight adjustments. I'm just playing records and hearing, as best as I can tell, using a Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC through a Herron VTPH-2a phono stage, virtually all the information in the grooves.  Getting the stylus to exactly match the location and angle of the cutting lathe chisel may be impossible, but unlike a pivoted tonearm, with it's guaranteed tracking error, at least you have a chance.   Two - Pump problems can be solved if you can find room for a 20 gallon shop compressor.  Mine is about 30 feet away in another room connected to the tonearm via 1/4" hose. I turn the compressor on until it fully charges to about 115 PSI.  I then turn it off.  That gives me around 2 to 2.5 hours of listening time as the tank drains, where the regulated pressure at the tonearm is 12 psi.  If I'm still listening, I just turn it the compressor on again for a recharge, which takes about 4 minutes. The setup includes a moisture trap, but there has never been any moisture in the line, ever.  For several years I switched to an oil based compressor, also in the other room.  It was only 3 gallons and was very quiet, so I could leave it on, and it would switch on as necessary.  Over time, it started leaking oil that traveled all the way to the tonearm spindle and jammed it up.  I cleaned the spindle with MEK and went back to the big compressor and I've had zero problems since.  Having heard digital dubs from a Caliburn TT, I do know that where my setup falls short is in conveying the forward momentum / punch that a cost no object drive system brings to the table.  But that's not the tonearm's fault.  Other than that, 50 years into this hobby,  I'm more in awe of what LP's are capable of than ever. It's like sitting at a mixing console, where you can choose to follow any component from the kick drum to triangles to the subtlest background vocals.