Digital Stylus Balance

[YNWaN]

So, I wanted a digital stylus balance - but I didn't want to pay £70+.

So, I bought one from eBay intended for jewellery. Unfortunately, there turned out to be three problems with it; 1/ you can't rest it on the platter because it is too thick (you are supposed to measure the tracking weight at record surface level), 2/ it reads slightly differently if you rest the stylus on different parts of the pad, and 3/ it is not entirely non-magnetic.

So, having seen the very expensive Clearaudio solution, I made a 3mm acrylic platform that sticks to the measuring pad of the balance. Now there is a nicely defined little platform, and etched cross, to put the stylus on, the reading is consistent and the cartridge is away from any magnetic fields that may effect the reading - the measuring surface of the little platform is also at record surface level :-), I'm really pleased with it, works perfectly!



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I've nearly finished a very posh armboard for my deck too - no pics yet though.

[Marco]

Nice work, Mark - looks like it's just the job!

Marco.

[chelsea]

Could do with one of them.
I use some cards next to the platter to raise it.
Bit of a pain.

[DaveK]

I may be wrong - it has been known - but it may not be very accurate IMO. Certainly it should be consistent but the load on the scale is off centre (way off or weigh off ) and I think the load should be near the centre of the plate rather than a centimetre or so off the edge.
Anybody want to correct me?
Dave.

[YNWaN]

No problem, I'm happy to correct you ; as it happens, a small object placed on the centre of the weighing plate gives exactly the same reading as when the same item is placed on the outrigger platform (obviously I tested for that!).

[YNWaN]

Of course, I could have spent £115 on the Clearaudio Weight Watcher (which works in exactly the same way)....



(mine also has a display backlight and self calibrates at turn on - just like the Clearaudio - but cost very much less)

[DaveK]

Of course, I could have spent £115 on the Clearaudio Weight Watcher (which works in exactly the same way)....

It's not clear to me that it does but I am not disputing the accuracy of your design, given that you have tested it, so no real problem. As we keep telling each other, the proof of the pudding is in your ears and if it gives you the sound you want what else matters?
Dave.

[sq225917]

Blimey they don't know how much to charge for these do they.

[chelsea]

Think mine was £6 from china and looks pretty similar.

[YNWaN]

Yeah, I think mine was about £6.00 - so £109 cheaper than the Clearaudio one.
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It's not that clear from the pic, but I've handled one of the Clearaudio ones and honestly, it's exactly the same; except they have stuck on a piece of bent aluminium and I have stuck on a bit of bent acrylic. I thought it might not work either, but it does.