What's wrong with Linear Tracking tables? Which ones are worth having?

tygr

Audiophoole
Like the title asks, what's wrong with these things? Why no love for linear trackers in a home application? They seem like a neat idea. I like the automatic control of the tonearm. I had one back in the early eighties.

Are there any worth having that you kids know of? If so, what makes them worth owning? If not, why not?
 
They are actually very good! I have 3 in my collection. But, they typically need more work than a regular turntable to get them working properly. More parts that can fail.
 
I have no problems with my Technics SL-M3. Top-notch turntable, no worries about anti-skate, and I've got a Sony LOMC T4P cartridge on there that is taking names and kicking behinds.

Possible downsides are that it is limited to T4P cartridges (I took that limitation as a challenge) and dealing with the complexity of the arm if something were to go wrong (knock on wood).
 
My Revox B795 is a great linear tracking TT. The main problem is to change cartidges, and the fact that there is a limited choice for them due to the extremely low effective mass of the "tonearm".
 
I will let you know, have not had any interest in any of these. But recently acquired a few of these, getting ready to test out the Yamaha px-2, and Yamaha px-3, x2. New cart. Setup should be here tu. To test the above, hope everyone has a great WK. End. .........cheers.
 
If it works well buy it. They are excellent turntables. No need for anti-skate and no inner groove distortion issues. The reason they were made is because the arm is always at the same angle to the record and is playing the grooves the same way they master was cut.
 
I have an SL-Q5, pretty much the same as the SL-Q6 but without the programmability features. I've had fun with mine (currently in storage but I may pass it along to a relative soon), but it has an additional limitation to some other Technics linear trackers: it has no adjustment for tracking force. This will limit you to p-mount cartridges that match up well with the T4P specifications for total mass (6 grams) and tracking force (1.25 grams), if the Q6 is the same as the Q5 in that matter.

Any idea what cartridge is on it now?
 
Who says no love? Plenty of us with LT's around here to make that question somewhat suspect. Some limit you to P mount carts and they each have their own care and feeding routine. But it is a very valid road to vinyl nirvana...

jblnut
 
I've had two SL-6, and liked them... yours is SL-Q6. Not sure the difference (pix show only cosmetic changes). Good TT (not the ultimate, but you know that— still very good) and price of $150 is correct if in good shape. You can select specific tracks to play or skip, a feature I rarely used, but it's great for some users, and it works. The small size is a great feature
I'm currently using a Mitsubishi linear and love it. It's a "higher-end" design which accepts standard design carts, which offers a far wider range.
Still not the ultimate, but pretty great.
 
I absolutely love my SL-D4, not my main table but such a cool gadget with a great sound. No turntable manufacturer would ever spend the money to design something of its ingenuity today.
 
I have three models myself from Sony, Technics and a Realistic model. I wouldn't say that end of side distortion really disappears, nor can I really say distortion is all that much less than a pivoted arm model. Mine all work, but once they really break down I'll just ditch them. Not worth the cost of repairing. So I'll just enjoy them for now.
:)
 
I have three models myself from Sony, Technics and a Realistic model. I wouldn't say that end of side distortion really disappears, nor can I really say distortion is all that much less than a pivoted arm model. Mine all work, but once they really break down I'll just ditch them. Not worth the cost of repairing. So I'll just enjoy them for now.
:)

I agree. A lot of people seem to think that end of side distortion is caused by something about pivoting arms, but that simply isn't the case. There are many factors that add up to cause audible distortion but the largest by far is "Pinch Effect Distortion" and linear trackers have no effect on that. The very slight tracking angle error of a correctly adjusted pivoting arm has almost no effect on audible distortion.

There are several areas one can work on to reduce distortion to acceptable levels but perhaps some of the most dramatic are using a very low tip mass stylus and one with a very narrow profile. Even so, when when all else is in order even a conical stylus can provide excellent, undistorted playback on a large majority of records.
 
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linear trackers with P-mounts were one of the last ditch efforts against the emerging CD invasion.

these are great and usually gotten for cheap. P mount, as much as people look down their noses
at them, offer super low weight, auto tracking forces, and cheap replacement needles -although
they come in conical shapes - the ellipticals are rare but can be found. the fixed specs for P-mount
means great replacements without the religious anal aspects of VTF, berwald/Stevenson fanatics,
angle of the needle dangle, and effective mass arguments of the 80-year FordvsChevy feuds.

I've had several (pioneer, technics, Carrera) and they all work beautifully with track selection,
and programmatical track sequencing that no one talks about except the kings of the AccuJack
4000.

look for the last generations of the low-end Pioneers, they used the same mechanism and usually
all that is necessary to fix if at all, is the tone-arm up-down belt. rubber band will work in its place.
if you are the flippers in this line, I'd buy them all day long.

Avoid the high-end since they are the holy-grailers - you will overpay to buy it, overpay to fix them,
but you get bragging rights.

ever have a turntable you can rest a receiver/amp/preamp on top of?
 
There's always the Garrard Zero 100, a TT that tried to provide the best of both worlds through a pivoting tonearm with a pivoting headshell designed to keep the tracking angle the same across the record. It was great except that it weighed a hundred pounds. :p I've often wondered why no one re-engineered such an arm with lighter materials.
 
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