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Stylus pressure gauges

Hello fellow analog sufferers. If you are looking for a precision electronic stylus pressure gauge, there are very few choices. You can buy a used Technics for a couple of hundred $$, you can buy new Clearaudio for $400, or you can get a 50g jewler's scale on E-bay or elsewhere for a mere $60. It is basically the same scale that Clearaudio sells, including the 50g calibration weight. If anyone has info on other gauges out there, pls reply. I'm Mark, no turntable currently (thanks to a certain L-L), the rest of the system: Denon 103, Koetsu Onyx Sapphire, MFA Luminescence A-1 and B1-C, Sunfire amp, Infinity 4.5 and 2.5 speakers, CAL Tempest CD player, Eumig cass. deck, Eumig tuner.
markshvarts
albertporter's avatar
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albertporter
4,949 posts
 
I think Mikelavigne said it perfectly (quoted below):

I can really be confident of a repeatable measurement. This is especially helpful if you own and use multiple cartridges. You are able to go back to your exact previous setup without the sometimes painstaking listening process of finding that sweet spot.

If I understand him correctly, he is doing the same thing I am. Setting the cartridge to the hundredths of a gram by ear and then being able to return to that EXACT weight of perfect performance after a change.

Sean, this may be the first time ever, you did NOT advocate using a tool or measuring device in order to perfect end results.
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onhwy61
5,218 posts
 
If you have a Rockport or Walker (or some other $30,000+) turntable, then based upon the above testimony of actual users, the Winds seems to make alot of sense. Otherwise it's overkill. The cheap and simple Shure is more than sufficient the majority of users.
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marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
OK fokls, the bottom line buying the digital one is solely for convenience and speed of setup if you're an analolgue dealer.
It's just like I love to take pictures with manual-focus camera but for reporting and sports photoshots I'd rather use an auto-focus.
A perfect setup is doable with simple $20 Shure stylus force gauge.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Albert, i must be slipping up : )

Honestly though, i think that cartridge set-up is much like speaker placement. I guess the common factor here is that both devices are electro-mechanical transducers. I think that "tools" are necessary to get things partially dialed in on both installations, but there are some things that test equipment can't possibly measure in this respect. As such, getting them close with "installation aids" or "tools" and then fine tuning by ear are what seems to work best for these two types of devices. That is, in my experience : ) Sean
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elevick
2,636 posts
 
What about the 12 ortofon pressure guage?
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