Sota Cosmos tonearm?

My friend has one and uses the SME V with good results. I have used the IV and 309 but not on that table. I just noticed that you have 8 arms, you didn't correctly pick the winner in the last world cup did you?

Next he will be asking what cartridge sounds best. He owns a good dozen of them as well and asks others what they sound like on systems unrelated to what he owns????

Each post will declare a winner.

I am getting the popcorn ready for this one:>)

Sorry if asking for an opinion offends you. I thought that was the purpose of this forum. I guess its just to let folks like you vent.

I use a V on mine and have tried others. I think this table will work well with just about anything. Id base my decision on my cartridge choice.

Trans-fi Terminator, perfect match for a Sota.

Stanwal,

No, I just either got really good deals or they came with other tables I have purchased at a good price. Some of them were broken and I put them back together. I seem to buy a couple of good tables a year and a few arms and cartridges at great prices. Thats the advantage of not needing to buy, you can grab a deal when you see it. But, I do have too much stuff now and need to cut back, which I have been doing, but I seem to have bought as many as I have sold. Ive also had 5 cartridges rebuilt by soundsmith. That is really a bargain if you can pick up the body for less than $100.
Since I have an SME 309, I'll probably put that on for now. You and RCCC seem to like the SME and Ive never had a problem with it.

I'd vote for the 309 too. Excellent solid arm and easy to setup so you know what you are getting always. But I would also get an armboard for the Hadcock because why not also have a unipivot to compare the SME to?

You think the transfi is better than the ET2? why?

Lighter, shorter, lo pressure pump, less noise. It's a better design, simpler with superior sound. I've craved one since I first heard one, I keep thinking I'm going to buy a Sota and add the Trans-fi arm. Email the guy who makes them, or give him a call (he's in the UK so give the time difference some thought when calling), great guy. Great arm.

I used to be a Sota Distributor and have installed many arms on the Sota. Personal favourites ET2 and SME V. ET2 - massive pinpoint soundstaging and excellent timing. SME V very organic warm and solid sound, we had success with Van den hul cartridges in this combo. ET2 I ran mostly Carnegie's and Koetsu's.
If you are running an ET2 I found the following mods to be useful - removal of internal dampening in armtube, removal of shrinkwrap on armtube and you can add magnetic dampening to the lateral movement by placing a fridge or cupboard door magnet under the bearing tube. This last mod is quite dramatic and doesn't have the disadvantages of a fl;uid dampening trough. I also removed the soft plastic inside the headshell and replaced it with carbon fiber.

I believe SOTA recommends the Tri-Planar!

Has anyone used a Basis Vector on a Sota?