Sota stopped doing magnetic bearing upgrades a while ago.
The Official SOTA Turntable Thread
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Visman that koa surround is gorgeous! Almost looks like macassar ebony. Mine was that oh so generic bland oak that almost looked like poplar and I couldn't take it anymore so I changed it. I'll show in another post.
Ha - mine started life in a black plinth - I found this one on eBay and couldn’t resist. I sent a pic of the plinth to Donna who replied - “It is beautiful and looks to be Macassor Ebony. A way to liven it up is what we call a light "scuff sand" and refinish with satin clear polyurethane.”
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90's Star Sapphire redeaux...
My table needed springs, good 'cause I was tired of looking at the oak surround. All the talk of using indigenous trees for lumber, I thought the plinth was solid wood and didn't really think much of it until i had quickly sanded through the thin veneer in a couple spots. The idea was to use a black stain just to get one color and leave the grain, but now I had no choice but to paint it. Shop temps were cold, not epoxy weather and this was supposed to be a one weekend project to change springs, sapphire bearing and change up the color. So I did the project in my foyer "shop" with rattle can satin black. Spring change went ok, bearing was good in that the sapphire disk was pristine, the steel ball was flat spotted and I changed it for a ceramic ball from jewelry supply. I also hated the clear RCA connector box supplied by ET for their expensive ETII tonearm, stuck on the side with sticky tape 
. So I flush mounted a pair of chassis mount jacks on the back, it's much cleaner now and no more trouble to remove the tonearm than before. I also cut a new armboard from some composite material I had in the shop, it looks much better than the thin mdf factory board. I noticed that a real weak point with these tables is the mdf sub chassis, its supported at four perimeter points with springs and has a 12lb platter resting in the center, then four blocks of lead on the four corners. Over time this is asking for distortion and warping and at a quick glance I think I noticed slight sagging in the center around the platter mounting. While I don't have time to build a new sub chassis at this point, I will make the U shaped brace like SOTA uses but I'm going to use 1/2" angle iron instead of aluminum as the aluminum is not nearly as rigid. If I'm going to put in a stop gap measure I at least want it rigid. Very nice table though, especially when it's set up and dialed in nicely.
My table needed springs, good 'cause I was tired of looking at the oak surround. All the talk of using indigenous trees for lumber, I thought the plinth was solid wood and didn't really think much of it until i had quickly sanded through the thin veneer in a couple spots. The idea was to use a black stain just to get one color and leave the grain, but now I had no choice but to paint it. Shop temps were cold, not epoxy weather and this was supposed to be a one weekend project to change springs, sapphire bearing and change up the color. So I did the project in my foyer "shop" with rattle can satin black. Spring change went ok, bearing was good in that the sapphire disk was pristine, the steel ball was flat spotted and I changed it for a ceramic ball from jewelry supply. I also hated the clear RCA connector box supplied by ET for their expensive ETII tonearm, stuck on the side with sticky tape
. So I flush mounted a pair of chassis mount jacks on the back, it's much cleaner now and no more trouble to remove the tonearm than before. I also cut a new armboard from some composite material I had in the shop, it looks much better than the thin mdf factory board. I noticed that a real weak point with these tables is the mdf sub chassis, its supported at four perimeter points with springs and has a 12lb platter resting in the center, then four blocks of lead on the four corners. Over time this is asking for distortion and warping and at a quick glance I think I noticed slight sagging in the center around the platter mounting. While I don't have time to build a new sub chassis at this point, I will make the U shaped brace like SOTA uses but I'm going to use 1/2" angle iron instead of aluminum as the aluminum is not nearly as rigid. If I'm going to put in a stop gap measure I at least want it rigid. Very nice table though, especially when it's set up and dialed in nicely.Attachments
So i had to take the motor board back out to adjust the end play so i took the time to make the sub chassis brace. I did use 1/2”angle iron instead of aluminum, doesn’t look as high tech but its much more rigid. My table had an 8oz lead bar near the tonearm well which would be offset by the upper half of the 19oz angle iron brace, so it worked out well.
It’s playing well now exe for a bit of wow which i suspect (hope) is the belt. I have a new one waiting, i wanted to get all the setup completed and change the belt last.
Yes, if I'd had more time I would have cut those bolts off to a more appropriate length, but it works fine...
It’s playing well now exe for a bit of wow which i suspect (hope) is the belt. I have a new one waiting, i wanted to get all the setup completed and change the belt last.
Yes, if I'd had more time I would have cut those bolts off to a more appropriate length, but it works fine...
Attachments
MarkD
Super Member
The motor started to die on my Cosmos so I went for an upgrade. Christan said they aren't doing the mag-lev upgrade anymore, but I did all the rest. It was either that or they would take a trade in for a new Cosmos. They offered my $2K if they moved my cocabola cabinet to the new table and another $2K for a trade in. That meant my table plus $9K with my old cabinet. Not really worth it. I did the upgrade instead and skipped the mag-lev. I'm pretty happy with the upgrade. Well worth it. The odd thing I've found is that before, when you got the seal on the vacuum, you would hear the relay switch. If you didn't get a good seal, you could get a lot of relay toggling. Now it's more analog so you get a high frequency hum until you get a seal. If you can't because of warp or any other reason, including playing something other than a 12" disc, you get the hum. They should have added a vacuum off switch for such occasions.
I'd still recommend doing it. There's no other table on the market for the price of the upgrade I would want.
I'd still recommend doing it. There's no other table on the market for the price of the upgrade I would want.
Sorry to sidetrack....
Does anyone own the Linear power supply for condo and roadrunner?
sotaturntables.com
I've tried getting one twice, but they are never available.
Is there an alternative?
Does anyone own the Linear power supply for condo and roadrunner?
Linear Power Supply for Condor and Roadrunner – Sota Turntables
sotaturntables.com
Is there an alternative?
That’s interesting on the vacuum issue - on my old Sapphire the suction is higher for the first 3-4 seconds and then reduces to a normal playing level. This happens whether you get a seal or not (though 99% of the time you get a seal). It would be irritating if the higher vacuum stayed on when a seal isn’t made for sure.
mprince
Super Member
I do. Bought it with my Nova VII in July 2025.Sorry to sidetrack....
Does anyone own the Linear power supply for condo and roadrunner?
I've tried getting one twice, but they are never available.Linear Power Supply for Condor and Roadrunner – Sota Turntables
Is there an alternative?
Have you tried it with and without? Wondering what improvements it makes, if any.
mprince
Super Member
I've not, since I ordered it with the turntable it did not come with the stock power supplies. So without, my table would not turn on...
MarkD
Super Member
I do have the thick aluminum sub-chassis.
Before the upgrade, if I didn't get a good seal, the relay would toggle on and off. I could then clean the lip with water or alcohol and it would stop. If the record was warped or if it wasn't a 12" LP, the vacuum would stay on but was very hard to hear. I believe that the vacuum turns on until you get a seal and then turns off. The new system is better. You can hear a high pitched hum if you don't get a good seal, but it's pretty low volume so you can only hear it when the volume is very low.
I still like the vacuum. It was one of the main reasons I bought it in the first place.
Before the upgrade, if I didn't get a good seal, the relay would toggle on and off. I could then clean the lip with water or alcohol and it would stop. If the record was warped or if it wasn't a 12" LP, the vacuum would stay on but was very hard to hear. I believe that the vacuum turns on until you get a seal and then turns off. The new system is better. You can hear a high pitched hum if you don't get a good seal, but it's pretty low volume so you can only hear it when the volume is very low.
I still like the vacuum. It was one of the main reasons I bought it in the first place.
Good afternoon, I have a SOTA Sapphire with a series 3 motor and the older power supply that is brown/black plastic with a white on off switch. I have been looking to upgrade to the eclipse package and it seems like it may be time. When I tried to turn it on today, no dice. It will not spin, belt if fine, and the motor is not struggling, seems like either the power supply or motor are dead. My question is, does anyone know a way to test these two to find out which one is dead?
I have not read through this thread yet, but I will start now, but wanted to try and figure out where the problem stems from before blindly ordering the upgrades.
I have not read through this thread yet, but I will start now, but wanted to try and figure out where the problem stems from before blindly ordering the upgrades.
I was able to test the power supply and I get 30Vdc from the transformer all the way to the bridge rectifier? (CSC B40s). Is there a replacement for this that I could purchase to get this running again while I purchase the eclipse upgrade?
mkane
Lunatic Member
Need this pic
