What Digital Stylus Force Gauge Do You Like?

I tried the nickel test (assuming a nickel weighs 5 gr.) and my scale weighs it at 4.9gr. The owners manual for my ZYX Yatra has a tracking range of 1.7gr.-2.5gr. with a recommended tracking force of 2gr. If I assume my scales weigh light by .1gr. I find that records sound their best at 1.7gr. (scale set at 1.8gr.) I know this is on the very light side of the scale, but there is no mistracking and cymbals both shimmer more and have more weight to them at 1.7gr. At the recommeded 2gr. everything sounds kind of flat and dead sounding. I have played with the VTA at the 2gr. setting, but it still does not sound as good as at the 1.7gr. VTF. By the way, I am able to adjust VTA while playing a record (which is nice).

So, I think I am happier with the sound when I fine tune by using my ear and not the gauge.

Slowhand,
I just calibrated my scale and weighed a nickel. It measured 5.02g, so the assumption that your scale under-weighs by about .1g seems correct.

It sounds like you've got VTF well nailed. The sonic effects of excessive VTF that you hear with your Yatra are exactly what I hear with my UNIverse. The first evidence of mistracking I hear is a slight tizz or lack of focus on massed strings. If I hear that I know VTF needs to be bumped up slightly.

The concensus that most ZYX's prefer a slightly higher VTF doesn't invalidate your results. Individual cartridges vary, especially in this parameter. The elastomers used in suspensions display very complex and unpredictable behaviors at the molecular level. To say that most ZYX's prefer VTF's around 1.9 - 2.0g is only a probability statement. Mine likes 1.92-2.10 depending on the weather. Cello's likes 2.15, even though he's in a warmer climate where one would expect lower VTF's. YMMV and trust your ears.

I suggest that Doug send Slow his nickel (or vice versa) so they can both be weighed on the same scale! Nickels also vary at the molecular level, to say nothing of their vintage, amount of wear, etc.

To assume the two gentlemen's nickels are identical is an obvious miscarriage of experimental design. Hmmm. . . .

jig that would hang off to the side of the record and measure the the weight at the record level. The Scale was only around $30 and the parts I used to make the jig were only a few dollars. This turned out to be way better than the Shure and really helped me in getting my Shelter 901 set perfectly. I hope this helps.

Steve.

I learned about a nickle weighing 5 grams in a college chemistry lab, where the instructor told us that we could use a nickle as a 5 gram weight in the balance. My recollection is that it was exactly 5 grams, but that is long ago and it is possible that the mint may have made changes affecting weight.

I am a firm believer that VTA should be set by the sound of a playing LP, and the adjust-while-it-plays feature (which I also have) is invaluable.