[Niteshade]

I've been reading about linear tracking turntables. The idea seems promising, but don't know whether there are any good ones out there.

[vinylphilemag]

I've been reading about linear tracking turntables. The idea seems promising, but don't know whether there are any good ones out there.

Oh, there are a few good 'uns!  The Walker Proscenium comes to mind, as does, of course, my Forsell Air Reference:



Others include various Goldmunds, etc.

However, due to the mechanics involved, I wouldn't touch one of the cheap linear trackers with someone else's barge pole.

[Niteshade]

Wow- I never saw anything like that before! 

Does it use a servo to move the arm? Do you have to oil the brass bar the arm rides on?

I've only seen the cheap ones- what a surprise this is!

[doug s.]

Wow- I never saw anything like that before! 

Does it use a servo to move the arm? Do you have to oil the brass bar the arm rides on?

I've only seen the cheap ones- what a surprise this is!

that's an air-bearing tonearm.  a "relatively" cheap lt deck that i have heard decent things about is this.  (but i have no first-hand experience.):

http://www.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?anlgtabl&1260277276&/Mitsubishi-LT-30-Linear-tracki


personally, having read of your endeavours w/the dual 1229 turntable, i would recommend looking for a nice used wintage empire unsuspended deck, at ~half the price of the above lt - it will blow the dual away performance, wise, imo.  one of my happiest moments in audio was literally throwing my 1229 into a dumpster, after putting up w/it for so many years.    it had audible wow and was always malfunctioning.  a well set-up empire, otoh, w/a better arm, will rival decks costing thousands...  amhik.   

doug s.

[TheChairGuy]

I'd imagine warp-tracking to be the major failing of a linear arm?

It would almost seem necessary to use a linear tracking arm with an outer ring clamp or vacuum hold down....otherwise it would seem to be ugly in the tracking department.

Just a hunch...I've not used a linear arm, personally.

John

[doug s.]

I'd imagine warp-tracking to be the major failing of a linear arm?

It would almost seem necessary to use a linear tracking arm with an outer ring clamp or vacuum hold down....otherwise it would seem to be ugly in the tracking department.

Just a hunch...I've not used a linear arm, personally.

John

i have found this to be problematic w/regular arms, not sure if it's any better/worse w/lt arms.  my solution has been to use a mat that is ever-so-slightly concave, w/a good clamp.  i have never felt the need to use a periphery ring.  i like the idea of wacuum hold-down platters, but i haven't tried one of those, either...

doug s.

[Berndt]

personally, having read of your endeavours w/the dual 1229 turntable, i would recommend looking for a nice used wintage empire unsuspended deck, at ~half the price of the above lt - it will blow the dual away performance, wise, imo.  one of my happiest moments in audio was literally throwing my 1229 into a dumpster, after putting up w/it for so many years.    it had audible wow and was always malfunctioning.  a well set-up empire, otoh, w/a better arm, will rival decks costing thousands...  amhik.   

doug s.

Doug, I appreciate that you want people to get their moneys worth and buy an old Empire, but it is making it hard on those who are trying to buy old empires for the same price we were paying a few years ago . Even the suspended ones are going for more $$$ these days. 
Fellow lover of old Empires, Bill

[doug s.]

personally, having read of your endeavours w/the dual 1229 turntable, i would recommend looking for a nice used wintage empire unsuspended deck, at ~half the price of the above lt - it will blow the dual away performance, wise, imo.  one of my happiest moments in audio was literally throwing my 1229 into a dumpster, after putting up w/it for so many years.    it had audible wow and was always malfunctioning.  a well set-up empire, otoh, w/a better arm, will rival decks costing thousands...  amhik.   

doug s.

Doug, I appreciate that you want people to get their moneys worth and buy an old Empire, but it is making it hard on those who are trying to buy old empires for the same price we were paying a few years ago . Even the suspended ones are going for more $$$ these days. 
Fellow lover of old Empires, Bill

   yes, the empires seem to sell for ~$300-$800 these days; a little more than what they used to get.  the suspended empires always seemed to get higher prices, tho; it's the non-sprung ones that seem to now consistently garner more than $300, and this wasn't always the case.  still a screaming bargain, tho, imo.

your modded empires must be something - i suspect they will go toe-to-toe w/any deck at any price.  my hat's off to you!   

doug s.

[Norman Tracy]

Air bearing linear tracking, the only way to fly.





ET 2.5http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html

Fun (make that expensive fun) from Goldmund



Kuzma uses high pressure airbearing just like integrated circuit litho equipment




Mucho info and pictures:
http://www.soundfountain.com/amb/ttrabco.html

[vinylphilemag]

Wow- I never saw anything like that before! 

Does it use a servo to move the arm? Do you have to oil the brass bar the arm rides on?

I've only seen the cheap ones- what a surprise this is!

Thanks!  The Forsell is quite a rare beast.

The arm, like the platter floats on a thin cushion of air (i.e., they're both air bearings).  No servos are used; the act of traversing the groove pulls the arm when necessary.  Vanishingly low friction and (preferably) low moving mass are a must!

Incidentally, the brass-looking stuff is actually 24k gold.  I'm sure it has no effect on the sound, but it sure looks pretty! 

[vinylphilemag]

I'd imagine warp-tracking to be the major failing of a linear arm?

It would almost seem necessary to use a linear tracking arm with an outer ring clamp or vacuum hold down....otherwise it would seem to be ugly in the tracking department.

Just a hunch...I've not used a linear arm, personally.

John

Warp tracking really isn't a problem (though I don't tend to play records that are very warped), because the arm's centre of gravity is on the same plane as the record (or very close to).

[doctorcilantro]

I had a cheap JS Electrostatic linear tracking, hand-made and would watch at practically jump while it tracked fine. My MG-1 has been working well for a year or so.

DC

I'd imagine warp-tracking to be the major failing of a linear arm?

It would almost seem necessary to use a linear tracking arm with an outer ring clamp or vacuum hold down....otherwise it would seem to be ugly in the tracking department.

Just a hunch...I've not used a linear arm, personally.

John

Warp tracking really isn't a problem (though I don't tend to play records that are very warped), because the arm's centre of gravity is on the same plane as the record (or very close to).

[doug s.]

personally, having read of your endeavours w/the dual 1229 turntable, i would recommend looking for a nice used wintage empire unsuspended deck, at ~half the price of the above lt - it will blow the dual away performance, wise, imo.  one of my happiest moments in audio was literally throwing my 1229 into a dumpster, after putting up w/it for so many years.    it had audible wow and was always malfunctioning.  a well set-up empire, otoh, w/a better arm, will rival decks costing thousands...  amhik.   

doug s.

Doug, I appreciate that you want people to get their moneys worth and buy an old Empire, but it is making it hard on those who are trying to buy old empires for the same price we were paying a few years ago . Even the suspended ones are going for more $$$ these days. 
Fellow lover of old Empires, Bill

reasonably priced empires can still be found - here's one that yust sold for $250 + shipping:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250511697794


doug s.

[2bigears]

  there is a nice Walker with Walker LT arm on the Gon right now for a touch over 20g.that is sweet eye candy.bet it sings a fine song.poor boys can only dream

[doug s.]

there is a nice Walker with Walker LT arm on the Gon right now for a touch over 20g.that is sweet eye candy.bet it sings a fine song.poor boys can only dream

and get 98% of the sound for 1/5-1/10 the cost, w/careful shopping, to tide us over until we win the lottery.   

doug s.

[Niteshade]

There's lots of dirt cheap linear tracking turntables out there- but I doubt they work well- unless someone knows of one that does. Most are 3/4's plastic and use a DC dervo system to move the head- much like a printer.

I'm new to vinyl and looking for something that's inexpensive to start out with. I think my old Dual has seen better days. The Linear tracking turntables are VERY interesting and that vintage Emprire is neat. I've seen some vintage Gerrard turntables on Ebay- some of them look well made, but perhaps too old.

I have tried some cheap turntables and they have trouble with inner tracks, high volume/high pitched recordings.

[Mister Pig]

There's lots of dirt cheap linear tracking turntables out there- but I doubt they work well- unless someone knows of one that does. Most are 3/4's plastic and use a DC dervo system to move the head- much like a printer.

I'm new to vinyl and looking for something that's inexpensive to start out with. I think my old Dual has seen better days. The Linear tracking turntables are VERY interesting and that vintage Emprire is neat. I've seen some vintage Gerrard turntables on Ebay- some of them look well made, but perhaps too old.

I have tried some cheap turntables and they have trouble with inner tracks, high volume/high pitched recordings.

Hi,

Inexpensive leaves the door wide open to interpretation, but here is a suggestion of two.

From what I have seen on the used market, the Systemdeck IIXE or the Ariston tables can be had for an attractive price. Somewhere on Canauckmart there is an Ariston 11 with Grace 707 arm for $300. Course you would have to convince the guy to ship it, and pack well. But thats a killer table for tres benji's.

The Systemdecks are quite nice, I owned one when it was new. Capable of good sound, and I liked it better than a Rega Planar 3.

Seems like used vinyl gear prices have skyrocketed to where the value is no longer there. But some gems can still be found with careful hunting.

Regards
Mister Pig

[Mister Pig]

I'd imagine warp-tracking to be the major failing of a linear arm?

It would almost seem necessary to use a linear tracking arm with an outer ring clamp or vacuum hold down....otherwise it would seem to be ugly in the tracking department.

Just a hunch...I've not used a linear arm, personally.

John

I have owned an Eminent Technology II on a Teres table. The tracking of less than perfect records was outstanding. The Well Tempered arm I had before did well, but the ET was better. Actually this is my favorite arm that I have owned, and wouldn't mind having one again.

Regards
Mister Pig

[doug s.]

i second the systemdek ll turntables - excellent, and better than the inexpensive rega's imo.  the empires are better still, tho.  of course, imo.     a bud i know loved his ariston, said i was better than his rega p25, but i have never heard either...

doug s.

[Niteshade]

Thanks everyone! I'll look out for those brands. High frequency/high volume tracking is a chore for turntables- can't wait to see what a decent one can do.