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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
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,577 posts
 
Pgtaylor, its the arm tube. It has a mid-frequency resonance and is poorly controlled by the materials within. That's where the Graham and the Triplanar take it to task.

The Sayles arm looks brilliant. Now can we have a version that puts the bearings in the plane of the LP?
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Hello Pgtaylor, the original idea of the team around Mr. Robertson-Aikman of SME turned against them.
Indeed - as Atmasphere already pointed out - it is resonance inside the magnesium armpipe. While all done and designed in the best intention,the shape of the magnesium armpipe with the widest diameter at the bearing does somehow amplify and ill-control armwand inherent resonance. The heavy pre-tension of the bearings doesn't ease things in this manner at all.
However - there is something you can do to lessen the effect and better the sonic performance of your SME V:
- do get "blue-tec" or something similar. Do apply small amounts (about the size of a cent) at the widest diameter of the armpipe and close to the headshell. It looks ugly, it will increase the effective moving mass, but it will dampen the unwanted inherent resonance quite well.
The sound will open up and will get more "air".
The SME V is a somehow fine example of a very impressive design approach with very consequent execution - cost little to o object indeed.
However - here two design features implemented with the very best of intentions combined to an unwanted side-effect.
Thank you - and Hiho as well - for your kind comments on my posts. Nice to get some positive feedback.
Cheers,
D.
darkmoebius
900 posts
 
03-05-10: Atmasphere
The Sayles arm looks brilliant. Now can we have a version that puts the bearings in the plane of the LP?
Question for the engineers/techies: does the composite of the three points of movement in the Thales arm (shown here) somehow create a theoretical bearing in line with LP? Especially since one is above the plane of the record and another well below the plane as shown in this picture?
dertonarm
1,042 posts
 
Don't you think we should open up two new threads: one for the Talea (wonder anyway why this hasn't been done yet...) and one for the Thales.....?
pgtaylor
32 posts
 
Thanks, Dertonarm, for the tip about the blue tack. I will definitely try this, but first I need to find a version of this product that is not black, not blue!
Best wishes,
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