One of the turntable setup videos I watched a few weeks ago (might have been an article I read) had the commentator say that linear tonearms weren't truly tangential, and that they essentially have, for lack of better paraphrasing, back-and-forth-skating as they travel down the groove. Might have been Fremer, but some of these videos have kind of run into one another in my mind.
Not being an audio or mechanical engineer, I can't argue one way or another, but a linear TA would presumably have less skating force than a pivot tonearm. I certainly wouldn't let some nearly off-hand comment ditch an entire design scheme. Mike, you're absolutely right about the drama and hot air. Would be interesting to hear a shootout and let the sound determine the difference (not that one would necessarily be "better" than the other).
Hey Mike, wanna install a second, linear, tonearm on that Innovation Master? I'll bring over a six pack of your choice of brew!
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Sources: Vinyl: Clearaudio Innovation Wood turntable with 9" Universal tonearm, Da Vinci V2 cartridge, Stillpoints SS & Stillpoints clamp, McIntosh MVP 901, Apple Mac mini via Benchmark DAC 1, Aurender N100C via Schiit Yggdrasil
Control: McIntosh C1100, Mcintosh MX151
Power: Mcintosh MC2301s (front), McIntosh MC501 (center), Mcintosh MC402 (rear)
Speakers: Sonus Faber Amati Futura (front and back), SF Vox center
Power/connections: PS Audio Power Port receptacles, RGPC 400 pro (2) WireWorld interconnects and speaker cable
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