Digital stylus scales....?

[MisterKevster]

These seem to start in price at around £8.00 on that very well known site.:hmm:
Anyone with experience of such-like....at the cheaper end please??
.....looking for something that works without breaking the piggy-bank!! :)

[Cas]

Have and used one of these for ages.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-LED-Cartridge-Stylus-Tracking-Force-Scale-Gauge-0-01g-For-Phono-Set-UK/294036513436?hash=item4475f1229c:g:8o0AAOSwyd1gOnk b

[MisterKevster]

Have and used one of thses for ages.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-LED-Cartridge-Stylus-Tracking-Force-Scale-Gauge-0-01g-For-Phono-Set-UK/294036513436?hash=item4475f1229c:g:8o0AAOSwyd1gOnk b

Great....that was the one I'd spotted....and it's OK with an MC Cartridge???

[Cas]

Great....that was the one I'd spotted....and it's OK with an MC Cartridge???

I have used it on both MC and MM cartridges but mainly on an MM, do not see why it should effect an MC cartridge, its just works on weight as far as I am aware.

[Berni217]

Have and used one of these for ages.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-LED-Cartridge-Stylus-Tracking-Force-Scale-Gauge-0-01g-For-Phono-Set-UK/294036513436?hash=item4475f1229c:g:8o0AAOSwyd1gOnk b

+1


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ovlov854]

Have and used one of these for ages.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-LED-Cartridge-Stylus-Tracking-Force-Scale-Gauge-0-01g-For-Phono-Set-UK/294036513436?hash=item4475f1229c:g:8o0AAOSwyd1gOnk b

I too, have used one of these for years.
Damn sight easier than the Ortofon pivot scale

[graham67]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324338023127

I had the one mentioned in above posts but had problems with the batteries flattening and faint display.

This unit is better with a regular AAA battery and the screw on attachment means the cart is measured at the correct height which does makes a slight difference to the reading. Only disadvantage is the bigger size and the attachment is fiddly to fit so is best left on at all times.

[Manicatel]

I’ve got both the ones linked to above.
The one with the side attachment measures down to .001’s, where as the one on the first link “only” measure down to .01’s.
Both seem pretty accurate comparing to each other & another gauge I also have.
The one with the side attachment is a bit more fiddly to use & store. The first one seems ( I’m sure it actually IS) exactly the same as the one branded as Pro-Ject & a few other names as well.
Either will do a great job & are good enough for the keen amateur.

[MisterKevster]

Thanks for all the info.! :)
Think I'll be happy enough measuring to 0.01g...so will go with the scale referred to in post #2

[prestonchipfryer]

You may well find, especially with the cheap Chinese-made scales, that the magnet of a moving coil cartridge will give a false reading.

[WESTLOWER]

I have found these cheap digital scales to be very inaccurate, really varied readings depending on what angle the scales are positioned under the cartridge. I have reverted to an old school Shure Precision Stylus Tracking Force Gauge SFG-2
I had these issues with the digital scales and then when chatting with a mate, who just happens to be one of the worlds biggest high end analogue dealers, he said he swears by the Shure....
I figured if it was good enough for him, then a no brainer for me.

[struth]

ive one of the digi ones in question and found it a bit iffy at times but useful along with other guages. Ive still got my shure balance too and a better digital one, that i dont see on ebay any more alas. its very accurate

[Clive197]

I’ve had 3 or 4 of the cheap Chinese digital scales and found that they all succumbed to failure so I now use a Jelco scale which if you can still get hold of one would be a good investment. Mine still works accurately for the last two years. What’s cheap usually in my experience isn’t. As I swop cartridges (evens wear between my cartridges) over regularly I use it once every 6-8 weeks.

[Manicatel]

Maybe I’ve just been lucky with my relatively cheap digital scales.
I’ve got the Shure balance scales which is great fun to use, but I honestly don’t think you can get seriously accurate, say within thousandths of a gram as you can with some of the digital scales.
Does it really matter, getting to within thousandths of a gram is debatable I guess.
I agree that the digital scales can give different readings depending upon placement, which is why I always take a few readings over the arc of the arm to get a good idea of what’s going on.
Having a couple of different sets of scales allows cross-referencing between them & they usually come with a reference weight for calibration.
I have compared my cheap ones against a ProJect set costing about £90 or so & the results seem pretty consistent.

[Firebottle]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324338023127

I had the one mentioned in above posts but had problems with the batteries flattening and faint display.

Make sure with this type of scale that the side battery contact isn't pushed down within the battery compartment.
I have a suspicion that the side contact may have been shorting the two batteries together in mine, resulting in one of the cells going flat very quickly.

[Barry]

All analogue scales are more accurate than digital scales. Don't confuse resolution with accuracy.

I do use a digital scale, but I have calibrated it with the weights used with the Transcriptors Stylus balance. These in turn were measured using a chemical balance at work, whose own weights were calibrated and checked by the UK National Bureau of Standards.

[martinjohn308]

Bought one from Johnnie 7 Audiorigami.

Regards,

Martin

[MisterKevster]

Went for this in the end...just over £10 including Brexit tax (Haha!) and delivery.
Came in 8 days too....great.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001490030760.html