I measure and consider both pH and TA on any type of wine or mead. I
have both tools, so use both.

Taste is alway the reality check, I measure out whatever I decide to
add, add 1/2 and taste, then the other half if necessary.

Meads are whacky, the pH can really drop and the TA usually rises post
fermentation on mine.

If I were making 10 gallons or less, I might get someone to measure pH
for me, like the high school science teacher, rather than buy a pH
meter.

That said;

Titration kits are under $10, that's preety cheap insurance.

If buying a meter, consider the cost of the meter and buffers. A good
meter that has ATC and is accurate to 0.1 pH units costs around $50
(US); buffers for a few years around $30.

I have servicable meter probe combinations like this that are 5 years
old, so the cost per year to me was minimal.

I usually make over 50 gallons of various types, so the cost per
bottle is pretty low.

3) The strong consensus of opinion in that thread, which convinced me and
reversed my previously held opinion on the subject, was "that the pH is a
much more important figure" as I stated above in this thread.

I have bottled reds with pH in excess of 3.6 that were fine 6 years
later, none of mine sit around much longer than that.

In that respect I disagree. I really do not want to bottle a red with
TA over 6.0 g/l; I just think that is too tart. Once I get to 6.0, the
pH is more for information for me, I never use more tha 70 ppm SO2,
usually stop at 50. Those wines I sample more often since the pH
would indicate they are under protected. So far so good on that.

6.5 is the limit on dry whites for me. If I use a little sugar to
balance, I will go as high as 8.5 g/l. At that point pH is never an
issue.

Just another thought on the subject.
Regards,
Joe