When I shipped my SOTA Sapphire to my new home...and it was indeed shipped aboard a freighter...I specifically purchased full replacement insurance for it and for the rest of my stereo gear. Because the SOTA uses lead shot as ballast and because the lead shot is a bee-otch to remove, I packed the 'table myself in the original SOTA packaging and veritably festooned the outside of the box with instructions to keep the box upright during shipping.
Naturally, the box showed up at the destination sitting on its side. A shake of the box would initiate a distinct maracas-like rattle. My subsequent back-and-forth with the company's insurance desk was a bit comical. Among other things, the lady on the other side asked me to prove there was damage to the turntable. She wanted to watch it spin around via video. I countered by telling her that a simple video would not suffice to show the turntable wasn't damaged. I gave her a song-and-dance about how the device had to be connected to a high-end stereo and listened to in-person in order for any judgment to be made. A settlement check was subsequently sent in the mail. As for the 'table itself, I recovered as much of the lead shot as I could that was rattling around in the box and put it back in its proper place. Bottom line, the turntable was able to be leveled. The bearing, the part of the 'table I was most concerned about, remains silent. Sound quality is fine.
Naturally, the box showed up at the destination sitting on its side. A shake of the box would initiate a distinct maracas-like rattle. My subsequent back-and-forth with the company's insurance desk was a bit comical. Among other things, the lady on the other side asked me to prove there was damage to the turntable. She wanted to watch it spin around via video. I countered by telling her that a simple video would not suffice to show the turntable wasn't damaged. I gave her a song-and-dance about how the device had to be connected to a high-end stereo and listened to in-person in order for any judgment to be made. A settlement check was subsequently sent in the mail. As for the 'table itself, I recovered as much of the lead shot as I could that was rattling around in the box and put it back in its proper place. Bottom line, the turntable was able to be leveled. The bearing, the part of the 'table I was most concerned about, remains silent. Sound quality is fine.