Does Anyone Know the History of the Early Sota Turntables?

@lewm Ah yes! That was an observation that others had about the early tables. I do remember one reviewer mentioning this also, and he found the best setting for him was 1/3 of the dial on vacuum pressure. 

The new tables do not allow you to adjust pressure, there is a factory algorithm followed. There is an initial pressure applied to clamp the record and seal it, and then it is reduced to a maintenance level. On my Cosmos you have to remove the air hose to get the table to play without vacuum and I did that early on. I never noticed a degradation due to the clamping of the record, if anything I achieved improved resolution and fine detail in playback. I am satisfied with how the system works. 

In terms of who did vacuum clamping first, what about Micro Seiki, and what about the Audio Technica vacuum mat? Where do they fit in historically? There’s also the Victor TT801. Most likely that latter TT predates SOTA, but I don’t know for sure.

Incidentally, I think the vacuum strength on my Series III was already internally regulated. I don’t recall being able to adjust it.

If all aluminum I think there was a Supermat that was used to damp it.

@neonknight The Gen 1 Sapphire did not use the 'Supermat' as I told you earlier. Here is more information:

The Supermat was designed by Warren Gehl of Audio Research (although years prior to his employment there). Sumiko owned SOTA at the time they acquired rights to his platter pad, which was dubbed the 'Supermat'.

Its first appearance on a SOTA product was on the Cosmos. After serial number 100 they changed the formula.

The Gen 1 Sapphire predates this period so did not use the Supermat.

@neonknight  @lewm  That would make two of us. More than anything vacuum clamping results in amazing pitch stability and lower low frequency background noise as long as the record is reasonably concentric. There is no other downside. I will never buy a turntable without vacuum clamping. Sota's current system is extremely quiet. In my set up it is totally inaudible. The only kinks in operation are you have to turn the table off to remove the record and the vacuum generates an amazing amount of static charge on the bottom of the record. I deal with this problem by using my own formula of record cleaning solution that will not allow the record to collect a charge. This fluid is currently being evaluated by Sota. The only solution to stopping the table for every side is to get use to it. 

My memory is not the greatest, but I do think the initial vacuum tables were regular Sapphires before the Star was released. I never used any of the early vacuum tables. My first vacuum table is my current Cosmos which is only about three years old. The only time the Cosmos has trouble clamping a record is if the record is dished. It will clamp the concave side, but not the convex side even with help. With the use of Sota's reflex clamp I have yet to have a record not seal with the exception of dished records. 

@atmasphere  Do you remember what they used on the Gen 1 table then? A rubber mat? This one came with a felt one but I fitted it with a rubber and cork one I had available.