The Official SOTA Turntable Thread

[paulieb00]

Here is one of my Sota's. It is a Satellite Series II. It has a Cosmos armboard, Reflex clamp, and Dustcover. The arm is a 10" Jelco SA-750E, with JAC-502 tonearm cable, and a HS-30 rosewood headshell. The cart is a Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III Low Output MC going into an Audio By Van Alstine Vision Q phono preamp. This feeds a NAD C 325BEE and Vandersteen 1Ci's.

 

[johnjhazel]

Think the single greatest sound improvement I experienced was moving from a mm to mc cart.

The same for me.

 

[johnjhazel]

No, early tables where made in Oakland CA, later ones after the owner change where made in illinois. You really have to look at these tables as hand built as needed. I'v had many here and only had two that where the same. They all will have some small changes in small parts to put them together over the long period of time they where made.

Is the Sapphire the most popular model by a long shot ? I have never seen a used Jewel for sale, for example.

 

[4-2-7]

Is the Sapphire the most popular model by a long shot ? I have never seen a used Jewel for sale, for example.

Yes, the Sapphire has been made the longest, they then came out with the Star Sapphire that cost more.

So one the used market you see Sapphier's the most then close behind the Star's.

 

[johnjhazel]

Yes, the Sapphire has been made the longest, they then came out with the Star Sapphire that cost more.

So one the used market you see Sapphier's the most then close behind the Star's.

Then the Cosmos followed by Millenia(for the high end models)? How popular are the Moonbeam and Comet ? I would love to hear a Jewel, Sapphire, Star/Nova or Cosmos but there are no SOTA dealers here in AZ.

 

[johnjhazel]

View attachment 985061
Here is one of my Sota's. It is a Satellite Series II. It has a Cosmos armboard, Reflex clamp, and Dustcover. The arm is a 10" Jelco SA-750E, with JAC-502 tonearm cable, and a HS-30 rosewood headshell. The cart is a Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III Low Output MC going into an Audio By Van Alstine Vision Q phono preamp. This feeds a NAD C 325BEE and Vandersteen 1Ci's.

How do you change the speed on the Satellite ? Move the belt or electronic ?

 

[paulieb00]

How do you change the speed on the Satellite ? Move the belt or electronic ?

It's the belt. You remove the platter and move the belt on the pulley. The Satellite is really a Comet in an upgradable chassis (Satellite, Jewel, Sapphire, Star, and Nova). In fact that is my plan and why I decked out my Satellite right away with a Cosmos armboard, Reflex Clamp and Dustcover.
I hope to take it up to Nova series V (or VI if it is out) status, before the end of the year.

 

[johnjhazel]

It's the belt. You remove the platter and move the belt on the pulley. The Satellite is really a Comet in an upgradable chassis (Satellite, Jewel, Sapphire, Star, and Nova). In fact that is my plan and why I decked out my Satellite right away with a Cosmos armboard, Reflex Clamp and Dustcover.
I hope to take it up to Nova series V (or VI if it is out) status, before the end of the year.

Keep us posted on the upgrade please. Do you or anyone have any info on the VI details ? I do not want to bother Donna Bodinet with questions.

 

[paulieb00]

Do you or anyone have any info on the VI details ?

I do not have any info on the Series VI upgrades. There is a gentleman on the Facebook Sota Turntables Group who said he had talked to Kirk Bodinet before his death and he told him what it entailed and that it would raise the quality of the tables quite a bit.

 

[juno]

It's the belt. You remove the platter and move the belt on the pulley. The Satellite is really a Comet in an upgradable chassis (Satellite, Jewel, Sapphire, Star, and Nova). In fact that is my plan and why I decked out my Satellite right away with a Cosmos armboard, Reflex Clamp and Dustcover.
I hope to take it up to Nova series V (or VI if it is out) status, before the end of the year.

Are the upgrades something that can be done at home, or do you have to ship the table to SOTA to do the upgrades?

 

[johnjhazel]

I do not have any info on the Series VI upgrades. There is a gentleman on the Facebook Sota Turntables Group who said he had talked to Kirk Bodinet before his death and he told him what it entailed and that it would raise the quality of the tables quite a bit.

Mark Breznay. I don't think anyone except Donna and SOTA know at this point. The upgrades have been being discussed(obviously briefly...LOL) since 2013.

 

[johnjhazel]

Are the upgrades something that can be done at home, or do you have to ship the table to SOTA to do the upgrades?

I am totally guessing that it will be a chassis upgrade from plywood to aluminum as in the Cosmos. This is in reference to the VI upgrades not the Satellite to Nova upgrade.

 

[paulieb00]

Are the upgrades something that can be done at home, or do you have to ship the table to SOTA to do the upgrades?

The table gets shipped back to Sota and the work is done there.

 

[paulieb00]

Mark Breznay. I don't think anyone except Donna and SOTA know at this point. The upgrades have been being discussed(obviously briefly...LOL) since 2013.

Yes, that is correct.

 

[Davron94]

I need to scan the owners manual for sapphires and stars.

This is the location I check for a level platter.

View attachment 984098 View attachment 984099 View attachment 984100

Hey Dan, why does the bubble in the spirit level in the last pic (on the platter) look like its down under the middle circle in between the lines? Shouldn't it be in the circle like in the pictures where its on the in the middle and on center?

Here's a couple picks of mine with a newly retipped Blackbird.

 

[4-2-7]

Hey Dan, why does the bubble in the spirit level in the last pic (on the platter) look like its down under the middle circle in between the lines? Shouldn't it be in the circle like in the pictures where its on the in the middle and on center?

Maybe I should have been clear in that post, just showing incorrect and correct balance.

Thanks for posting your deck, it looks nice and I hope all is well with your cartridge now.

 

[wanders]

I just purchased an older Sota Sapphire, guessing mid-80s, serial # 13xxx. The motor was noisy, but was able to access the motor assembly and adjust the motor shaft set screw and fixed the noise.

I installed a new tonearm and am having a little trouble in balancing. I'm close: the surface the turntable sits on is solid and level. But I cannot get the Sota chassis and thrust plate to both level precisely. I decided to level the thrust plate and allow the chassis to be off about half a bubble. I find the relatively enormous mass of the table difficult to adjust. Not sure how the thrust plate and chassis are connected.

Question: how do the feet enter enter into balancing. Obviously they adjust to level the chassis, but do they have to be unscrewed a certain distance before the thrust plate is freed up?

I just have difficulty understanding how the whole thing works.

 

[dcmfan]

I just purchased an older Sota Sapphire, guessing mid-80s, serial # 13xxx. The motor was noisy, but was able to access the motor assembly and adjust the motor shaft set screw and fixed the noise.

I installed a new tonearm and am having a little trouble in balancing. I'm close: the surface the turntable sits on is solid and level. But I cannot get the Sota chassis and thrust plate to both level precisely. I decided to level the thrust plate and allow the chassis to be off about half a bubble. I find the relatively enormous mass of the table difficult to adjust. Not sure how the thrust plate and chassis are connected.

Question: how do the feet enter enter into balancing. Obviously they adjust to level the chassis, but do they have to be unscrewed a certain distance before the thrust plate is freed up?

I just have difficulty understanding how the whole thing works.

PM sent with more detail.

There's a suspended sub chassis that the platter and armboard are attached to. This is what needs to be level and you do that with weights under the armboard. The outer plinth is mounted to the feet and may or may not be perfectly level. You should wind the feet as far out as possible and then screw them in only about one full turn so that there's plenty of room for the subchasis to move between the top of the feet and the bottom of the plinth.

 

[4-2-7]

The motor was noisy, but was able to access the motor assembly and adjust the motor shaft set screw and fixed the noise.

That's good that tip worked for you...

I installed a new tonearm and am having a little trouble in balancing. I'm close: the surface the turntable sits on is solid and level. But I cannot get the Sota chassis and thrust plate to both level precisely. I decided to level the thrust plate and allow the chassis to be off about half a bubble. I find the relatively enormous mass of the table difficult to adjust. Not sure how the thrust plate and chassis are connected.

Thrust plate?

Question: how do the feet enter enter into balancing. Obviously they adjust to level the chassis, but do they have to be unscrewed a certain distance before the thrust plate is freed up?

I unscrew the feet as far as I can and then adjust the one or two to level the plinth.

I just have difficulty understanding how the whole thing works.

Send me a PM with your number and I can help you on the phone.

 

[wanders]

Thanks all, thrust plate is the board that contains both turntable and tonearm - works as a single unit independent of chassis. Think we're on to something with the feet. I only unscrewed 1/2 inch to allow adjustment. Suspect the feet somehow impede movement of the thrust plate if not extended. I understand the lead weight idea. I've got all the shot and both slugs in but it seems to want a little more. I'll let you know. Appreciate the assist.