stylus pressure gauges and how to use them

[pegleg1945]

Hi,

I need a bit of help here regarding stylus pressure,I have a Technics SL1200 which I bought recently and it is fitted with a Concorde stylus.

I know it's important to have the correct stylus pressure to maintain the quality of your vinyl and reducing wear,I would like to buy a pressure gauge to take the guesswork out of it but I'm not 100% sure of how they work or what ones are reliable without having to spend a fortune.

So can you guys give me some advice as to what to buy,roughly under £40 if possible as my daughter wants to buy me one for xmas but I don't want her spending too much.

Look forward to your replies.

 

[chebby]

Shure SFG-2 User Guide ...

clicky (.pdf file)

(It's the one I own and you can still buy them.)

 

[Lost Angeles]

I have a Krugerand G50 series digital scales I bought years ago from Malvern Audio, Analalogue Seduction do something similar for £18.99 called
DIGITAL STYLUS FORCE TRACKING SCALES.
Other retaillers will probably do something similar.

 

[Al ears]

Shure SFG-2 User Guide ...

clicky (.pdf file)

(It's the one I own and you can still buy them.)

A classic and still the best though not idiot proof, avoid high priced rebranded digital scales but there are good OEM versions available.

Most as noted by Lost Angeles come with calibration weight and clear instructions.

 

[Waxy]

Easy to use and cheap. I recently fitted a new tonearm & cartridge using this scale plus a protractor and my ears. I'm currently waiting for a Hifi News test LP to arrive to see how well I did. *music2*

 

[pegleg1945]

Thanks to all you guys for replying,I'm now going to look at all your suggestions and decide what to buy.

Thank you.

 

[CJSF]

There are literaly dozels of 'Digital stylus scales' listed on eBay, a lot in the £5 to £10 range:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional-LP-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-MC-MM-Digital-Turntable-High-precision-/161851684514?hash=item25af1cb6a2:gAoAAOSwY45UQPS7

I have seen this type rebranded at over £100.00!!!!!

I use one to good effect.

CJSF

 

[Al ears]

There are literaly dozels of 'Digital stylus scales' listed on eBay, a lot in the £5 to £10 range:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Professional-LP-Stylus-Force-Scale-Gauge-MC-MM...

I have seen this type rebranded at over £100.00!!!!!

I use one to good effect.

CJSF

Exactly, see my post (#4)

 

[entrails]

There is one area potentially costly problem area with cheap OEM digital scales which is that some of them can interact with moving coils through magnetic forces. I found this to my cost when measuring the tracking force on my Dynavector 10x5 a few years back, all of a sudden the cartridge became stuck on to the plate on the scales totalling the cantilever. I looked into a repair and found it made more sense to buy another 10x5. I also afterwards bought a new cheap scale that was non-magnetic. This is not an issue for moving magnets but beware with cheap scales for moving coils as the money saved can quickly and painfully lead to regret.

 

[CJSF]

There is one area potentially costly problem area with cheap OEM digital scales which is that some of them can interact with moving coils through magnetic forces. I found this to my cost when measuring the tracking force on my Dynavector 10x5 a few years back, all of a sudden the cartridge became stuck on to the plate on the scales totalling the cantilever. I looked into a repair and found it made more sense to buy another 10x5. I also afterwards bought a new cheap scale that was non-magnetic. This is not an issue for moving magnets but beware with cheap scales for moving coils as the money saved can quickly and painfully lead to regret.

A true point, the scales I link to and use myself work with MM and MC, otherwise I would be in for a very expensive bill on my MC!!!!!

I Have known people to use a small block of polystyreen as a disancer between stylus and plate*pardon* Best way is to buy one that says MC or MM?

 

[brownz]

.... also beware solid steel platters as I found out in my early days, they can skew results when the cart becomes magnetically attracted to it !