Shure still gives you the best bang for the buck and is accurate. I have the Shure and an electronic one. The both work well. Save your money for an emergency stylus replacement. |
If you are using an MC cartridge make sure the Shure :-) is not magnetic. The older ones were. I am now using a Canrong digital but the test reports give the one sold by Steve Blinn on Agon the highest ratings. |
I just purchased the Audio Additives digital stylus force gauge for $99.00 from Musicdirect. It is accurate to within .01 grams and even comes with two sets of batteries. The salesman at Musicdirect talked me out of spending an extra $30.00 for the Acoustech guage, which looks identical but advertises that it's accurate to within .001 grams, which seems overkill. Anyway, last night I used it to dial in my Transifiguration Orpheus L cartridge. It was so very easy to use. Being able to easily find the correct tracking force allowed me to enjoy this amazing cartridge more than ever. Anyone interested in getting the most out of his or her cartridge should use one. |
You could have saved another $55.00 and bought the same one from Mehran at Sorasound. |
I have the little Digital one from Mehran as well and it works very well... also have the old Shure from back when they were $5.00. If you get to Melbourne, you can try it. I may be as far as Vero next Friday as well. Missed seeing you at the record closeout last month.
Paul |
I am using the Weight Watcher from Clearaudio. Well built and accurate. The Acoustech one is not stable in my opinion. The figure keeps flutuating. |
I have the same version as Mehran sells. I think one place makes them and a variety of people put their labels on them.
Mine works fine. Anyone who thinks they need down to 0.001 gram obviously has enough invested in the system and their room to afford whatever scale gives them what they need. Most of us will have trouble hearing the difference at less than 0.05 grams so 0.01 grams does it for me. |
i purchased the $48 scale from SORAsound. I originally set my tracking force with the Shure to around 2.6g per the recommendation of VPI/Benz. Checking my setting with the digital scale yielded 2.689g so as far as I can tell, the Shure is accurate enough. I guess it doesn't hurt to have another scale to double check though. |
I'm yet another owner of the one from Sorasound. |
A digital scale is a digital scale is a digital scale. Just because it is an "audiophile approved" scale doesn't make it better. There are a number of websites that sell digital scales. Doa searcha dn find one that has increments of .01 of a gram and you're all set, for about 1/4 to 1/2 what an audiophile scale would cost you.
Enjoy,
Bob |
I don't know about others but the one I have eats batteries like crazy. I think there is something strange about the power circuit. This is the same one that Sorasound sells. |
Doe anybody tried this from ortofon? Digital Scale DS-1
http://www.ortofon.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=234&Itemid=234 |
The best gauge is the WINDS ALM01 good to 100th of a gram. |
What, exactly, is "best" about an $800 gauge that's less resolving than gauges which cost 90% less?
The profit margin enjoyed by the seller is best, obviously. Other than that, what am I missing?
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Hi got it on audiogon at $350.00 ease of use guality of built fit and finish.HELLO the BEST!! Its also made in JAPAN. |
Given that most VTF scales place the stylus up well higher than even a 180g, does anyone adjust VTA first before measuring VTF? |
Goatwuss,
Good question. Don't put your stylus directly on the platform of any digital gauge. That would indeed cause the problem you noted and also another. Many scales are magnetic and/or contain magnetic materials. The strong attraction would distort your measurement and might damage your cartridge.
Use a weighing step, which holds the stylus off to one side (no magnets) and down at typical LP height (no VTA problem).
The $800 (or $350) Winds scale includes one. So does the reasonably priced scale sold by Sorasound and others. Look at the pictures. I DIY'd a step years ago to use with my $75 jeweller's scale. Took 3 minutes, cost no money, works every time.
If I were buying today I'd buy the one sold by Sorasound.
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Has anyone with a graded (dynamic) VTF e.g. SME-V ever confirmed whether the gauge or the arm's scale are well matched?
Same could be asked about e.g. SME-IV (static) VTF a.b.c.d.e.f. weight scaling.
A. |
I use the Micro-Tech XMT-200 (200g/0.1g) digital scale which uses a weighing step off to one side as Doug suggests. The step height (surface for stylus) is approximately the same height as that of a thicker LP on the platter. It cost about $50 a couple years ago and works great. I did'nt know about possible magnets damaging the cartridge.
Axel, I have found that my scale reading and my SME V dynamic VTF dial are usually spot on. If they are off, it is never by more than the 0.1g accuracy of my scale and I just turn the dial very slightly and measure again. |
Don't put your stylus directly on the platform of any digital gauge. That would indeed cause the problem you noted and also another. Many scales are magnetic and/or contain magnetic materials. The strong attraction would distort your measurement and might damage your cartridge Does the AUDIO ADDITIVES - DIGITAL STYLUS FORCE GAUGE have a magnetic platform? Looks like the advertising http://www.musicdirect.com/products/images.php?i=-1&p=31026&h=72700 shows it placed directly on the platform. |
Here's the Canrong gauge accurate to within .01 grams for $13. You'll need to buy a calibration weight for a couple of bucks as well because at that price it doesn't come with it.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16269
I have the Canrong reading to within .001 grams and have had it for a number of years-paid about $65 for it. Non-magnetic weigh platform. Extremely accurate.
But if you can live with reads to within .01 I don't think you'll do much better. Buy 2 on the off chance that one goes bad and you'll still be way ahead of the game. |
HI Hdm,
that is a decent scale. I had one for a couple of years before the display died. Your advice to buy a couple of these is very good advice indeed. :-)
I bought a ProScale LC-50 and made a weighing step for it. One could buy three or four of the Canrong scales for the price of an LC-50. |
Sounds like it should be named "Canwrong". |
I suggest no one go near the Canrong, had one for three years used it only once and this week the LED display was all over the place. Used the thing only once, even changed the batteries, going to look for a better, more solid alternative. 75.00 for something this flimsy is no good. Avoid!!!! |
While I will agree that many of us paid way too much for these scales in the past due to some effective marketing and pricing, you have to admit that for $13 it would be a decent alternative. While they may not last forever, they do seem to be accurate. |
Guess I got lucky; My Canrong is on year 3 and only the second set of batteries. |
My Canrong is also 3-4 years old. I am on the 3rd set of batteries but I do use it a fair bit.
My feeling is that the button batteries are the main problem. The ones provided with the scale are probably ultra cheap and even the 2nd set I got (from a local cheap jewellery store) were lousy.
I ended up buying the most recent batteries from "The Source", formerly Radio Shack and for a couple of bucks extra they provide either a 3 year or a lifetime warranty (haven't had to use it yet) on the batteries, which appear to be of a much higher quality.
With decent batteries, I'd wager many of the complaints about the Canrong would not be there. Some perhaps, but probably not anywhere near as many.
It's convenient and easy to use, mine is incredibly accurate; I'd buy one again in a flash. I just wouldn't pay $100-$200 for it because it's branded with an "audiophile" label. |
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Syntax, those are hell on batteries.
Actually, I found that my Shure gauge was good to the second decimal point, when I checked the setting using a "digital" gauge. |
My shure is off by 0.1g. that is pretty good for an analog scale. |
Shure is not even close to Winds ALMo1. |
EBM, so what? I was just answering the OP's question. I don't see the value of your comments and I am sure others here will agree. I have the winds arm load meter too and the shure is off by 0.1g. Still makes a good scale! |
OK if you say so with a high end cartridge thats a lot!! |
Perhaps, that's the problem. Syntax doesn't understand high end cartridges like Ebm. LOL |
