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Upgrade Sota Comet or buy a used table?

I presently have a Sota Comet first generation table with a discontinued LMT2? tonearm. The bearing is gone in the tonearm and my best option so far is to upgrade the table. If I do upgrade it will be to a complete SOTA factory refurbished Comet with a S 301 tonearm. I am leaning strongly to trading in my Comet and paying $695 plus shipping of about $100.
Does this make more sense than buying a more expensive table such as a VPI Aries used for $1,000 to $1,200, and selling my Comet for $200? I am of the opinion I could still sell my "like new Comet" later for close to what I paid for the upgrade.
I presently have a Sumiko Blackbird cartridge which I plan to keep.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2x2bgeorge
steelhead
318 posts
 
Your call of course. The VPI would give you a little different flavor and you might prefer it.

SOTA is a great company and I went from a sapphire to a cosmos MKIV and I am done and super satisfied with my vinyl.

The sapphire was a great table and sometimes they come up used at really good price points.

I would think the Aries would be an upgrade to the Comet and depending on how long you have been spinning it might be fun to make a change and try it. I do not know how Comet's go on the used market but I would think the upgrade makes sense from a sale down the road perspective.

Have Fun.
recordho
49 posts
 
Why don't you just change the arm to a Rega 301 or older RB300? If the table is working then that would be the wise thing to do. I feel the Aries is a superior table to the Comet and offers better isolation, etc.
manitunc
795 posts
 
I would go with the upgrade. The table will easily be worth what you paid for it if you want to sell later. Or how about upgrading to a Sapphire now. I have and do own a number of Sotas and they are well worth the money at each level. My Cosmos IV is the best table I have ever owned or heard.
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