I need some turntable guidance

I am afraid Mike has blinkers on when it comes to anything else except a belt drive..
Having owned numerous belt drives and now LOVING the drive and energy from my 401 there will be no turning back for myself.

But I will not start criticizing belt and DD tables as a whole, because no matter what the science may say,  it is all.......


IMHO

And nothing more.

you have your system set up the way you want to hear it. It is what you are use[d] too. On top of that audio memory is very short. On top of that we hear what we want to hear. So, I am afraid that kind of comparison has no validity.

Gibberish. My audio memory is superb. I hear in a system what sounds like the most accurate rendition of live music. If aural comparisons had no validity, there would be no point in any of this. Further, just because power is transmitted via belt does not mean you can ignore the drive contact points of motor bearing, belt on pulley, and belt on platter nevermind all the dynamic energy oscillating within the elasticity of the belt. 

@mijostyn SOTA no longer uses the lead shot. That's why Kirk said the new suspension could handle anything.

Haven't taken it apart to figure out the new system, and probably won't.  I've reached my satisfaction level with the table and arm combo.  I concentrate on the music now.

noromance, then you are a seriously superior human. Not only is audio memory extremely short in all humans except noromance but our perspective of sound is subject to psychological modification. We hear what we want to hear except noromance of course who is superior to the rest of us. A good example of this and this has been done, if you put an amplifier in a bland chassis and put the same amp in a fancy one just about everyone will think the fancy one sounds better. Michael Fremer is a really easy read. The more expensive piece will always sound better. noromance do you think TechDas could use an idler wheel drive if they wanted to? What about Walker or any of the other megabuck tables out there. ALL belt drive. What you talk about, dynamic energy and oscillation is fictional mythology. Uberwaltz likes his 401 because in his brain it is a cool piece so it must sound good. It makes him happy which is great. It still rumbles like an express train. daveyf is hung up on LP12s. davey, I have owned two of them and tried just about everything to make them sound better. You just can not make a silk purse out of a sows ear. I would certainly take uberwaltz's 401 before I would go near a Linn. The Linn is so bad I would give up vinyl forever and just play my hard drive. 
effischer, I'll have to look into that. The spring tension must be adjustible in some way. You have to keep the resonance frequency between 2 to 3 Hz with a very high Q. So you either have to keep the mass constant or change the spring stiffness. I dearly hope the new owners have not messed things up. SME gets away with it because their turntable is so darn heavy that any change in tonearm mass is insignificant. Maybe SOTA is now using a heavier platform. Anyway I know the SOTA will not handle a 4 point 11 because I called and asked maybe two years ago.
I think concentrating on the music is a brilliant idea:)

Mike 

Dear @wemfan : This SME TT/tonearm is an excellent option for you:

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9h9h3-sme-20-2-with-sme-v-tonearm-turntables


or a choice of today top of the line very well regarded Technics:

https://www.technics.com/us/products/reference-class/direct-drive-turntable-system-sl-1000R.html

In any case you need a cartridge with higher output level than the Ortofon MC named here and my recomendation is to go with Lyra line:

http://lyraanalog.com/etna.html

I used two different Lyra models with the SME tonearm and is very good match as will be the Technics.

Cartridges as the top Ortofon, Lyra, My Sonic Labs and the like are looking for a first rate phono stage for that cartridge could shows at its best, Your C2300 could be a weak link about but it's what you own and what you like.

All in analog is important but the source is of main importance and the cartridge is that source ( other than the LP. ), it's whom generates the analog signal: it's the transducer.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.