Are linear tracking arms better than pivoted arms?

Dertonarm, discussion of this subject is absolutely not a waste of time. I think that the opinions, experience, and findings of someone who has so much experience with different equipment as you do, is invaluable. I, for one, appreciate it. But, I think you miss my point.

Whenever I see/hear an argument made, accompanied by a great deal of technical data supporting one viewpoint or another, without at least some mention of how a piece of equipment actually sounds compared to the real thing, the red flags go up for me. Not because technical data is not important (it obviously is), but because the ultimate importance of measurements, relative to real life end results has, time and time again, been thrown into question; at least to some degree.

Without meaning to get too "Zen" about it all, the beauty of music, and less importantly it's reproduction, is the incredible complexity of it all. I think we can all agree (or should agree) that there is still a lot about the playback of recordings that we don't understand. Long held ideas/truths are regularly debunked. Thankfully, there is a lot we do understand, but if we don't always return to respect of the music and IT'S complexity, I think all the other arguments are thrown into question.

Returning to the subject at hand, by way of practical example: While I certainly don't have nearly as much experience with tonearms as you do, I think that my experience with the SME vs. the ET2 makes a point. I think most audiophiles would agree that the SME V, while not the last word in pivoting tonearms, is a quality product, and was the standard in many audiophile circles for a long time. The ET2, in spite of it's "technical" inferiority, consistently sounded more like real music to me. I don't like to bring up this point too often, but I am around the sound of acoustic instruments for several hour every day, so I am sensitive to tonal and dynamics-related issues with equipment. The ET2 consistently let my analog set-up sound more like the real thing, than did the SME; both arms were set up, I assure you, to the endth degree. What does this prove? That I "like the sound of the ET2"? No. If you can demonstrate to me that the SME "works better", from a technical standpoint, than the ET2 does (you probably can), then what it says to me is that there are some things going on with the playback process that we don't fully understand. Personally, I can live with that.

Frogman, I agree that the ET-2 sounds outstanding which is sort of what prompted me to start this thread (and I do think I had mine set up correctly which is no easy task). However, as I said previously, Dertonarm has inspired me to give pivoted arms another chance. I have bought the arm and headshell he recommended and I am looking forward to working with Dertonarm to maximize the potential by careful setup. I have a "record" of what my ET-2 sounded like as I have recorded numerous 15 ips 2 track tapes that sound outstanding (or so I think). I will be able to compare the sound between the two set ups and I look forward to it. I will be quite happy if the FR64s is the winner and won't look back if it is. In the meantime, my ET-2 isn't going anywhere.

And Dertonarm-the post office tried to deliver the FR64s yesterday, but I was at work. I signed the release paper so I should have it tomorrow. The headshell has been sent from Hong Kong. It will be ironic if the piece that takes the longest to get here is the blank arm board from VPI which is in NJ. I was hoping to be up and running by this weekend, but I doubt that will happen due to VPI.

Frogman, Your experience with ET2 surpassing SME V mirrors mine with Trans-Fi Pro vs. SME IV. As regards stylus deflection, when a linear air arm is used with a high-compliance cartridge, rather than shoot for perfect level I position the manifold so as to eliminate bias in stylus deflection during play as viewed through a magnifier. It might be that in this position the manifold is actually at a miniscule downward tilt toward the spindle, allowing gravity to work in ones favor and relieve torque on the stylus.

Agree with Samujohn and would extend his point by suggesting that ease of use and repeatability of results is an important consideration. In this regard (some) linear arms are a piece of cake relative to pivot arms. Perhaps any arm over $5K should come with a boxed homunculus to set it up.

One unique thing I just realized about linear tonearm is that I find myself cleaning the needle a lot compared to (if ever!) my other two set ups with pivot arms.

This may mean that linear arm has perfect snug contact vs pivot arms hence picking up more RIGHT info (and more dirt) indicating better performance?

Anyone else with linear tone arm experienced this?

Frogman, I do rather choose physical and technical facts in audio discussion, as sonic impressions are purely individual and can't be transferred nor put into correct perspective.
Unless you were familiar with me as a person, my taste, opinions, background, preferences in sound and sound reproduction - my personal impressions and statements of the sonic virtues of a given component are just blank phrases to you or anybody else.
However - I too take the ET 2 (and especially the ET 2.5 ) any day heads above the SME V.
The ET2 was always THE best buy among linear tonearms in specific.
But the sonic difference between the two tonearms is not a difference between pivot vs linear. The impression that many audiophile experienced with the SME V ( kind of dull, live-less sound with an over-prominent upper bass ) has to do with its very design and a few construction details which added up to an unhappy marriage.
Anyway - exchange of opinions is - if not fortified by empirical (and thats the virtue of physics and technical aspects..) arguments which at least can be verified and re-verified by others.