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OK, the time has come to buy a tracking gauge or scale .
Not trying to spend big bucks but interested in what others are using and why I should step up a bit (or not)
Thanks in advance to all who answer.
Roger
Follow Ups:
...So I bought the Expressimo digital gauge (It was on sale, so I just HAD to hurry and get it). I just knew it had to be more accurate than my old Shure "teeter-totter" thing, and I wanted this new Dennon 103R set up RIGHT, damn it.After setting the force with the Expressimo I checked it with the 30 year old Shure. The readings were the same. In fact, The dial setting on my Rega RB-900 was so close to both gauge's readings I feel I could have lived with that and spent the $100 on vinyl.
Yes, the VTF dial on my SME V is right on the money, too.
"Money" being the operative word in my case. I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with the Expressimo, and if you can hear the difference changes in 1/10th of a gram makes, buy a digital gauge.The $100 I spent at least taught me that I can trust the Shure and Rega readings. I guess that's worth something. But not $100!
Do the manual scales work well? Both of these are available at www.garage-a-records.com (no affiliation)
+) Purpose built; no fiddlin' with shims or other kluges. Very easy to use. It measures tracking force - period; any place *on the platter, not beside it.-) For as often as I use it (w/ only one cart in play) stupid overkill. But it's been amortized and life is short.
I suspect Elison will poo-poo it, but why anyone needs .001g accuracy for measuring postage (since it appears the USPS goes by +/- 0.5 OZ)is beyond me. And, I don't know why a range for tracking force above 4-5g is meaningful, unless it's cactus thorns and 78s...
Hey, if you want to pay £199 for a scale like this, why would I ever poo-poo it? I think you deserve exactly what you get. More power to you! LOL!
and I didn't pay in LB's, but US$. And it's 225 LBs direct. About 1/3 the cost of a wheel alignment these days, as I recall, for what I paid.I never switched to CD and dumped vinyl. The first records I bought were 78's, on release, when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. Little Richard and EP. When I move, the LPs move. Since I'm no longer a renter, I don't move anymore.
I have never ever paid a cable bill, but I have a Loricraft.
(Review your last Comcast - or equivalent - bill and cost it out for 5 yrs. Perhaps decent vinyl setup tools won't look so silly...)I have a dialup Net account paid annually ($105), but I have a purpose built tracking gauge. And the Feickert tool.
I pack my lunch, do my own laundry and housecleaning, but have a PAD TT cable.
I have *not figured out how to cut my own hair yet. But the speakers sit on custom cut Symposium Svelte's.
It's about priorities, and the value one places on maxing out the analog portion of one's music system. At least in my world...
This one is a good one.
HenryMushrooms are the opiate of the mooses
for $58.00 plus shipping.
.
Henry
Far Eastern-bad English-Ebay source, 5 available.
Made by?Good luck on a repair, warranty, or DOA issue.
Do you use one of these? My hesitancy is that I'd be dubious about sending this ebayer $60+ for a very unknown, quantity 5-only product. I'd hang w/ the Shure teeter-totter until funds enlarge for something better...
Henry
I bought one from the fellow in Hong Kong last month and highly recommend him - 1 week to get to Virginia ($57-58 w/shipping). He's nice, lets you know when he mails it and packs it well. Matched it with my Shure and they agreed - it sure beats the Shure for convenience. Placed on the platter without mat, and its scale pad is the exact "record on mat" height.
Has anyone use this scale?
It seems to be inline with what I need (like/want)?
Roger
http://cgi.ebay.com/Digital-Stylus-Force-Tracking-Gauge-shure-Denon-Benz_W0QQitemZ290110029209QQihZ019QQcategoryZ48648QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
In my way of thinking, this might be a bit expensive for a 5-gram scale with only 0.01-g resolution. It would seem to me that a 5-g scale should have 0.001-g resolution. Anyway, I use a 50-gram scale with 0.01-g resolution and I like it very much because I can measure other things such as cartridges and envelopes, etc. I just think you might be limiting yourself with a scale that can measure a maximum of only 5-grams.There is an inexpensive 50-gram scale on eBay that might work just fine. On the other hand, I have no experience with it. I've been using an Escali Liberta 50 Gram Digital Pocket scale for several years that I like very much. I place it beside my platter and use a plastic platform (spray can top) to make sure the stylus is always weighed at vinyl level. It is very accurate and very versatile.
Hi John and all,
First off thanks to all whom aswered the post, I enjoyed reading the debates over value vs. priority.
I did hav a simple (read inexpenive) 50gm scale and went as far as to make a "sheilded" mat for it ot of an old record and the led/rubber material from an X-Ray vest. Yes very inovative but totaly useles as me Shelter 901 still found the magnet used on the scale and I thought i would hit the ceiling wen it compressed the hell ou of the stylus. I litterally tossed the thing.Thus the need for something new. I think I may go with the Sure balancer and see if some local has an electronic scale to double check it.
The one on ebay may get me yet . I got taken on ebay one time for the cost of a Rega P25 from Hong Kong that never showed.
thanks again Roger
I'll tell you how you can check your Shure balance. Something Wally Malewicz taught me a few of years ago is that ordinary printing paper usually has a weight stated on the label of the ream. Normally, 20-lb printer paper is stated to weight 75-grams per square meter. With that information you can easily cut a piece of paper that weighs anything you like.For example, if you want a piece of paper to weigh 1.5-grams, you only need to multiply 1000-mm x 1000-mm = 1,000,000-mm 2 and divide that amount by 75-grams = 13,333.33-mm 2 /gram. Then multiply 13,333.33-mm 2 /gram by 1.5 to discover that 1.5-grams of 20-lb paper has an area of 20,000-mm 2 . Now, simply cut a piece of paper very accurately and precisely to the dimensions of 100-mm x 200-mm and you have a piece of 20-lb paper that weighs exceedingly close to 1.5-grams. Fold this piece of paper up and tie a short thread around it so you can hang it from the Shure scale exactly at the 1.5-gram groove. This will allow you to calibrate your scale.
anything over $150/200ish for this task is more than I think is reasonable. Could be wrong (again)though
ratbbb2
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