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Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?

My answer to this question is yes. Linear tracking arms trace the record exactly the way it was cut. Pivoted arms generally have two null points across the record and they are the only two points the geometry is correct. All other points on the record have a degree of error with pivoted arms. Linear tracking arms don't need anti-skating like pivoted arms do which is another plus for them.

Linear tracking arms take more skill to set up initially, but I feel they reward the owner with superior sound quality. I have owned and used a variety of pivoted arms over the years, but I feel that my ET-2 is superior sounding to all of them. You can set up a pivoted arm incorrectly and it will still play music. Linear tracking arms pretty much force you to have everything correct or else they will not play. Are they worth the fuss? I think so.
mepearson
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
02-26-10: Danwkw
Yes, Darkmoebius, Scheu with Conductor and Acoustic Solid with Ortofon
I forgot to mention that the Das Laufwerk is a dream table for me, I would love to own one(especially in slate). I also came very, very, close to owning an Acoustic Solid "One" a few years back, but could not find a reliable way to have it crated and shipped cross country. Both are great manufacturers.
thegage
7 posts
 
I dug out the old article (High Performance Review, Vol. 4 No. 2, by Ted Simmons/David Tarumoto). Here is what it says: "...normal pivoted arms must confront this same dynamic alignment issue. To look into this motion we mounted an Orsonic Side Force Checker SG-1 in ET2 and SAEC WE 407/23 (double knife-edge pivoted) arms. The SG-1 is a cartridge complete with cantilever and stylus that has an indicator pointer attached to the cantilever to show the relative motion of the stylus. It's a very handy device to check the amount of side force correction to dial in with pivoted arms. Here we're using it to measure more dynamic changes.

"In this case, we used it to see the relative side-to-side motion when tracking sample LPs. Normal LPs, plus those with obviously off-center holes and those with definite warps were tried.

"Surprisingly, SAEC's WE 407/23 showed a much wider side-to-side movement of the pointer than the ET2 on all of the sample LPs that we used. This happened when playing both test records (produced very precisely) and typical mass market pressings."

Interesting, but only one data point, and not able to be easily verified.
c1ferrari
464 posts
 
Following a near 3 decade hiatus from records, I acquired via AudiogoN a VPI HW-19 MKIV with an ET-2/Benz Glider combo...I've been mesmerized by tangential arms since I first saw the beautiful Rabco ST-7, as a teenage nascent audio-enthusiast, in magazine adverts and the beguiling B&O 4002, in person...I favored the Transcriptor Vestigial for radial arms. I suppose I'm examining it from a different angle :-)

Enjoy!
Sam
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Atmasphere is absolutely correct.

"The idea that a pivoted arm of correct effective mass is going to induce greater side-to-side excursion than an air-bearing straight-tracking arm strains credulity."

I would even say it neglects fundamental aspects of mechanic and physic.
But nothing in physics can be obvious enough not to be questioned if it doesn't fit the preference of an audiophile. Must have been a test of true insight and scientific brilliance.
Oh my.
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
02-27-10: Dertonarm
I would even say it neglects fundamental aspects of mechanic and physic. But nothing in physics can be obvious enough not to be questioned if it doesn't fit the preference of an audiophile. Must have been a test of true insight and scientific brilliance.
Oh my.
Main Entry: snarky
Pronunciation: \ˈsnär-kē\
Function: adjective
Etymology: dial. snark to annoy, perhaps alteration of nark to irritate
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1 : crotchety, snappish
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