The Official SOTA Turntable Thread

It could still be the belt Eric, maybe it walks off the hump of the pully. Take the motor switch cover off and watch where it wants to ride on the pully at both speeds. The new belts are very thin and also a lot narrower that the old ones. They are very susceptible to spring adjustment as to where they ride on the pulley. It might be a case of adjusting the springs and or get the platter level so the belt stays put on the hump.

Eric posted this for me. Here is where the belt rides on the pulley, 33 vs. 45 rpm.

 
Eric posted this for me. Here is where the belt rides on the pulley, 33 vs. 45 rpm.

Hi, I'm Dan

It looked like it walked a bit but for the most part stayed in the middle. I'm wondering if you still have your old bet to also try to see if you get a change.

How far away from me are you, are you local in the bay area? I'm in San Mateo.
While I'm not a technician and wouldn't be able to figure anything like that out. But if you could bring your table by with the power supply we can try different belts and one of many power supplies I have. If the things I have here to swap don't correct your 45 rpm speed them we know it's something on the motor board.

If a bet change fixes it well that would be good.
If a power supply box fixes it then Eric can maybe test some of the small parts on the motor board. He might be able to fine something out of spec and this would speed up his search. It could just be a small restorer or something that inline with the 45 rpm pot.
 
I had a thicker belt that came with the table. The new belt and old one performed equivalently, so I don't think it's the belt. The table came with a non-OEM power supply, although it's supposed to do the job.

Seems like the next obvious thing is to clean the speed pots, but I'm not sure what's involved in taking the base board off to get that them. Given the size and weight of the table, I'm a little nervous that I might screw something up.


Hi, I'm Dan

It looked like it walked a bit but for the most part stayed in the middle. I'm wondering if you still have your old bet to also try to see if you get a change.

How far away from me are you, are you local in the bay area? I'm in San Mateo.
While I'm not a technician and wouldn't be able to figure anything like that out. But if you could bring your table by with the power supply we can try different belts and one of many power supplies I have. If the things I have here to swap don't correct your 45 rpm speed them we know it's something on the motor board.

If a bet change fixes it well that would be good.
If a power supply box fixes it then Eric can maybe test some of the small parts on the motor board. He might be able to fine something out of spec and this would speed up his search. It could just be a small restorer or something that inline with the 45 rpm pot.
 
I had a thicker belt that came with the table. The new belt and old one performed equivalently, so I don't think it's the belt. The table came with a non-OEM power supply, although it's supposed to do the job.

Seems like the next obvious thing is to clean the speed pots, but I'm not sure what's involved in taking the base board off to get that them. Given the size and weight of the table, I'm a little nervous that I might screw something up.

In this thread I had Eric look at post 31 here
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/dead-sota-sapphire-motor.811883/page-2#post-11425461

I'll send you a privet message with my number, and the alert will be at the top right of the page. We can talk on the phone this weekend and I can guid you in how to get the table apart a little bit.
 
Dan - After a little bit of research on what's involved in getting underneath the turntable and considering how few 45 rpm records I have, I'm not going to pursue this. I'll just live with my Sapphire at 33rpm only. I would hate to take this on and screw something up and end up with a bigger problem than a fast 45 rpm that I would rarely use.

Thanks for the offer to help. Really appreciate it.

In this thread I had Eric look at post 31 here
http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/dead-sota-sapphire-motor.811883/page-2#post-11425461

I'll send you a privet message with my number, and the alert will be at the top right of the page. We can talk on the phone this weekend and I can guid you in how to get the table apart a little bit.
 
.
That is such a shame it pisses me off. Can't you take them to small claims court?

I appealed this so many times and had Donna take three sets of additional pictures to show the extent of the damage. FedEx maintains that since the outer carton isn't damaged, it is not their fault. The logic would be that hey, it doesn't matter what happens to the contents of the box as long as the box is ok (?). Anyway, small claims would drag this out longer and I would probably end up hearing the same story from them in court. The lead singer and guitarist of the band Trivium just had his guitar destroyed by FedEx in a similar fashion. The headstock completely cracked off the neck, he appealed the claim, they gave him the same explanation. There is just no winning with such a company who has one purpose, fails, and then shifts blame.

Anyway, I might have Donna try to take the sticker off the old one before they destroy it, just as a momento. I am going to be calling her and granting permission to do whatever they may with it, although it sounds like most of it isn't reparable at all for purposes of being used as a future "refurbished" table. Good news is we are about 4 weeks away from the "new" series III I ordered as a replacement.
 
Yeah, I can understand making the decision to just go ahead, and put this behind you. Nothing would ever come of it anyway. But I am a stickler for principal, and I'd take them to court if only to make them waste their time or pay some attorney. I personally believe there are times when you need to cut off your nose to spite your face. Why should Fed Ex be allowed to be the arbitrator in this. You paid for insurance. They should at the very least refund you that!
 
.

I appealed this so many times and had Donna take three sets of additional pictures to show the extent of the damage. FedEx maintains that since the outer carton isn't damaged, it is not their fault. The logic would be that hey, it doesn't matter what happens to the contents of the box as long as the box is ok (?). Anyway, small claims would drag this out longer and I would probably end up hearing the same story from them in court. The lead singer and guitarist of the band Trivium just had his guitar destroyed by FedEx in a similar fashion. The headstock completely cracked off the neck, he appealed the claim, they gave him the same explanation. There is just no winning with such a company who has one purpose, fails, and then shifts blame.

Anyway, I might have Donna try to take the sticker off the old one before they destroy it, just as a momento. I am going to be calling her and granting permission to do whatever they may with it, although it sounds like most of it isn't reparable at all for purposes of being used as a future "refurbished" table. Good news is we are about 4 weeks away from the "new" series III I ordered as a replacement.

My youngest son had the same thing happen to him with his vintage mixing console when he sent it off for refurbishment and an op amp upgrade. Fortunately the guy doing the work was able to rebuild it in spite of FedEx's best efforts to destroy that piece of equipment. That why I'm driving my late brother's early model Sapphire to Delavan to get it brought back into proper operating condition. It's a two and a half hour drive each way, but a small price to pay to insure that it survives the trip intact. After that comes the decision as whether or not to have the Sumiko Alchemist HOMC cartridge mounted on the arm retipped.
 
I'm wondering what wood was used on my Star Sapphire, It is an older one from when they were located in Oakland, CA., if that helps.
The 1984 literature I'm looking at list oak, African rosewood and black lacquer as the options. Of those three I would say I have the rosewood.
Is that info that Donna might have if I get here the serial number? What other finishes did Sota offer over the years?

View attachment 1287805
I just seen your question here, your table looks like two of mine.
I'v always called mine Koa Wood, but never heard SOTA say that.

curly_koa1.jpg

I think I'v heard them call it Bebiga Wood in advertisements.

bubinga2.jpg

IMG_3028.JPG IMG_3014.JPG IMG_2198_zpssalrf5vi.jpg
 
I have a couple of Series III SOTA Stars plus a donor for platter/motor, etc. I've owned a Sapphire since they were first introduced in the early 80s and one of the Stars is from 1986, bought new. That was subsequently upgraded in 2005 by SOTA. It used to have the older (square block) bearing assembly but has the newer round block after the upgrade. Took it apart as the bearing did not feel right. Not seen any pics of the sapphire disk in the cup so I took a couple. Is it correct to assume that the piece with the hole in the middle is the sappire bearing and that the machined part surrounding it is the spindle base? Thanks
 

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I have a couple of Series III SOTA Stars plus a donor for platter/motor, etc. I've owned a Sapphire since they were first introduced in the early 80s and one of the Stars is from 1986, bought new. That was subsequently upgraded in 2005 by SOTA. It used to have the older (square block) bearing assembly but has the newer round block after the upgrade. Took it apart as the bearing did not feel right. Not seen any pics of the sapphire disk in the cup so I took a couple. Is it correct to assume that the piece with the hole in the middle is the sappire bearing and that the machined part surrounding it is the spindle base? Thanks
Yes and your Sapphire is missing
 
I got my Star Sapphire back from my local shop yesterday. It had to be sent back to SOTA for a new lip & matt, bearings and new springs. The used table came with Micro Benz that needed re-tipping, so I decided to buy a new Hana. So after 2 months in a shop I got to finally hear it for the first time since I bought it. I'm pretty impressed indeed! I think it sounds wonderful and definitely worth all the money and time spent to get her up to specs. I also decided to buy a SOTA reflex clamp, because I've read so many wonderful claims about them.

I've never understood why with a vacuum platter, would you need any clamp. Someone (on a thread I can't find now) figured out with 7" of vacuum how much weight ( from the air pressure) is put on the record, and it was an amazingly high number. In the hundreds of pounds IIRC. But I bought the clamp anyway.

So yesterday I played the table (all set up now) for the first time. The turn table is on my audio table right in front of my living room picture window, so there is plenty of light. After I pushed the reflex clamp down and locked it, I turned on the table and the vacuum came on. I got down on my knees to inspect every thing, and I could see day light between the bottom of the reflex clamp and the record label! The vacuum pulled the record down beneath the clamp, so the clamp is not making any contact with the record. Useless!

I started thinking that perhaps there is something wrong with this SOTA reflex clamp, so I tried my old Michell R clamp and the same thing happens. The suction on the table pulls the record down below the surface of these clamps making them useless. Then I tried the "clamp" that came with my used table pictured below. It is just a "cheesy" soft "rubber" type of thing that more resembles a plumbers helper than any kind of clamp. But you can tell it makes a air-tight seal, and when the vacuum is turned on it still remains in contact with the record's surface.

So I'm curious if anybody here with a vacuum platter uses the reflex clamp, and have you ever checked to see if the clamp remains in contact with your record when the vacuum is applied. If you can't get a strong light behind you clamp to see, you can just try to slide a piece of paper between your clamp and the record label.
DSC_0112.jpg
 

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I got my Star Sapphire back from my local shop yesterday. It had to be sent back to SOTA for a new lip & matt, bearings and new springs. The used table came with Micro Benz that needed re-tipping, so I decided to buy a new Hana. So after 2 months in a shop I got to finally hear it for the first time since I bought it. I'm pretty impressed indeed! I think it sounds wonderful and definitely worth all the money and time spent to get her up to specs. I also decided to buy a SOTA reflex clamp, because I've read so many wonderful claims about them.

I've never understood why with a vacuum platter, would you need any clamp. Someone (on a thread I can't find now) figured out with 7" of vacuum how much weight ( from the air pressure) is put on the record, and it was an amazingly high number. In the hundreds of pounds IIRC. But I bought the clamp anyway.

So yesterday I played the table (all set up now) for the first time. The turn table is on my audio table right in front of my living room picture window, so there is plenty of light. After I pushed the reflex clamp down and locked it, I turned on the table and the vacuum came on. I got down on my knees to inspect every thing, and I could see day light between the bottom of the reflex clamp and the record label! The vacuum pulled the record down beneath the clamp, so the clamp is not making any contact with the record. Useless!

I started thinking that perhaps there is something wrong with this SOTA reflex clamp, so I tried my old Michell R clamp and the same thing happens. The suction on the table pulls the record down below the surface of these clamps making them useless. Then I tried the "clamp" that came with my used table pictured below. It is just a "cheesy" soft "rubber" type of thing that more resembles a plumbers helper than any kind of clamp. But you can tell it makes a air-tight seal, and when the vacuum is turned on it still remains in contact with the record's surface.

So I'm curious if anybody here with a vacuum platter uses the reflex clamp, and have you ever checked to see if the clamp remains in contact with your record when the vacuum is applied. If you can't get a strong light behind you clamp to see, you can just try to slide a piece of paper between your clamp and the record label.
View attachment 1311187
Put the rubber washer that came with the Reflex clamp between the mat and the record, then clamp it. Sounds like your record has some slight center dishing. IME the Reflex clamp is far from useless with the vacuum platter.
 
Thank you mprince,
This makes a lot of sense to me. I did not get a rubber washer, only the clamp. The guy at the shop must of forgotten to give that to me. I didn't know there was supposed to be a washer, so I didn't notice it was missing.
 
Yes and your Sapphire is missing

I took the spindle assembly out and the sapphire is not missing although it appears to have surface damage. Will first try to polish it out with some diamond paste. Any thoughts on how to remove the sapphire disk from the spindle assembly?
 

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There is a 1-star review of the reflex clamp on Amazon where the owner mentions the same issue. I am willing to bet he also doesn't know about the washer. You will definitely feel the difference when trying to engage the clamp if it seems weak, as that reviewer mentions. It takes a bit of muscle to engage, but it makes great contact.
 
Thanks 6TCycleHum and mprince,

You are both right. I found a photo of the "rubber washer" that is supposed to come with the reflex clamp, and made my own washer out of some foam gasket material I had. Now that clamp maintains contact with the record label when the vacuum is on. And what a huge improvement. Deeper and extended bass and more clarity and "space" to the highs! I love it!!

My next question is about the force necessary to engage this clamp. I just got new springs installed on this table, and it seems to me that this amount of force could "stretch / weaken" the springs. I can't imagine SOTA producing a clamp that is damages their own table, but I am concerned. Is there any reason to be concerned.
 
Thanks 6TCycleHum and mprince,

You are both right. I found a photo of the "rubber washer" that is supposed to come with the reflex clamp, and made my own washer out of some foam gasket material I had. Now that clamp maintains contact with the record label when the vacuum is on. And what a huge improvement. Deeper and extended bass and more clarity and "space" to the highs! I love it!!

My next question is about the force necessary to engage this clamp. I just got new springs installed on this table, and it seems to me that this amount of force could "stretch / weaken" the springs. I can't imagine SOTA producing a clamp that is damages their own table, but I am concerned. Is there any reason to be concerned.
You only use a washer under the record when it has a dished warp. You clamp should sit and clamp the record just by setting it on the spindle and flipping the lever. If the clamp lifts up off the record doing this something is not right with the clamp. If when you turn on the table and the vac can pull it lower than the clamp, the clamp is not working right.

The clamps can be adjusted and maybe the factory didn't set yours very good and it doesn't work good with your old spindle.

I have a thread to link you to.
 
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