More photos from the Axpona 2019 High-End Audio Show. The 60+ day one batch.  

They come in all shapes and sizes, they have many different names. Their price can vary by over a few hundred percents, and yet price does not correlate with performance...


No, I’m not talking about condoms, tampons, pens, or chocolates. I’m talking about the single most indispensable tool which every turntable owner must buy regardless of whether you own a $ 100 dollar or a $ 100,000 dollar turntable: The Stylus Vertical Tracking Force Gauge.

Without a stylus force gauge, you simply cannot mount a cartridge, so whether you like it or not, if you’re into vinyl you have to buy one. You can also call it the cartridge scale, VTF gauge, stylus force gauge, stylus pressure meter, miniature digital scale or the turntable needle weight thingy. They all do the same thing, that is to measure the amount of force the cantilever suspension is experiencing.

Tracked too heavily and you run the risk of breaking the cantilever, compressing the cantilever suspension, skewing the cantilever to one side over time, or causing premature wear on the stylus. Sonically, it translates into a sound which is forceful, forward, and with reduced high- frequency extensions.

Tracked too lightly, and the cartridge may skid across the record surface, scratching the LP or worse, breaking the cantilever. Sonically, it translates to a sound which is thin, reduced dynamics and possibly with audible distortions.

All manufacturers will specify an “optimal” range in grams, they usually fall between 1.6 to 2.2g, but some cartridges require a heavier tracking force such as the Clearaudio Goldfinger (+/- 2.8g) or the Ortofon SPU (approx. 3 or in some cases even 4 grams). 

I have spoken with many cartridge manufacturers, “analog experts”, turntable designers as well as cartridge rebuilders. So far there is no universal consensus on how to choose a specific optimal number within that range. The majority of them will tell you to “go by your ear”, or in some cases, people will adhere to a number which they read off internet forums and taken as gospel, a wrong and risky undertaking. 

One thing is certain, of the hundreds of cartridges which I have owned, and of the thousands of cartridges which I have mounted, there are no two cartridges which will require the exact same tracking force. Two cartridges of the exact same brand, model number, and production date, will require a slightly different tracking force, that is to say, one may require a force of 1.93g and the other 1.95g. This variation is often greater than variation in accuracy between different gauges, which is why I think the absolute accuracy of a gauge is less important than the ability to measure incremental changes. In other words, the gauge is used to establish a baseline and to use that baseline for repeatability.

While developing my own cartridge calibration software “AnalogMagik”, we have discovered that a change in tracking force will result in a change in the Total Harmonic Distortions between test tones of different frequencies. For example, when you increase the tracking force, THD% may go down on a 1 kHz test tone, but up, on a 300 Hz tone. We have proposed a theory to optimize the tracking force by observing the change in THD% and to find a point where there is the lowest for both high and low-frequency test tones. AnalogMagik does provide for a VTF optimization function in our program. 

However, a statistically significant correlation can only be established for some but not all cartridges. We do not fully understand why it works for some cartridges but not for others; sometimes changing the tonearm or the turntable table, will also influence the results for the same cartridge. This is why we have it called it a “proposed theory” rather than a confirmed methodology. We have received feedback from customers all over the world, that our proposed theory has worked marvelously for some users, but not for others. 

But let’s get back to our regular programming… Over the years, I have owned a dozen or so VTF gauges. From the $ 448.00 Cartridge Man Digital Stylus Force guage to the Ortofon Gauge ($109), to this OEM gauge which has appeared under different names, with prices as high as $129 under a well-known brand name, to less than $5.00 under a no-frills label on DealExtreme.com. They all do similar things. It is just a matter of who’s got the best mousetrap marketing. 

There is one particular cartridge scale which stands out amongst the pack, and it is the Riverstone Audio VTF Gauge. Rather than telling you the disadvantages of all the other gauges, I’ll give you 7 reasons on why I believe this is the best VTF gauge under the sun.

1. The Price: At $ 28.95 USD, in today’s audio world where the norm is in the tens of thousands, it is a breath of fresh to know that there are still products out there which are priced reasonably. Considering the Cartridge Man Scale is $ 449 USD, I’ll gladly take the Riverstone for less than 1/10th the price. 

2. The Packaging: It comes in a nice “Tin Can”, with a super detailed instruction manual which even the dumbest can comprehend.

3. It is sold through Amazon.com All ye OCD audiophiles who want everything like yesterday, can take advantage of Amazon Prime and have your cake like NOW, well maybe like tomorrow by 9 pm.

4. It uses 1 single AAA battery: Have you ever paid more for button watch batteries which cost more than the VTF gauge itself? Or have your button batteries ever ran out of juice just when you’re about to mount that $ 17,0000 cartridge? Now you can steal the AAA battery from your TV remote control so that you can again, have your cake now. 

5. It has the same thickness as a 200G record: The laws of physics dictate that if the measuring height changes, the measured tracking force will be slightly different. So if you are that anal and OCD, like me, and are preoccupied with the slight change in measuring height’s effect on the resultant VTF, now you may sleep well tonight. The picture shows the gauge’s actual measuring height vs a 180-gram record, as you can see, it is close enough. So you get the idea……

6. It can be re-calibrated easily: The gauge comes with 2 calibration weights, 5g and 20g. Out of the box my gauge was out of calibration by 0.04 grams, so I recalibrated 5g to read 5g.

Just keep pressing the power button with the weight on and it will re-calibrate itself. I didn’t even have to read the manual to figure that out.

7. It can handle more than 100g: If you are worried about accidentally smooshing the gauge with a 24g force, damaging the delicate internal components, know that it can safely handle up to 100g. It will also come in handy if you finally discovered the Heart of the Ocean and want to see if it is actually 11.2 grams as proclaimed.

8. A Perfect gift which looks expensive: Visiting your audiophile buddy and do not yet feel he deserves that $ 150 dollar Bordeaux? Well, now you can rest assured that he will appreciate and love this item. It looks expensive, and it is actually useful.

So your honor, based on the above 8 pieces of evidence presented to the jury, I hereby strongly urge you to consider pulling the trigger, like now below...

SM Audio Design's owner and turntable constructor Mirko Smolić comes from Ljubljana, Slovenia and was born in Pula, Croatia. At 64 his passion for high-end audio is as sparkling as it was at his first encounters with the audiophile world. Analog reproduction and playback is Mirko's life long passion, that began way back when he was 16 years old. He designed his first turntable in 1999 and continuously refined his designs. Over two decades he has manufactured 11 turntables, each of them being unique and completely handmade. The current product line consists of there models; Nimis, Versus, and Artemis.

Mirko is a perfectionist and strongly believe that there are countless musical treasures hidden in the grooves of the vinyl and Nimis' highly balanced performance really had shown no reservations in delivering the music in an unaltered form.  

Over the years Mirko didn't change his beliefs that any kind of magnets' implementation is not mandatory. He feels that all the working solutions should be simple, but not simpler and it can take a lifetime to achieve such a goal. Of course with the help of state of the art high-end audio that is actually capable of revealing all of the analog secrets. 

SM Audio Design Nimis turntable really surprised yours truly. Partnered with the Supreme Analog Tagenta 12" tonearm and Zavfino 1877PHONO Graphene Gold Rush Au/Ag Gold Occ/Pure Silver Tonearm Cable a selection of well-known albums from all genres ( Harry Belafonte - At Carnegie Hall etc.) has delivered an instantly captivating aural presentation, full of vigorous energy and with an emotional impact that remained unchanged from song to song. 

There is something organic about the Nimis, that instantly drags you into the music and drives you to grab next black disc. 

Unlike many turntables, the Nimis doesn't put at forte the particular sonic attribute. It evenly distributes the music in the sonic scenery with an impressive lightness and ease. The lower register momentum is one of the best I've heard and this was at once audible with ubiqaudiolab Ubiquitous stereo amplifier and Ubiquitous speakers as well as accompanied NAT Audio electronics. 

Nimis uniformly paints the sonic canvas with what it's given! Its chameleon-like nature can instantly establish emotional interaction and project/interpret the music's mood. 

Pitch stability is always a key point of the proper analog rendition and Nimis' optical encoder not only ensures a stable pitch but smoothly correct any of the speed related anomalies. 

SM Audio Design Nimis turntable was designed from the ground up by a person who loves and appreciates music for what it is and not what it should be. The sound is portrayed with realism. Mirko Smolić is an avid music lover and this clearly reflects in the way the music is presented through his tour de force analog machine. 

A careful mixture of materials, inverted bearing, POM platter, an optical encoder and all of the subtle technical solutions deliver highly engaging, out of the box performance. Nimis holds its firm nature from sole instruments recordings as well with complex orchestral music. 

Truly a unique record player designed by a music lover for the music lovers...

April 11, 2019

Santa Monica, California 

I attended last night the invitation-only North American public debut of the TechDAS Air Force Zero turntable (about $400,000) and the Wilson Audio Master Chronosonic and Master Subsonic loudspeaker system (about $800,000).

Maier Shadi, the well-known and widely-respected proprietor of The Audio Salon, in Santa Monica, California, who hosted the event, was introduced by Peter McGrath of Wilson Audio. Maier did an amazing job of converting in only a couple of weeks a large storage room into a great-sounding high-end listening room. I noticed the liberal use of sound absorbers on the ceiling and on the upper sections of the walls, and a large number of SMT Varitunes and SMT diffusers covering the front wall and the side walls.

Michael Fremer brought his own records and took responsibility for spinning vinyl.

Nishikawa-san and Motofumi-san of TechDAS discussed the new Air Force Zero turntable, the culmination of Nishikawa-san’s life’s work designing and building turntables. Nishikawa-san explained that the Air Force Zero platter consists of five sub-platters totaling 120kg in weight. The Artesiana stand weighs 320kg. The floating bases total 100kg.

This is the metallurgy of the sub-platters from top to bottom:

Air is sucked through all five platters to achieve vacuum hold-down of records. There is no airspace anywhere in the five platters.

The motor, a 3 phase 12 pole vintage Pabst synchronous motor, itself has an air suspension. A motor drive controller determines the speed of rotation of the platter and the phase of the motor.

Nishikawa demonstrated how with the vacuum hold-down off if you tap a vinyl record on the platter, you hear the tapping through the speakers. With the vacuum on the same tapping of the record produces no noise whatsoever through the speakers.

The Air Force Zero was outfitted with a SAT CF12 tonearm and a 12” Graham Phantom Elite with a titanium arm-wand. On the CF12 tonearm rode a “barely broken in Atlas SL” cartridge. A TechDAS cartridge was mounted on the Graham tonearm. There was no SME 3012R mounted on this Air Force Zero, as has been seen in some photos of the turntable.

I noticed Transparent Audio cabling with network boxes emulating the swoopy shape of exotic cars, and Dan D’Agostino amplifiers and electronics, and, of course, two Wilson Audio Watch Controllers for the Master Subsonics.

Neil Gader and Paul Seydor, both reviewers for The Absolute Sound, also were in attendance.

Nishikawa selected the first several tracks we all heard, including one from Harry Belafonte Live at Carnegie Hall. After that Michael Fremer did an amusing and patient job DJing.

Among other interesting things Michael played an A/B comparison of a jazz title, with one record remastered by Electric Recording Company of England, and another record remastered by Acoustic Sounds. For something very different Michael played an eight minute track of a female English rap singer accompanied by instrumentation by a classical orchestra.

Michael thought he was done with his DJing chores for the night when Paul Seydor asked him to play three vocals tracks from a Jacintha album, I think. Michael concluded the night with a satisfyingly loud “Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones.

The Wilson Audio Chronosonics and Subsonics looked almost beautiful in a champagne silver color. As we typically see in Wilson Audio subwoofer installations, the Subsonics were pushed back into the extreme front left and front right corners.

Overall the system was incredibly dynamic, and provided a sense of unlimited dynamic ceiling and capability. The system sounded "light on its feet" while at the same time capable of delivering thunderous power with a very high "jump factor."

As we all know it is difficult to conclude anything objectively and accurately about the overall sound of a system, and the contribution of the individual components thereto, in the best of circumstances, but when you are listening to unfamiliar music on an unfamiliar system in an unfamiliar room it is difficult to ascertain anything at all. With that broad disclaimer I nonetheless think I heard one full notch higher level of realism and easier suspension of disbelief than I have ever heard before. This system took me one step closer to the sound of musicians playing live in the room with you. The piercing bite of brass instruments, the sensation of lungs breathing air into instruments such as saxophone and trumpet, the richness and power of piano, as well as the gentle tinkling of piano keys, I think all sounded more real than I have ever heard them before.