I own an older but great SOTA Sapphire table that I bought used with an FT-3 arm; I added a Benz MC-20 cartridge. It works and sounds great but I'd like to know if it can be improved. Problem is I only have $500 to spend. I'm looking for advice on how to best spend it. Here are some of my options, as I see them: 1) I live close enought to Chicago that I can drive up with my turntable and have SOTA inspect and adjust the machine ($225) 2) On the phone, Donna from SOTA thinks the first thing I should upgrade is arm board ($250) 3) Her other suggestion is to replace the existing felt mat on platter with acrylic mat(?) 4) I guess I could trade in the MC-20 cartridge for a better Benz cartridge 5) Sell FT-3 and buy better arm (?) 6) None of the above. Apply the $500 towards a vacation with the wife. I'm looking especially to those of you who are/were SOTA owners to advise me how to best spend my $500. Thanks in advance
Considering one of those 299 buck lateral tracking arms advertised on audiogon....seems rather inexpensive for a lateral arm with an air pump......the fact I managed to screw up one of the wires to the cartridge opens a window of opportunity for another arm (which I can then screw up the wire on that item!).......
Rockboy: Go for the cartridge upgrade, your table seems to be running fine and no inspection is neccesary. Arm board or felt mat replacement is something you can face later on if ever neccesary.
Consider a Denon 103r MC cartridge, keep in minf it is a MC design so you need your preamp to drive it.
Take a look at the thread above. I recommend rubbing snake oil into the base of your SOTA. I used to have one and I found that a frequent and liberal application made it sound much better.
I was satisfied with my B&K electronics and my Paradigm 7s speakers; but that didn't stop me from replacing it with "better" stuff. However, the turntable is different. I can't justify to myself, let alone my wife, that I need to replace my turntable. But I am interested in milking everything I can out of it. And I just happpen to have a little extra money that I can spend on upgrades - provided they make a difference. That's where you guys come in. Unfortunately, the majority of advice pertains to hookers. Not exactly the advice I was looking for.
High End hookers cost at lot more than $500 (so I am told).
Buy some really good Audiophile digital discs... $30 or more a pop. Not only will this be a good use of the $500, but it may save you many thousands of dollars that you will otherwise spend seeking vinyl perfection.
Wow! I asked for advice and you gave it to me; although not exactly what I expected (well, maybe I expected one hooker comment). It's obvious from the responses that you guys violated the old, don't drink while you type rule! Thanks and have a great 2005!
How 'bout sending some of it to a tsunami relief fund and using the rest for the tune up at Sota? It'll make you feel good and your table sound better.
W/O knowing your specific TT or cartridge, here is my 2 cents:
Don't do 1,2,3,5, or 6. Your TT & cartridge may be maxed out given the $$ invested, & (maybe) the only way to seriously upgrade is to sell it & start over.
But, If you can get a nice used cartridge at a great price, you could try that.......& use it if you upgrade your TT.
if it sounds great, then what's the hurry to mess with it? i've personally come around to the "be happy with what you have" philosophy vs. "audiophilia nervosa with features of upgradeitis." i say take a vacation and buy a few LPs wherever you go. and have a happy new year!
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