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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
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,511 posts
 
OK Doug...I stand corrected. (I only use one cartridge although I've had many)
dougdeacon
3,338 posts
 
Bill, similar to Actusreus, I often suggest cutting up some credit cards and glueing the pieces together. It's bound to save you some money. ;-)

Seriously, mine is made of a 1" wide length of copper strip. I folded it over several times to center most of the weight on the weighing platform for stability. Then added an "S" curve to drop down to a record height shelf for the stylus. The copper's fairly thin, so getting to record height without touching the platter is easy.

EXTRA BENEFIT
Digital scales use load cells. Load cells are most accurate/reliable when weighing near the middle of their range, least accurate/reliable when weighing at either extreme.

So, make your DIY step's weight = half the scale's capacity minus 2grams. You'll be measuring VTF in your scale's most accurate region.

Example: I use a MyWeigh scale of 50g capacity. My copper step weighs 23g. Adding the typical ~2g of downforce from a cartridge puts me at the midpoint, which should result in the most accurate/reliable readings.

A bit of harmless OCDing, which many vinyl-philes enjoy!
harold-not-the-barrel
895 posts
 
"Example: I use a MyWeigh scale of 50g capacity. My copper step weighs 23g. Adding the typical ~2g of downforce from a cartridge puts me at the midpoint, which should result in the most accurate/reliable readings."

Very informative & very simple, Doug. Thanks !
bill_k
927 posts
 
Doug, thanks for the helpful tips for the best accuracy!
don_c55
1,025 posts
 
The Audio Additives scale is very low (close to the record), non -magnetic and as accurate as needed.

A jerry rigged step is not the way to go, and will not buy you anything.

The VTF measurement method should match what the designer used to arrive at the optimal setting! Period!
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