Any Sota Turntable Users out there

[Sansui77]

Looking for reviews on the Sota Turntables? What models you're using with what type arm installed etc?

Edited February 19, 2021 by Sansui77

[metal beat]

@Doppelganger

[Doppelganger]

I have the Sapphire III with a Graham Phantom II and Acoustical Systems Archon cartridge. Previously had a Linn Ittok with Transfiguration Axia S. Wonderful sounding turntable. Not at all thin or clinical in nature; more a big bodied, full presentation, in my system at least.

Edited February 19, 2021 by Doppelganger

[TerryO]

@kelossus

[Doppelganger]

A current pic of mine:

 

Edited February 19, 2021 by Doppelganger

[kelossus]

I have a Sota Nova with the full eclipse package running an SME IV. Still not sold on it. I have been using a crappy phono to din cable so I need to even the playing field before making a final judgement.

[audiofeline]

Vince imported and distributed these from Symfonia HiFi (Melbourne) in the 1980's.  I recall hearing them often, and recall when the Saphire came in, and the one with the vacuum platter.  He would often sell them with Sumiko arms and cart's, "The Arm" was a popular match.  They sounded very nice, I almost bought one. 

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by audiofeline

[Wimbo]

I've got a Nova 3 with a SME M2/9 arm. Running the cartridges in my sig. More then enough for me. Great turntable.

[crtexcnndrm99]

Such beautiful wooden plinths on these. Oh and that they feature in ‘House M.D.’ as well, if that’s something you care for.. 

[kelossus]

So I started my SOTA journey about a year ago. I bought a pair of large Infinity speakers and the old chap I got them off had a SOTA Sapphire in pieces with the Sumiko "The Arm".

 

It was missing the power supply and he had tweaked the hell out of it and in my opinion butchered it. The price was right so I picked it up and moved it on to a friend who would be competent enough to restore it. He got it up and running and I couldn't believe how good it sounded. We swung a Hana SL on it and later a Zyx Airy 3. Outstanding, slaughtered his LP12 as they have been known to. I couldn't believe how quiet the noise floor was. My VPI Prime couldn't match it's inky black background. After all this I had to have one.

 

Ended up getting a SOTA Nova Refurb with the levitation bearing, vacuum platter, eclipse PSU and later the roadrunner which I am still yet to install. Basically a brand new SOTA in an older plinth. I had an SME IV sitting in the cupboard for around a year which had been ear marked for the project.

 

My current reference is my VPI Prime but I also have a heavily modded Lenco GL75. My phono interconnects weren't going to work  which was a pain as they were quite expensive (around $600ish which I consider expensive). I bought a cheap pair of Jelco right angle DIN cables to get the ball rolling. With my reference cartridge, Windfeld TI, hooked up I plugged it all in and right away was a little disappointed. The black background was there but there was a hardness to the sound which my system never had before. I swapped to a tube phono stage which bettered things but still it was a little hard sounding, on the edge of harsh on certain tracks. This could be poor synergy between the SME and cartridge, I just don't know. I got my original interconnects modded to a right angle DIN and with the sudden motivation from this thread plugged them in. Still haven't fired it up as I like to listen at night.

 

Even if the phono interconnects don't change anything I will try one more cartridge and see how it goes. I have a Van Den Hul Crimson SE (the precursor to the Strad, pretty sure it's identical as it's specs line up exactly with the Strad). Brian at Decibel Hi-Fi thinks it's going to give the Windfeld a run for it's money and said it's one of the cartridges he has ever heard, also said it has the best bass of any cartridge he has heard.

 

Not ready to throw the towel in yet. With the interconnects, different cartridge and the roadrunner I am hoping to get this spinning as my reference deck.

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by kelossus

[crtexcnndrm99]

2 hours ago, kelossus said:

So I started my SOTA journey about a year ago. I bought a pair of large Infinity speakers and the old chap I got them off had a SOTA Sapphire in pieces with the Sumiko "The Arm".

 

It was missing the power supply and he had tweaked the hell out of it and in my opinion butchered it. The price was right so I picked it up and moved it on to a friend who would be competent enough to restore it. He got it up and running and I couldn't believe how good it sounded. We swung a Hana SL on it and later a Zyx Airy 3. Outstanding, slaughtered his LP12 as they have been known to. I couldn't believe how quiet the noise floor was. My VPI Prime couldn't match it's inky black background. After all this I had to have one.

 

Ended up getting a SOTA Nova Refurb with the levitation bearing, vacuum platter, eclipse PSU and later the roadrunner which I am still yet to install. Basically a brand new SOTA in an older plinth. I had an SME IV sitting in the cupboard for around a year which had been ear marked for the project.

 

My current reference is my VPI Prime but I also have a heavily modded Lenco GL75. My phono interconnects weren't going to work  which was a pain as they were quite expensive (around $600ish which I consider expensive). I bought a cheap pair of Jelco right angle DIN cables to get the ball rolling. With my reference cartridge, Windfeld TI, hooked up I plugged it all in and right away was a little disappointed. The black background was there but there was a hardness to the sound which my system never had before. I swapped to a tube phono stage which bettered things but still it was a little hard sounding, on the edge of harsh on certain tracks. This could be poor synergy between the SME and cartridge, I just don't know. I got my original interconnects modded to a right angle DIN and with the sudden motivation from this thread plugged them in. Still haven't fired it up as I like to listen at night.

 

Even if the phono interconnects don't change anything I will try one more cartridge and see how it goes. I have a Van Den Hul Crimson SE (the precursor to the Strad, pretty sure it's identical as it's specs line up exactly with the Strad). Brian at Decibel Hi-Fi thinks it's going to give the Windfeld a run for it's money and said it's one of the cartridges he has ever heard, also said it has the best bass of any cartridge he has heard.

 

Not ready to throw the towel in yet. With the interconnects, different cartridge and the roadrunner I am hoping to get this spinning as my reference deck.

 

Good to see you might have found a home for that arm

 

I also reckon it looks better than the VPI, in my opinion (!)

[Frng_]

currently have a series 3 with a alphason hr-1000 tonearm on it and a grado cartridge.  just waiting on a eclipse motor to come in. but other than that fantastic. use to have a series 1 with a mission 774 and a benz micro MC-1 With it (sold to my cousin for $1000 as mates rate) 

have had linns, thorens etc.. I believe audio should be big and Bold because music live is Big and Bold and SOTA is big and bold. 

(E.g any time you want to know what music should sound like. go to a music store hit a cymbal and hit a snare drum, the harder you hit them the bigger and bolder they become. Therefore that is my whole point of audio.) 

 

and out of all the Turntables I have heard and used The SOTA meets these requirements.

 

My listening tastes range from cat stevens, frank sinatra, KISS, Kate bush, dean martin, Tyler, the creator, Kanye west and etc...

 

listening to these on the SOTA fulfills my listening requirements. Better than anything else I have heard.