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Tracking Force Gauges

I have only coarsely adjusted VTF on my cartridge using a Shure gauge and taking into account the ~ 0.3g overshoot some have reported.

I would like to embark on a careful study of the sensitivity of the sound attributes to small deviations within the recommended mfg's range. I'm curious to know what high VTF sounds like compared to low VTF and to find an optimum setting.

To do this I'm interested in your recommendations on digital VTF gauges with 0.01g accuracy.

I've heard about the MyWeigh scale and others. It seems like the my weigh scale is a traditional looking digital scale in that the measuring platform is very wide with the load cell likley centered beneath the platform. I'm not sure that one gets repeatable and accurate results if the cartridge were to be placed near the edge of the platform if the arm can't be moved in such a way.

Any thoughts on accurate VTF measurements?

Andrew
aoliviero
aoliviero OP
269 posts
 
I read Thom's remarks in the attached thread. It helped a lot in understanding the importance ans ways of measuring VTF. It was the basis of some of my questions.
sirspeedy70680e509
1,064 posts
 
Andtrew,take a look at the "for sale" area of Audiogon,under cartridges.The 95 dollar digital guage(measuring in the 1/1000's,btw) was ordered by myself,and a few friends.It is very accurate(we compared it to a Winds guage)and NOW Acoustic sounds is selling it for 185 dollars.I highly recommend it,and for 95 bucks,it is very well priced.I predict that this will be "the" guage to have,and will obsolete many others.Good luck!

Best!
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drubin
3,267 posts
 
I bought one and think it's great. Very easy to use and foolproof.
aoliviero OP
269 posts
 
Sirspeedy,

Have you or anyone you know verified the accuracy of this gauge with a calibrated weight?

Thanks.

andrew
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drubin
3,267 posts
 
Good question. They supply a 5g weight with the gauge, which will re-calibrate to that weight. But I have not verified the accuracy of that weight and it certainly is not of the quality of calibration weights made for the scientific community.

However, for what you say you want to do with it, Andrew, it doesn't matter all that much whether 2.0 grams is actually 1.983 or 2.037. In terms of finding the ideal VTF, you just want to know that it sounds better when the scale reads 2.150 than it does at 2.05. Right?
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