SOTA vs VPI (or stick with my Rega?)

@effischer @mulveling What are your thoughts on the Origin Live Silver MK3A tonesarm? This is currently being bundled with a 2016 SOTA Sapphire V. Seems promising. 

I also just found a used VPI Prime (single owner trade-in) through a dealer at a fair price. So both options are on the table.

Thanks again for all your input. Appreciate it!

@mgolpoor I’ve thought about climbing the Rega ladder, but speaking to my local dealer it didn’t sound like there is a huge jump between the current Rega P3 and P6. 

You also make a good point about just enjoying the music vs tinkering. I don’t gain much pleasure from tinkering, so that’s something to consider. 

Other used TT that are in my price range ($2500-3000) include the Acoustic Signature WOW XL, but I’ve heard it it extremely neutral and not much fun. I enjoy listening to records, and would hope my next upgrade would add more depth to that experience. 

I hasn’t considered Clear Audio, but will look into their line up further. Thanks!

Thank you all for the input. It is all super helpful.

Regarding VPI, why do some people dislike the unipivot? I don't have experience with anything other than the Rega RB330, so would be helpful to hear the positives and negatives of the unipivot design.

Also, with the VPI Prime, what interconnect do people recommend using? Is it important for this match well with the phono stage? Would be interested to hear thoughts/suggestions on this and what others are using. Thanks!!

Not to make things more complicated, but there are a couple Rega RP8 and even an RP10 on the used market that are in my price range.
Any thoughts on these versus the VPI Prime? Or is the Prime just in a whole other ballpark?
Thanks!

Ok, so the Rega and SOTA seem to be off the table for the time being.
Does anyone have experience with the Acoustic Signature WOW XL? This would be with a TA700 tonearm. Roughly same price point and is with someone locally.

I hopefully will have a chance to hear both the VPI Prime and Acoustic Signature head to head...

@orpheus10 @bobheinatz  I'm starting to reconsider the RP10.

Is this a considerable step up from the RP8?

Thank you all for the input/recommendations. I do enjoy my current Rega (2016 Planar 3) and wonder if the step up to RP8 + Dynavector 20x2 will be the sweet spot. 

I had a chance to hear the VPI Prime, and did not like the sound compared to the Rega. There is a used Acoustic Signature WOW XL in the mix, but wont be able to audition it before purchasing, which concerns me. 

If anyone has experience with the WOW XL would be interested to hear your thoughts! Thanks. 

@mulveling @ryskie I’m interested to hear your thoughts on the SOTA sound. I was about to pull the trigger on an RP8, but the SOTA Sapphire V (2016, non vacuum) seems like a great deal on a solid TT. Again, the arm pairing for now is Origin Live Silver MK3 (which SOTA offers in their recommended pairings).

Would be interested to hear what you think SOTA’s strong suits are? The suspension looks awesome as does the build quality. I’ve just not had the opportunity to hear how the SOTA sounds.

Thanks!

@mulveling thanks for your in-depth response. It is very helpful and much appreciated. All that you mention about the SOTA is what I am looking for in a TT. I am not interested in analytical listening, and do not shy away from the warmth of vinyl as my SS amp is incredibly neutral and they seem to balance each other out nicely. 

@viridian thanks for your feedback as well. I am interested, what about the SOTA Sapphire do you like, personally? I think it’s telling that you still own one.

So, I took the plunge and purchased the SOTA Sapphire V w/ Origin Live Silver MK3a tonearm. Turntable should arrive in the next day or so, and excited to get it set up and playing records.

For the time being, I'll be running my Dynavector 10x5 on it, so will be fun to compare the sound. Thanks again to everyone on this forum for their feedback/suggestions.

So, finally got the SOTA professionally set up and playing records at home. While the Dynavector 20x2L probably needs some time to break-in, my initial thoughts are:
- incredibly spacious sound. Infinitely more sound stage than the Rega. With great recordings, this new dimensionality of sound is pretty awesome, not gonna lie.

- bass is much much tighter. The SOTA’s low end might not be as punchy as the Rega, but it is much more accurate. This may also be helped along by the jump up in cartridge and the record clamp--two new variables.

- clarity of recordings is much more apparent. You can hear much more detail--great recordings/pressings sound even better, bad recording/pressings sound somewhat lacking. I think the Rega was more forgiving in this regard, but also was missing a great deal of detail/clarity. In this regard, the Rega may be considered more "fun" as everything sounded pretty much even.

- a distinctly vinyl sound, which I like, and is one of the main reasons why I collect vinyl. There is a warmth and immediacy to the music that makes listening both engaging and rewarding.

- lastly, the SOTA is beefy. It weighs a ton, and seems built to last. While I was not equipped to set it up by myself, I appreciate that it feels sturdy enough that a novice like me won’t inadvertently break something.

Thanks again to everyone for their suggestions and feedback on this forum. Was a very useful guide and resource!

@sbank thanks for your feedback. In the end, I purchased a used SOTA Sapphire V. I am quite enjoying it, and feel that I made the right decision for my needs/tastes. It seems to pair very nicely with the Dynavector 20x2L I added into the system.