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Audio Additives vs Acoustic Sounds Digital Scale

I have an Acoustic Sounds metal digital scale. It looks identical to the Audio Additives one. On my Acoustic Sounds scale, the cart magnet makes the platform and scale read negative numbers prior to lowering the cart onto the scale. I use the tare button to 'zero' the platform prior to lowering the cart.

The Audio Additives scale on the Music Direct website says the metal case is non-magnetic. Does this include the scale too, unlike the Acoustic Sounds scale?

Anyone who uses the Audio Additives scale, could you please let me know if its magnetic or not? In other words, does the scale require taring due to suspending the cart over the scale making it move from zero?

As a side, I have heard some say the taring in a magnetic situation is not needed and when you lower the cart onto the platform, it weighs the actual weight/force of the cart. This doesn't make sense to me as before the stylus touches the scale platform it should read zero in my mind and not, for example -0.051g.

Thanks in advance for any info.
philb7777
philb7777 OP
401 posts
 
It's interesting but I checked the AcousTech too after some answers to this thread. It is indeed non-magnetic when tested with a magnet both on the case and the scale platform. Weird how with my Dyna carts when having the cart body hovering over the scale platform I get varying readings from -0.035 to -0.055. To tare to zero or not to tare? Hmmmm.....

If it is not a magnetic 'pull' doing this then what could it be? Some weird electrical interference? I know a few others that had this happen with some digital scales and their carts including Dynas, Ortofons and Lyras.
philb7777 OP
401 posts
 
Don thanks for the reply and info about the A/V Solutions site and the Ortofon DS-1. Unfortunately the DS-1 is only sensitive to 0.1g and the newer DS-3 is sensitive to 0.01 g. All our ears are different, but I can definitely hear changes in 0.05g of VTF. So I went for the DS-3. Thanks again for the info though!
rockitman's avatar
rockitman
417 posts
 
You won't be disappointed Phil. When I became aware of this scale I couldn't wait to get it and it does not disappoint.
dinster
76 posts
 
It is important to realise that the magnetic attraction is cancelled out when the stylus rests on the weighing platform. Zero before bringing the cartridge near the scale and then ignore the negative deflection as you lower it. I went through a lot of thought about this problem, and did all the stupid things like re-zeroing, with the stylus just above the platform.
The answer is the Ortofon DS-3 the weighing platform is almost exactly at the thickness of a record, and it is not magnetic. Seems like it is only available in Japan. This is important on some arms, my Kuzma 4 point gives very different weights depending on the height of the measuring platform, up to .2 of a gram. The centre of gravity must be way above the level of the record, on this arm.
philb7777 OP
401 posts
 
Dinster, can you help me understand why taring or zeroing isn't necessary?

I get two distinct different readings when zeroing and nor zeroing. One would think if it didn't matter then whether you zeroed or not you would get the same reading when the stylus touched the platform.

Could you explain your reasoning? I'm just trying to learn, etc and sort my thoughts through this.
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