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Is there a best cartridge track force gauge?

I have the Shure gauge, a Technics electronic gauge, and an AR gauge. I have seen many electronic gauges reviewed. Many of these are quite expensive. I would, however, consider one were there an advantage. What is the experience out there?
tbg
tbg OP
5,263 posts
 
What brand is it?
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tbg OP
5,263 posts
 
Elizabeth, some tracking force scales make much out of testing tracking weight at record surface height. These scales seem to be .6 and .75 inches thick. Do you make any effort to somehow test tracking force at record height? Do you have the 50 gram to .01 gram scale or the 100-.01 gram scale?
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
If the stylus were elevated 0.75 inch, and the arm was 10 inches from pivot to stylus, the arm would be off level by 4.3 degrees.

Cosine of 4.3 degrees is 0.9972

So a VTF that ought to be 2 grams will measure as 0.9972*2 which is 1.9944 grams.

This is an error of 0.0056 grams.

Big deal!

It strikes me as funny that vinyl fans, who usually discount all forms of measurement and insist that only listening tests count, should fuss so much about accuracy of VTF scales. Of all the audible characteristics of pickup setup, VTF is the easiest to optimize by ear.
gregm
3,409 posts
 
Of all ... setup(s)...VTF is the easiest to optimize by ear
Actually, I agree -- as long as you don't get carried away over (or well under) the limits!
But a reliable digital gauge is useful to re-set a cartridge to an optimum setting found in the past.
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