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Phono-Pre Amps & Cartridges Welcome to the Dark Side! |
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Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
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Digital Stylus Force Gauge Q
I just bought my first digital stylus force gauge. I sat the unit on my TT platter and turned it on and it zeroed itself. As I sat my tonearm/cartridge/stylus down onto the circle on the gauge the gauge began to read -.03x, then after the stylis was firmly resting on the gauge it showed a solid reading. But now I am wondering if it might be off by -.03x ?
Why would the gauge start showing -.03x a few mm's before the stylus touched the pad? Last edited by Fido; 01-12-2011 at 12:12 PM. |
#2
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nobody?
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#3
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Quote:
I would imagine that when the stylus rests on the pad, the magnetic force would not affect the weight reading. The negative (-) reading would indicate that the cartridge is pulling the pad upward. (This is a guess - my gauge does not exhibit this phenomenon.) Other than that, I don't have a clue. From snowy Monteagle, Tennessee! Wish it would warm up. Do you still have snow on the ground in Nashville? Julian
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.... I have a record player and a cd player and some other stuff that sounds pretty good. MAIN SYSTEM: . . . Audio Physic Caldera III Loudspeakers, Spectral DMC 30SL Preamp, Spectral DMA 250 Amp, Spectral/MIT interconnects and speaker cable, Basis Debut V Vacuum turntable, Walker Precision Speed Controller, Graham tonearm, [B]Koetsu Rosewood or Grado Statement 1 Cartridges, PASS - X-ono Phono Stage, Esoteric K03 CD/SACD Player, Lexicon RT-20 Universal Player, Exact Power EP-15A & SP-15A power regeneration and conditioning devices. Symposium Acoustics Svelte pads & RollerBlock Jr's under speakers. ASC Tube Traps, Arcici Suspense Rack System, OPPO and Cambridge Streaming Devices. DOWNSTAIRS SYSTEM: . . . Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento Speakers, JL Audio F112 Sub, McIntosh MA7000 Integrated Amp, McIntosh MVP871 Universal Disc Player, OPPO BDP-105 Blu-Ray Player, VPI Scoutmaster with periphery ring clamp, VPI SDS Motor Drive, Koetsu Pro IV, or Clearaudio Discovery Cartridges, Mark Levinson No. 25s phono stage, Wadia 170i Transport with a Meridian Bitstream 203 DAC, VPI HW-17 Pro Record Cleaning Machine, Five Richard Gray RGPC 400 devices scattered around the two systems, Arcici Suspense Rack System, Discovery Essence and Essential Cables, 14,000 ± LPs . |
#4
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The scale most likely has some type of magnetic material at or near the platform......and the cartridge magnet field is effecting the reading as you lower the cartridge onto the platform. I also find certain cartridges will exibit your senerio more than others.
I have tested two of the same scales with aluminum platforms and one did what you have experienced and one did not......but both readings once the cartridge was rested on the platform was with in a few 100ths. When I do my final VTF I always check it with two different scales. |
#5
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Hey thanks Jeff. The scale does seem to work fine once the needle settles down. I was using the old Shure see-saw scale before and I was running my cartridge way too heavy.
I backed the weight off to 1.98 or so and it sounds wonderful. I also figure it must be the magnets in the cart affecting the reading. I also assumed that once the entire weight of the cartridge was sitting on the pad that it wouldn't make any difference. Hey Julian! I been through Monteagle many many times! I have been really sick so I haven't been on, so sorry for the delayed response. Snow seems to be gone now! I am ready for spring. |
#6
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I am enjoying the irony of using a digital gauge to measure an analog playback device! Sorry, couldn't resist!
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