Help with SOTA Sapphire

Very happy to see you two here, AK put me on Ban, I'll be posting here mostly and a couple of other sites, but they are a bit slow.

 

Were there some that bought the new turntables and didn't like them ? The info about used SOTA's may be useful for others but at 65, I do not have the strength, energy, or interest to mess with a used SOTA and ship turntables back and forth for upgrades and repairs. I said that I wanted a new one. I am reading these threads to learn more about the SOTA turntables not to be told what to buy.

 

I do apologize for being blunt. I do think I mentioned more than once that I am interested in a new SOTA.

 

Do it you won't be disappointed. Cosmos with the bells and whistles bring out the best in any cartridge.

 

I purchased my Comet new. I feel like it was a good budget option at the time I purchased it in 2001 (at a much lower price than today). The company has gone through some changes, and there are a few things about them I don't like. One is that they hold very basic information as proprietary, like pivot to spindle distance. They imagine that you would send the table back to them to be fitted with a new cartridge, which is very silly to me. This has led me to make my own protractor, which is not probably what the average user is in for. I also had a platter delaminate, which was more than half the original cost of the table to replace.

That said, the table has been performing for a long time and I've been able to bring the performance up to a very good level with some basic mods like changing the pads out on the feet and rewiring the tonearm.

Honestly, I think the company works very well for a user who doesn't mind sending their table in and paying for SoTA service. I can burn through three styli a year playing records, and I simply can't imagine mailing things back and forth.

As mentioned previously, the belts can be an issue. I service and replace them often and now have my own source. Also, the speed controller is really a good addition.

 

Thank you. Glad you understand. I bought 4 used Garrard Lab 80's from eBay until I received one that actually worked. I gave the 3 that did not work to a friend who owns a stereo store. He has a guy who can fix them. And then they can sell them or do whatever with them. I bought a used AR 77-XB that was perfect upon arrival. The real SOTA's weigh almost 50 pounds. IF I get one I will have a younger and stronger friend help me set it up and there it will stay until I am gone. LOL.

 

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I remember you posting about your platter delaminating. And the cost. What I cannot imagine is buying a used turntable and having to send it in right off the bat for upgrades and repairs. Maybe if I was younger and I could prove to myself that it would save money I would buy used. And if I did buy used, it would be directly from SOTA. At this point, I would not be able to carry a 50 pound turntable up and down steps. If I got a new one it would not need all of the things that even the previous series could use. I am aware of sagging plinths,(braces and more: Welcome to the All-New SOTA – Sota Turntables ) and speed variations that are worse than the Rega dogma. SOTA did address the sagging plinths with braces on the series VI models. There is also a new standard power supply for the motors: SOTA Brings Speed Control to a New Level – Sota Turntables
The sapphire bearing could be problematic as well. I bought a sapphire thrust plate and zirconia bearing for my Rega because of the previous SOTA Sapphire. SOTA now uses opposing magnets in the bearing. SOTA has some real talent working there. I do think the new Escape model is hideous looking though. I am glad that they were able to do all of the updates to the classic models without chaning the looks. Sort of old meets new. I guess because of that, the old models never look old.
I was told that SOTA's primary business is supporting their existing customers with repairs and upgrades. Their business model is not what I would have but it is not my company. Their dealer network is very weak. Many of the dealers that they do have only sell the less expensive models. I bet the same dealers that broke ties with SOTA because you can buy directly from SOTA were also not willing to stock the expensive SOTA models. So they stock the inexpensive models which are subject to severe competion and wonder why they are not big sellers. Selling high end turntables is not an easy venture. Here in Phoenix, everything is Pro-Ject and Rega. And again the cheaper models. If SOTA was my company it is probably obvious what I would do based on my earlier posts. I would keep the customer service. I would build a strong dealer network. I would get the SOTA name 'out there'. Anyway, I will try to find more recent reviews and post them on here.

 

You only live once... you better get busy buyin'... I am glad I did and have not looked back. Thanks mkane!

 

What did you get and how do you like it ?

 

Sota Star with an Eminent ET2/damper paired with a Hana SL. Two arm pumps, reservoir and some other goodies along the way. The only thing she lacked was a dustcover and I lucked into one shortly after my purchase. I have two arm wands and was planing to mount a Decca on one but have enjoyed the Hana so much I have not touched it... yet.

 

Wait a minute.... SOTA will not provide a mounting template and they want you to SEND IN a table to have a cartridge replaced? They do that for free, right? Because no way in hell I'm paying someone to install a cartridge that they are PREVENTING ME FROM INSTALLING MYSELF.

That' can't be right.

 

Who said that you cannot install the cartridge yourself ? I think they just will not state overhang specs. No model specific protractor. They will install a cartridge for free if you buy the turntable, tonearm, and cartridge from them. If someone sends a turntable to them to have a cartridge installed, why would they do that for free ? Maybe they would but I do not see why they would be obligated to do it for free.

 

I do get the points in Is35a's post. Maybe someone could come up with some printable stylus overhang templates.

 

I have made an arc protractor, and it is very precise, but it is based on a measurement for my table. What I can't do is say that this mounting matches every table. I have an older Rega arm and it is mounted at 219.5 mm pivot to spindle. That's the spec from the original Baerwald paper. Now measuring down to a .5 mm is fairly precise and it embarrassingly took me a while to sort out how to do it. That's not Rega's spec, and it could be that my table is an early prototype and that they have changed this over the years.

 

I've had a close relationship with a dealer since the late 70s and when he became a SOTA dealer, I set up all the turntables he sold. We always ordered the arm board cut by SOTA for the intended arm to be installed and from there used the arm's template and a Denison protractor to complete the set up.

 

I have no idea if this is true, but I read somewhere that SOTA does not use the tonearm manufaturer's specified distance from the center of the spindle to the center of the tonearm's mounting hole. I know zero about mounting tonearms. Let's say that distance is 222mm. Measuring 222mm from the center of the spindle describes many points along an arc. So how do you know where to mount the tonearm along that arc ?

 

I always found that when the arm board arrived and we checked it with the tone arm templet on the turntable it was in the correct place.

 

Why and how would they have a pivot to spindle distance? They are a turntable mfr and a P-S distance measurement is a tonearm spec.
-Bill

 

I agree, and I assume it isn't. They don't make tonearms do they?
-Bill

 

Let's get this more complicated. There are two kinds of tonearm geometry and I forget what they are called. SOTA sells mostly Rega tonearms which uses the less popular geometry.

Regardless, if I buy a turntable and tonearm from a hi-end turntable company it better include an alignment template for installing a cartridge.

 

There are more than two geometries used for cartridge alignment. A single tonearm (surprise, even a Rega) can utilize multiple geometries. Tonearm mounting distance isn't based upon a cartridge. A P-S distance is defined by a line, not an arc.

Let's not make their job any harder than it is already. Let them tell tell you what works on their table as far as arms go. Let the arm makers tell you what cartridges work well, and you decide what geometry you want to use. Or you could just employ the services of a knowledgeable dealer and enjoy the music.
-Bill

 

You don't. The arm is mounted at a specified distance as measured by a line. The cartridge is then mounted in a fashion that corresponds with a particular alignment geometry of your choosing. That point, created by the stylus tip, after following the alignment geometry, forms an arc as it moves around the horizontal pivot point of the tonearm.
-Bill

 

I do not think that SOTA does that. Can anyone verify ? I think Jupiterboy said that SOTA does not(supply a template).

 

So one can mount the tonearm at any reasonable point on the arc and then that varible is addressed by use of the cartridge alignment template ?

 

Baerwald, Stevenson, or Löfgren B