What Digital Stylus Force Gauge Do You Like?

It is useless to measure a parameter in a system to a greater degree of accuracy than the accuracy of another parameter of the system that also effects the performance of the system. For example, the temperature at which the elastomers are operating in the stylus affect more the performance of the stylus/catridge than the exact VTF. Surely nobody is measuring and controlling the ambient temperature of the cartridge to +/- 1%, yet we are talking about VTF measurements of that precision. Even the 'by ear' method is only correct for that specific temperature that day (theoretically) and all this fuss about needing .01g precision for VTF measurement is misplaced.
Perhaps the perceived difference in sound due to a .01g difference in VTF is due to the fact that the temperature has changed!
Bob P.

Bob is absolutely right IMO, however that hasn't stopped a few manufacturers from offering some really cute little cartridge warming lamps, ha ha!!

I mean, if it's THAT cold in your listening room, you need to stop buying vinyl and start paying your heating bill!

Also, on the serious(?) side, some cartridge manufacturers, notably Transfiguration, are touting a new "space-age" (are we still in the space age?) suspension material that is unaffected by variations in temperature from Pluto to Mercury! So maybe that will be a non-issue eventually.

Of course the vinyl compliance varies with temperature. It does flex as the stylus tracks the groove. The RCA "Dynagroove" LPs include signal processing intended to counteract the vinyl compliance.

I have a thermostatically controlled ear wax HVAC implant. This reduces variability in a most important parameter.

Eldartford: Oy! Now it's the VTVG (variable temperature vinyl gremlin) we have to worry about! It can all just make you meshuga!!

Gilda Radner must have been thinking of us when Rosanne Rosannadanna says "It's always something!"

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