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Rega Atlas Tracking Force Gauge

I’ve a shure one in mint, boxed condition though the plastic cover has yellowed. I rather like it with its unnecessary mirror TBH. I checked it against my drug/epoxy scales with a suitable drop-down I knocked up…. Good gear both.
Out of interest I use a linear tracker. Apparently, if you alter the height the reading is taken at, some, with the arm base above the carriage center, it will effect the reading much more than a conventional arm where the the axis is in the center of the bearing.
 
I'm happy to pay a bit more to avoid supporting the economy of a totalitarian regime that abuses human rights and trashes the environment. Unfortunately I expect that some of the electronic components for all of them come from the very place I wish we could all stop dealing with. I know it's not possible but that doesn't make it right. Sorry to be political and I suspect I've broken a few rules.
 
We should all be more political. Nothing pisses me off more than people who proudly proclaim a lack of interest in the very systems of human interaction which control their lives.
 
Looking into getting an Atlas from the local distributor, and it seems that people here are pretty happy with theirs.

To me, accuracy and repeatability are crucial, which is why the Atlas is quite appealing. Without commenting the price, I have two questions for owners here:
  1. Have you had any issues with accuracy / repeatability?
  2. More importantly, can anyone send a closeup to the cartridge platform? I am wondering how it would work with my EMT which has protrusions (*) "hugging" the cantilever.
(*) Here is a recent photo showcasing those "protrusions":

30vUav8.jpg


P.S. Perhaps @paul darwin can help with #2 and some clarification? :)
 
I still use my Shure mechanical. It's lasted me more years that I remember. So easy to use and accurate if you are very careful to be sure that the static marker and the beam end line up exactly. It's fiddly but uses no power and used against electronic scales both cheap and pricey, always is close enough (within about 0.03gm, which is I don't think is audible nor going to effect tracking/stylus wear). But this is HiFi and it's not just all about the musical result. I like well made stuff too. hence the Shure.
 
There are a number of alternate options, agreed, and most of them are suitable one way or the other.

For the ones I own:
  1. The Shure SFG-2 works flawlessly. But it is limited at 3g so that is unusable for SPUs;
  2. eBay sourced digital scale - works good most of the time. But the batteries are difficult to source locally, and the weight readings creep up;
  3. Ortofon plastic force gauge - I find it quite unreliable and finicky.
While I could do with a combination of all these, the Atlas looks to me like it is solving my gripes with the above, and I'd like a more permanent solution (solves my issues like "finicky", "batteries" and "larger range").

The CartridgeMan was an interesting option but sadly no longer available. I've had some use out of an ORB SFM-1 (not mine) but I found it lacking repeatability. I understand that may have been solved with the SFM-2, but sadly with pricing way out of the range I am willing to risk on something without a local dealer for service suppor.t

Which brings us back to the Atlas. :)

Here's to hoping someone can provide a closeup of the stylus platform and perhaps some insight on use with EMT cartridges?
 
InSides said:
Looking into getting an Atlas from the local distributor, and it seems that people here are pretty happy with theirs.

To me, accuracy and repeatability are crucial, which is why the Atlas is quite appealing. Without commenting the price, I have two questions for owners here:
  1. Have you had any issues with accuracy / repeatability?
  2. More importantly, can anyone send a closeup to the cartridge platform? I am wondering how it would work with my EMT which has protrusions (*) "hugging" the cantilever.
(*) Here is a recent photo showcasing those "protrusions":

30vUav8.jpg


P.S. Perhaps @paul darwin can help with #2 and some clarification? :)
Click to expand...


Should be no problem with the EMT on the Atlas. Here is my Allaerts and Atlas. The Atlas is a top quality item - really happy with mine.

Hv1Tcm.jpg


6tECMd.jpg
 
Jazzyguy said:
I have the Rega Atlas and the results are absolutely NOT repeatable. I weigh, lift the arm, lower the arm without moving anything… results are different every time. Off by about .5 every time. I boxed it and never used it again. I use a cheaper one now. It was soooo expensive and equally frustrating. This is the mark 1 version, I bought it brand new. Maybe the mark 2 has improved on this?
Click to expand...

Why didn't you send it back for a replacement or refund? My Mk1 Atlas has been faultless in operation, consistency and accuracy. I may get the Mk2 but only because its weighing range goes up much higher, which would be handy for SPUs
 
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