I own an older but great SOTA Sapphire table that I bought used with an FT-3 arm; I added a Benz MC-20 cartridge. It works and sounds great but I'd like to know if it can be improved. Problem is I only have $500 to spend. I'm looking for advice on how to best spend it. Here are some of my options, as I see them: 1) I live close enought to Chicago that I can drive up with my turntable and have SOTA inspect and adjust the machine ($225) 2) On the phone, Donna from SOTA thinks the first thing I should upgrade is arm board ($250) 3) Her other suggestion is to replace the existing felt mat on platter with acrylic mat(?) 4) I guess I could trade in the MC-20 cartridge for a better Benz cartridge 5) Sell FT-3 and buy better arm (?) 6) None of the above. Apply the $500 towards a vacation with the wife. I'm looking especially to those of you who are/were SOTA owners to advise me how to best spend my $500. Thanks in advance
W/O knowing your specific TT or cartridge, here is my 2 cents:
Don't do 1,2,3,5, or 6. Your TT & cartridge may be maxed out given the $$ invested, & (maybe) the only way to seriously upgrade is to sell it & start over.
But, If you can get a nice used cartridge at a great price, you could try that.......& use it if you upgrade your TT.
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