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Thread: Stylus Tracking Force Gauge

  1. #11
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Sheffield

    Posts: 2,026
    I'm Confused.

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    Hi Guys,
    Just my two penn'orth: -
    I bought a very similar one, similar shape, design and size (as far as I can tell), but no leather case - mine has a clear plastic hinged lid and a couple more buttons - from Maplins for either £10 or £20, can't remember.
    I'll try to answer points raised by others:
    1) effect of cartridge magnet - tried mine with fridge magnet and no attraction so cartridge magnet shouldn't have any effect.
    2) height of scales - may be coincidence but mine is almost exactly the same height as the difference in height between top surface of LP on platter with mat in place, and the top of the upper surface of the deck, so placing it under the cartridge rest position and lowering the tonearm on to it gave the 'weight/force' at the correct height, give or take a gnat's cock. (technical term ).
    And, most important, I'm happy with the resulting sound.
    Cheers,
    DaveK.

    My System:
    Power: Belkin PF40, Custom.hifi.cables Hydra and DC PSUs.
    Sources: Self built HTPC with Xonar ST sound card, NAD T585 multi disc player, Sony BDP-S350, Squeezebox Touch, Techncs SL1210 (mod'd) + Nagaoka MP30, Thomson Sky HD box.
    Amps etc.: 2 x Mini-T amps, MF-X10D Valve buffer clone, StanDAC 7520/Caiman (mod'd).
    Speakers: Mission 774s with added super tweeters
    Cables: best I can afford and likely to change except Homar's RF attenuated co-ax's and Mark Grant USB and HDMI cables. I also like silver i/cs and speaker cable.

  2. #12
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Dartmouth in beautiful Devon UK

    Posts: 1,243

    Question

    Every magnet? How could that be? edit: Fridge magnet test is a good idea!

  3. #13
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK

    Posts: 16,937
    I'm ChrisB.

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    A note of caution, there Will.
    That stuff can rip your stylus off if you're not careful.
    I use it & have done for years, but you should take extreme care, lock the platter & only use the lift/lower device.
    If it's the same as the Magic Eraser I use, it's actually not polystyrene foam, it's melamine foam & the reason it's so good at cleaning is that the structure of the material has millions of tiny barbs on it. But a sideways movement when your stylus is embedded in it can prove that the gripping power can be stronger than the holding power of your cartridge makers glue!

    Apart from that, it's fantastic stuff!

    So are the 'sticky hands' :
    http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=551

    Post No. 5

  4. #14
    Join Date: Dec 2008

    Posts: 109

    Default

    Yes Melamine foam and I should have said use a vertical dip into the foam,
    very good as it keeps fingers away from the stylus.

    ..

  5. #15
    Alex_UK's Avatar
    Alex_UK is offline Spotify + Facebook Moderator / Chilled-Out Wino and only here for the shilling
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Sunny Suffolk, UK

    Posts: 15,952
    I'm WrappingALilacCurtainAroundMyBobby.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Cawley View Post
    Hi Alex

    How will you know if the magnets in your cartridge are affecting the reading?

    Regards

    Dave
    Put something small on the scale, around the same size - then slowly move cartrige/headshell into close proximity - if the weight doesn't change, then it should be fine, I would think.
    Alex

    Main System: Digital: HP Laptop/M2Tech Hiface/Logitech Media Server/FLAC; Marantz SA7001 KI Signature SACD Player and other digital stuff into Gatorised Beresford Caiman DAC Vinyl: Garrard 401/SME 3009 SII Improved/Sumiko HS/Nagaoka MP-30
    Amplifier: Rega Brio R. Speakers: Spendor SP1. Cables: Various, mainly Mark Grant.
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  6. #16
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Dartmouth in beautiful Devon UK

    Posts: 1,243

    Default

    OK, let us know the results?

    Thanks

    Dave

  7. #17
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

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    Put something small on the scale, around the same size - then slowly move cartrige/headshell into close proximity - if the weight doesn't change, then it should be fine, I would think.
    Also, try setting VTF first using the arm mechanism, noting where the counterweight balance is positioned relative to the reading on the dial (presuming your CWB has such a dial), or just note the position of the CWB on the armtube at the given setting, then pop the stylus on the digital scales, and if the VTF reading is in the same ballpark you'll know that the scales are doing their job correctly...

    In my experience, short of the accuracy of a mechanism like that on an SME, the digital scales should provide a more accurate reading than on most arms of what the VTF being applied *actually* is

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


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  8. #18
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Sheffield

    Posts: 2,026
    I'm Confused.

    Default

    All right, I'm a novice at this, which might explain something, but I was certain that I had set my VTF correctly using the counterweight but the scales showed that I was a whole 1 grm out - not bad when aiming for 1.75 grm
    Cheers,
    DaveK.

    My System:
    Power: Belkin PF40, Custom.hifi.cables Hydra and DC PSUs.
    Sources: Self built HTPC with Xonar ST sound card, NAD T585 multi disc player, Sony BDP-S350, Squeezebox Touch, Techncs SL1210 (mod'd) + Nagaoka MP30, Thomson Sky HD box.
    Amps etc.: 2 x Mini-T amps, MF-X10D Valve buffer clone, StanDAC 7520/Caiman (mod'd).
    Speakers: Mission 774s with added super tweeters
    Cables: best I can afford and likely to change except Homar's RF attenuated co-ax's and Mark Grant USB and HDMI cables. I also like silver i/cs and speaker cable.

  9. #19
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Dave, you obviously hadn't zeroed it correctly, 'tis all!

    I'll show ya how properly at Owston

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  10. #20
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Bristol, UK

    Posts: 441
    I'm Greg.

    Default

    I have a set of 'UK Scales' bought cheaply off ebay. They advertise as non-magnetic which I've found to be untrue. As suggested previously, you can check but don't need anything pre-weighting the scales because they will record a negative value on weight if you know what I mean. Therefore, slowly lower the stylus towards the weighing plate and if there is magnetic attraction you see a minus or negative reading appear which will increase the closer you get, but of course will read positive once contact and weight is applied. The way around it is to either have something of sufficient thickness already on the scales which are zero'd or to use the popular bent credit card method where the main area of the card sits on the scales with a section of card overhanging the plate to the side onto which you rest the stylus.

    Regards,

    Greg

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