The Official SOTA Turntable Thread

4-2-7

Smart Ass
Sponsor
All SOTA tables and phono related, history, different level of builds over the years and so forth.

I have been meaning to start this thread for a long time, there is a lot of us here and even more lately. I have had and worked on quiet a few SOTA tables like the Stars and it's as if they all are different in many little sourced parts for the tables.

By being hand built like this and almost no two are alike it will be interesting for us to start sharing all that we know and have found out. The company is kinda cloaked in mysteries, and how and when they would change anything. I believe this is why you can't get parts list or schematics, all the tables are a bit different and then if they where service later in life it's another ball game.

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Ooooh! Great idea, Dan.

Home base:. http://www.sotaturntables.com/index.htm

What's so special about SOTA? http://www.sotaturntables.com/engineering.htm
(Hint: suspension, platter materials & vacuum option)

For Satellite models and above, don't move it without securing the set screws on the bottom to protect the fragile, non-user-replaceable-expensive sapphire bearing plate. The nuts on my set screws are #10/32 size.

For tables that require lead shot to balance the suspension (Satellite, Jewel, Sapphire, Star, Cosmos), the factory supplied 2lbs, 15 ounces. BBs work also.

User guides and shipping boxes are available from SOTA, and HIGHLY recommended. If you email the company, chances are that Donna the owner will reply personally.
 
I never thought about doing the vacuum test this way. You would need a beater record and remove your belt to do it.


Or just tap the label section while it's spinning. I can hear the tone change as the vacuum does its thing.

People won't take this thread seriously if we keep posting videos of people banging and tapping on their turntables and records. :confused:
 
Or just tap the label section while it's spinning. I can hear the tone change as the vacuum does its thing.
Well normally while the records playing right at the start, you flip the rubber lip, you should here a thud sound.
 
I'll contribute a little history, for the benefit of those who may not be aware:

SOTA stands for State Of The Art, and was (mostly) the creation of David Fletcher.

Fletcher was also the creator of one of my favorite all-time cartridges, the Sumiko Alchemist (and its HO brother, the Talisman).

Cheers,
Larry B.
 
SOTA Star Sapphire Vacuum, with Lustre tonearm
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Ok when I got my last SOTA Star Sapphire with the Eminent Technology Tonearm 2 there was a few things I never seen on my other decks.

The motor board had black acrylic over the aluminum..

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unlike the normal setup

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The subchassis also had a support added and I'm thinking of making some. It's just 1" angel aluminum x 1/8, it's cut with opposing 45 degree cuts on the bottom surface and folded to make 90 degree turns and then welded. It's then screwed to the sub bottom and the arm board/weight box to stiffen the subchassis.

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