The Official SOTA Turntable Thread

[4-2-7]

Just what I needed - thanks xbart and 4-2-7!

It's sweet to get ahold of that cartridge also.

van den Hul MC-10 Special: $1200
The MC-10 Special is a recent upgrade of the MC-10, the main difference being a magnet mod that ups the output and increases resolution. The upgrade is available to MC-10 owners as part of a $500 "re-tip." The MC-10 comes with the most elaborate packaging and documentation, including a custom frequency-response printout and the traditional wooden casket—er, box. According to the printout, the MC-10 Special is flat between 25Hz and 12.5kHz, with a 0.5dB drop at 20Hz and a 0.5dB rise between 16kHz and 20kHz.

Fitted with van den Hul's patented "Miter" tip (over a million sold) and a solid boron cantilever, the hand-built MC-10 Special is designed to track at between 1.35 and 1.5gm. I tracked it at the upper limit, loaded to 1000 ohms. vdH lists the load impedance at "100 ohms – 47k ohms (optimum 200 ohms, up)."


Read more at https://www.analogplanet.com/content/analog-corner-32#yiXy6KhrQ1p2CySj.99

 

[visman]

Wow - thanks 4-2-7 that cartridge was a “throw in”.

The rest of the system wasn’t too shabby either.

One question - how do you get the platter off and how did you secure the tonearm while working on the table - I guess that’s two questions!

 

[xbart]

Wow - thanks 4-2-7 that cartridge was a “throw in”.

The rest of the system wasn’t too shabby either.

One question - how do you get the platter off and how did you secure the tonearm while working on the table - I guess that’s two questions!

I would remove the armboard with the tonearm with it still mounted on the armboard. 3 screws on the armboard and 2 screws on the RCA jack housing.
For the platter removal I would refer to the manual, Is there a reason you need to remove it?

 

[visman]

I would remove the armboard with the tonearm with it still mounted on the armboard. 3 screws on the armboard and 2 screws on the RCA jack housing.
For the platter removal I would refer to the manual, Is there a reason you need to remove it?

Well, I managed to get the belt tangled under the platter

 

[mprince]

Well, I managed to get the belt tangled under the platter

I believe I have the platter removal directions in PDF as Donna sent them to me when I got my Star (I also managed to drop the belt inside the plinth). Happy to post or send them to you if you don't have a user manual or if someone else hasn't already.

 

[visman]

I believe I have the platter removal directions in PDF as Donna sent them to me when I got my Star (I also managed to drop the belt inside the plinth). Happy to post or send them to you if you don't have a user manual or if someone else hasn't already.

Awesome - I will PM you!

 

[mprince]

For anyone else who needs the platter removal instructions, here they are. It is actually a very simple process if you take your time, no more difficult (IMO) than unpacking the table from the shipping carton and doing the initial unlocking of the bearing.

 

[mkane]

^^^^thanks

 

[visman]

Worked like a charm!

Instead of chairs I used speakers - more height easier to get under.

 

[RollCaster]

Instead of chairs I used speakers - more height easier to get under.

I took the shelf off my rack and used 2 thin oak boards for support. Lots of room to work.

 

[visman]

Just read through the start up manual (thanks mprince).

First order of business - buy 2 lbs of lead shot!

 

[6TCycleHum]

Well, I managed to get the belt tangled under the platter

This is the worst. Happened when a shop sold me the wrong size belt, a bit too long for the Star. Fell underneath and after fishing for it with a knife for about 20 minutes, it got tangled so badly that I just cut it and took the loss. It was the wrong size anyway. That's probably the only fault in design with these tables I could think of.

 

[RollCaster]

This is the worst. Happened when a shop sold me the wrong size belt, a bit too long for the Star. Fell underneath and after fishing for it with a knife for about 20 minutes, I just cut it and took the loss. It was the wrong size anyway. That's probably the only fault in design with these tables I could think of.

I tried it once. Then, I tried it using two tiny stripe of blue tape. Much better.

 

[dcmfan]

Just read through the start up manual (thanks mprince).

First order of business - buy 2 lbs of lead shot!

If lead shot is hard to find, bb's work also.

 

[visman]

If lead shot is hard to find, bb's work also.

I have been communicating with Donna at Sota to figure out what I have. My arm board has no reservoir for lead shot - but appears to be standard composite. I suppose I could make a reservoir to work - but it seems the 2 lb load is designed for the arm board that came with the table. The setup procedure is designed to have a final load of 2 lbs (+ arm board) on the chassis.

 

[4-2-7]

My arm board has no reservoir for lead shot

Nor should it, the reservoir for the shot is under the arm board and in the block it mounts to, the forward hole.

but appears to be standard composite.

That's a MDF standard board.

The setup procedure is designed to have a final load of 2 lbs (+ arm board) on the chassis.

You want what will balance your platter with the combined weight of arm, cartridge, board and lead. It may or may not need a total of 2lbs.

Most arms are set back much farther than the ET2 arm, and you should take a look at my thread I gave you a link to. Normally with a swing arm that most the weight is at the rear, the forward reservoir would carry most the added weight. But since the ET2 arm mounts over that area you will put weight behind it.



These photos show where the cables for a swing arm would go though the sub chassis.



You can see^^^ the air line and the cartridge leads going though here as well as a little jar.



You reservoir can be a baby food jar or something similar. The cap gets screwed the the underside of the board, the container can be filled with the amount of weight needed and then screwed onto the fixed cap.

BTW if you want to talk on the phone send me a PM, I can probably pass on a lot more info in speech than typing.

 

[4-2-7]

Wow - thanks 4-2-7 that cartridge was a “throw in”.

The rest of the system wasn’t too shabby either.

BTW, you can use my thread on this specific table/arm setup for you resto

SOTA Star Sapphire and Eminent Technology Tonearm 2
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...nd-eminent-technology-tonearm-2-score.713790/

Or start your own, I say this so others searching the net will find it. It will be easier for you to find it years down the road. The thread, your info and documentation will also not be all broken up over many pages with other questions not specific to your table. You can share it here also, but your going to need a bunch of help not only for the table but the arm and setting it up correctly. You can do it here as well but it would be better continuity and not missing info someone might have given you. Plus none of the guys helping me in my thread are posting here and they gave me the right support.

 

[visman]

4-2-7 Thank You!

I’ll take the arm and board off tomorrow and see what’s under there.

Good advice on a new thread - will do.

 

[4-2-7]

4-2-7 Thank You!

I’ll take the arm and board off tomorrow and see what’s under there.

Good advice on a new thread - will do.

Yeah and lets talk on the phone, I can help you a lot that way.

 

[visman]

4-2-7 thanks again for your help! Lifted the arm board up and look what I found!