RIP Kirk Bodinet SOTA


A couple weeks ago i had sent an email to SOTA about the replacement of a thrust pad on a SOTA Cosmos IV. Lats night i received a replied from Donna apologizing for the tardy response and informed me that Kirk had passed away suddenly at home in Viola WI on March 23rd. He was only 52.

For anyone who have met and/or spoke with Kirk you all can attest that he was a super nice class act guy. Another huge lost for the entire Audio and particularly analog community. Donna and Kirk resurrected SOTA after Robert Becker and David Fletcher (SOTA founders/designers) decided to pack it in in the early 90's. Both Kirk and Donna have put their heart and soul into this business and i am confident that she will keep it alive for many years to come.

To all SOTA owners, in Kirk's memory, please put some Allman Brothers Band on your TT tonight. RIP Kirk.

A copy of her email below.

Hello Sylvain.

Sorry for my delayed response. I appreciate your patience as I move into many new roles. You probably haven't heard, but this past March 23rd Kirk died suddenly. Yes, it is true. As one of our fellow SOTA family members said to me recently "I felt him through my turntable". I trust you will feel the same. Play some Alman Brothers for him, or maybe some Marshall Tucker. These are a couple of his favorites. Sigh..........

We don't usually help DIYers, and recommend the platter come to us for inspection. But, with the ball bearing exposed, you'll see the white grease. Clean the grease with a Q-Tip and shine a bright light into the shaft. The sapphire will show any wear with circular or hairline markings.

Be well and rock on my friend,
Donna
SOTA Sales & Service
800-772-SOTA - (608) 538-3500

We've moved! Our new address is
436 E. Locust St., DeKalb, IL 60115
smoffatt
Very sad news indeed. My condolences go out to Donna. As a previous SOTA owner I have experienced first hand the committment made by Kirk and Donna to keep the brand alive while providing a quality product and great service. I am glad to hear SOTA will continue on.
Unbelievable. I recently bought a an older granite Cosmos and sent it to Kirk for upgrades and a cocobola finish. Kirk was great throughout the entire process. He never upsold me on anything, only suggested what I needed. Obvious he really loved his work.

Jim Thiel, now this.
I am deeply saddened by his death, a big blow to all of us. He was a perfect gentleman when it came to repairs, conversations, etc. He was one of the main reasons I have stayed w/SOTA.
I did not know that Jim Thiel died. My friend bought a pr of speakers that I personally auditioned and recommended when I was in Kansas City. Another great loss to the audio world!
I am hugely bummed - Kirk really helped me out on refurbishing my Sapphire and it came back even better than it was when new back in the day. He will be missed.
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