Wanted: good stylus guage

[jandl100]

I have a Ortofon vertical tracking force giveaway gauge already, just fancied something a bit more precise.

What have you? :)

[Oldpinkman]

I have the Ortofon and the Shure, and a set of chinese digital scales. The Shure are probably the most precise, the Ortofon more than adequate, and the digital scales are convenient but affected by the magnets in moving coils, so only any use for an approximate first set up with a moving coil

[DSJR]

My Shure gave conflicting results depending on the scale used I found. Despite the Ortofon not being finely marked, it's actually very accurate and consistent IME - I've used a great many of them and Naim thought it good enough for the ARO as they supplied one with each tonearm.

Jerry, you may have to wait, but the old Transcriptors scale/balance is superb and very accurate indeed. I have no idea though if they ever come up for sale. Didn't Audioflat (or YNWOAN) do a good modified (MC safe) digital scale once, or am I talking bollix as usual?

[Ali Tait]

Been using one of these Jerry, perfectly happy with it-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Professional-LP-Digital-Turntable-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-NEW-Version-UK-/151511079890?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Access_RL&hash=item2346c39bd2

[Riislingen]

I use the same as the one suggested by Ali.

It´s working absolutely fine, and does look suspiciously like many of the "branded" versions from the likes of Pro-ject etc.

Much lower cost though.

[Ali Tait]

Exactly.

[worrasf]

+1

Although I lost the little 5g weight at Christmas :doh:

[REW]

Similar to many I have used one of these for over a year: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100g-x-0-01g-Mini-Pocket-Digital-Jewelry-Scale-Gold-Gram-Precise-Weighing-Scale-/121322801951?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement _Equipment_ET&hash=item1c3f670b1f

Display isn't bright but it's ok.

If you use it with MC place the scale just short of the platter and place a cork (or some such) on the scale, tare, then swing the arm over the cork, stylus on the cork to take the weight. The separation avoids issues with magnets.

For MM I just put the scale on the platter mat - it is not much thicker than a record and the error is miniscule mathematically.

[RobbieGong]

Similar to many I have used one of these for over a year: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100g-x-0-01g-Mini-Pocket-Digital-Jewelry-Scale-Gold-Gram-Precise-Weighing-Scale-/121322801951?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement _Equipment_ET&hash=item1c3f670b1f

Display isn't bright but it's ok.

If you use it with MC place the scale just short of the platter and place a cork (or some such) on the scale, tare, then swing the arm over the cork, stylus on the cork to take the weight. The separation avoids issues with magnets.

For MM I just put the scale on the platter mat - it is not much thicker than a record and the error is miniscule mathematically.

I have a similar one customised and supplied by Mark (YNWaN) - member here. Excellent thing with the platform for the stylus conveniently dropping to the side. Here's the link to the thread and pics without the stylus platform fitted : http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?15654-Digital-Stylus-Balance/page20 Not sure if Mark still does them - highly recommended !

[Yomanze]

I really like the old Garrard stylus gauges: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GARRARD-STYLUS-PRESSURE-GAUGE-MODEL-SPG-3-ALSO-IN-ORIGINAL-BOX-INC-MANUAL-/181630005670

[DSJR]

Got one:) It's not as accurate as most modern-ish tonearms though I'm afraid.

[prestonchipfryer]

+1

Although I lost the little 5g weight at Christmas :doh:


Use a 20p piece, the weight is 5g.

[mimoser]

mainly I use a digital 3g scale from dx.com; easier to use than the ortofon plastic abomination, the shure scales and other contraptions including the use of jewellers scales and bent credit cards.
What I don’t like is the max 3g and that you only see what’s on the display when looking directly from above. very inconvenient when using our disco/shellc player which sits in a shelf and needs different carts using different force.
Some years ago I grabbed transcriptors scales – they are very precise (and posh!) but fiddly to adjust to different weights:
http://i408.photobucket.com/albums/pp164/mimoser67/_MG_7500_zps2cd8ce45.jpg (http://s408.photobucket.com/user/mimoser67/media/_MG_7500_zps2cd8ce45.jpg.html)
At present I use a connoisseur and grabbed two Robins gauges on US-bay. The connoisseur goes up to 6g with 1/4g increments, the Robins goes to 10g with 1/2 to 1/4g increments.
Seems like I am building a stylus scales collection …
There was a bib scale where you placed a small weight in holes with 1/4g increments, which would be ideal for disco/shellac stylus forces, but I could not yet track down one for reasonable money – they seem to be elusive buggers.
:-)
If somebody has a surplus Bib scale to offer, I’d be interested and may soon have a Robins to trade …
;-))
Michael

edit and ps: transcriptors scales go for really silly money, I actually picked up three and sold on two on the bay, collectors paid around US 180,– two or three years ago!
=8-O

[jandl100]

the ortofon plastic abomination

:lol:

Thanks for all the replies, folks.

Great post, Michael. :thumbsup: ... not that you are obsessed, of course. :nono: ;)

I have now dredged from my memory the recollection of being here before and directly testing 3 gauges - the Ortofon abomination, the Shure and one of those digital thingamebobs - and iirc they gave pretty much indentical and consistent results.
Ah - and here's the photo to prove it - taken years ago at the same table I am now sitting at!

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii114/jandl100/Stylusbalances_zps00e7c635.jpg (http://s262.photobucket.com/user/jandl100/media/Stylusbalances_zps00e7c635.jpg.html)

I'll stay with the ortofon plastic abomination, I think, but I've also just bought one of the digital scales (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Professional-LP-Digital-Turntable-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-NEW-Version-UK-/151511079890?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Access_RL&hash=item2346c39bd2&clk_rvr_id=760647261638&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true) for added peace of mind - thanks for the ebay linkie! :)

[struth]

still sticking to my shure.

[Barry]

I have three: a Transcriptors, a Swiss Mettler and a digital jeweller's scale. All three are consistent with one another and are sufficiently accurate for my purposes. (A resolution of 0.1g and an accuracy of +/- 0.01g is more than sufficient).

However the tracking force markings of my three SME arms are so accurate, stylus scales are not rreally needed. I only use scales if I am setting up a cartridge in my Breuer arm (whose VTF adjustment is not calibrated).