Which Digital Level Gauge to buy?

it nails exact level by tenths of a degree so there is no question when you have achieved perfect level in all planes.

I have the cartridge man digital level gauge. it is very accurate and easy to level in all planes with 0.0 degree level readings attainable. yes, it is expensive, but if you have highly resolving analog front end it can make an audible improvement.

yes Mauidj, there is a center hole for the gauge to fit on the platter spindle, as well as just placing the gauge on various positions of the platter itself. I have found especially with a unipivot tonearm such as the 10.5i on the VPI SSM it has made a substantial improvement both in terms of tracking and solidity of sound. there is absolutely no rocking of the tonearm whatsoever when it first touches the record or anytime during record play. check out the review of the cartridge man digital level on six moons.com, December 2005. I now consider this to be essential part of my setup toolkit when installing a cartridge, along with my mint lp protractor, digital stylus gauge, and other things. when the level is exact it reads 0.0 in all planes. I could not get this performance with a high quality carpenters level.

the way I see it is if the turntable and platter are not perfectly level, all of the other settings are compromised in one way or another, especially on a unipivot arm. I questioned the expense when ordering the cartridge man, bit after receiving it and using it, is now indispensable. I also use it to set up my record cleaning machine, a Loricraft.

Loricraft has a tonearm with counterweight and works better when the platter is level, and is more sensitive to out of level than a VPI type machine.

Certainly more sensitive to level compared to a VPI 16.5 which I had before the Loricraft. However, certainly NOT nearly as critical and essential when compared to the turntable and tonearm though. Still, I found it useful for my PRC-3 anyway.

Dgad, what I found really funny and entertaining are your responses to this thread. That you use your cell phone to check the level of your turntable (probably a Webcor record player!). Do you use your coffee pot to adjust VTA?! Or your toothbrush to set tracking force?!! Really hysterical!!!! Thanks for injecting your nonsensical funny tidbits into this thread. Lighten up! A $1,500 diamond scale............hahahahaha.