Opus 3 Cantus parallel tracking arm

[arnoldc]

I've always fancied about linear tracking arms. When i was young i told myself "when i grow up, i'll buy that technics linear traking turntable." and here i am today, still no linear tracking turntable

I saw this product months ago, and i've always wondered about its performance. very little is written even at audio asylum.



Maybe some of you know some information about this. This one is cheap at less than $500 USD.

[stjohn]

hi arnoldc
you are correct - this arm looks promising, but the fact that it hasn't been 'adapted' by analogists could tell us 'something' about possible dependability and longterm performance.

linear trackers are really cool arms but they need good engineering as well. Bo presents and swears by this that his arm is highly regarded in his part of the pond (Scandinavia). However, my concern is that the arm itself travels in a glass/acrylic (?) tube via the horizontal force of the record; note that there is NO lubrication or BEARING system (aside from the sliding bearing that rests DIRECTLY on the tube). Physics tells us that whenever 2 bodies rob, there is friction (talaga, kahit ano i-rub mo, may friction ). The arm wand, with its bearing sliding on the tube will have friction, and friction will produce resonance, and resonance will be picked-up by our cart, etc. . . you get the picture. . . PLUS, dirt will definitely deposit in there and bind. . . good/better quality linear trackers are all (?) air-bearings, minimizing friction & dirt deposit, so only our records sing, and not our arms

now, if we can DIY an air-bearing there, then, we are in business.
i've been contemplating this arm for my other TT, but the issues I raised really bugs me.

stay hot!
egay

[m_shoe_maker]

So, anybody want to venture on a DIY air bearing tonearm I understand even the ET2 can be driven by a small aquarium air pump. Maybe the engineers here can source / design / make the shaft for the project.

[setup4]

the ET2 parallel tracking arm's compressor is indeed just a small aquarium airpump because it just operates on a low pressure. upgrades are available for its manifold to increase the air volume but not the pressure as i remember. this also goes true with the rockport arms and the forsell t/t. the pressure is higher than the ET2 but still it operates in a relative low pressure. even the new airtangent arms ( as i remember the 1C) operates in low pressure. the most common problem with parallel tracking arms with air bearings is dust going into the bearings and the stability of the armwand because operating on low pressure would require a bigger clearance for the bearings and the manifold to accomodate a high volume-low pressure system.the only arm that i know that operates in a high pressure is the airtangent 10B and the airtangent reference. Both this arms operate in high pressure( 3 bars).high pressure solves the stability problem. however, high pressure only minimizes the dust problem and does not eliminate it.another problem would be the cost of the arms and the maintenance. this is one reason why i parted with mine.

[mylene]

linear tracking tonearms are better trackers because they are always geometrically correct in alignment unlike pivoted tonearms. however, it is a lot more difficult to produce a good linear tracker as compared to producing a simple unipivot tonearm.

if one will venture in a linear tracking tonearm, it is advised to go all the way by purchasing a top notch linear tracker. investing in an el-cheapo linear tracker is just a waste of money. if price is a concern, a unipivot tonearm would be better for you. unlike the simple unipivot principle, there are a lot of design issues that have to be mitigated in producing a good linear tracking arm. this is the main reason why a linear tracker is a lot more expensive than its pivoted counterparts.

[stjohn]

hi mylene
...price point reference is general...
pivoted arms CAN & are also expensive...

there had been quite a lot of DIYs for linear trackers, and at least one of them is 'relatively' simple, using garden variety tools and materials... i know a few mavericks who did these and swears by them (i.e. quite happy)... but of course, not devoid with problems and bugs

the ET-stuffs are good-quality arms... almost got me an ET2 for US$950, but the thought of maintaining the stuff made a chicken out of me (quak!)... i'd stay with my dependable DV, thank you

stay hot!
.e.

[m_shoe_maker]

investing in an el-cheapo linear tracker is just a waste of money.

Ain't the ET, which already has air-bearing technology, good enough for you

[stjohn]

BTW, Fritz
an air-bearing linear tracker is doable.
you can use a piece of fishing pole or arrow rod or something similar for the arm wand, then machine the bearing components & use an aquarium air-pump... at least this how it is done and some analogists have actually done that.

this might help:
http://www.xs4all.nl/%7Erabruil/tonearm.html

or search for LAADEGARD (verify spelling) air-bearing linear tracker... you'd be amazed at how this was done.

enjoy!
egay

[m_shoe_maker]

Uy, tamang tama I have a fishing rod

I'll look at it later.

I guess the critical part would be the shaft (the thing where the armwand slides) and the "connector" or whatever its called, that thing that slides along the shaft. What materials would you recommend for those

[ihatejazz]

Uy, tamang tama I have a fishing rod

I'll look at it later.

I guess the critical part would be the shaft (the thing where the armwand slides) and the "connector" or whatever its called, that thing that slides along the shaft. What materials would you recommend for those

How's the TQI 2000 performing in your system? Be humble

[m_shoe_maker]

Uy, tamang tama I have a fishing rod

I'll look at it later.

I guess the critical part would be the shaft (the thing where the armwand slides) and the "connector" or whatever its called, that thing that slides along the shaft. What materials would you recommend for those

How's the TQI 2000 performing in your system? Be humble

Humble

Ok.

I'd say a digital "all in one" Konka player is better.