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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
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
Some of the Shure scales have a steel arm, while others, like mine, have aluminum. I simply cannot believe that Shure ever made such a mistake, but they did. Find another one if you plan to keep using a Shure gauge.

As an aside, I've compared the Shure to my digital scale and it is very accurate. But, the "repeatability" factor as accomplished by the digital is one that cannot be beaten by the Shure. Otherwise, they are about a wash and you should always do a final fine tune by ear anyway.
tbg OP
5,263 posts
 
4yanx, you concerned me as my Shure is too shinny to be aluminum. It is not magnetic, however.
4yanx
1,576 posts
 
Tbg, I am not CERTAIN that my Shure is aluminum, I suppose. Someone said that those that aren't steel are aluminum, maybe nickel-plated. All I know is that mine is not magnetic while one that a friend once owned was magentic. In any event, this is a serious flaw in some of those scales and one would be wise to ensure that any they were interested in buying (ie used) was not magnetic. Otherwise, they work great.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Tbg...Stainless steel is non magnetic.
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Eldartford,

SOME stainless steels are non-magnetic.

Other stainless steels are slightly magnetic, probably to a degree that could readily affect the small forces involved in stylus downforce measurement and adjustment.

Whether a particular stainless steel object is magnetic or not, and to what degree, depends on both the alloy and the way it was worked or machined into the final product.
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