Sota or Technics

I also listen to big band and own a 1200GR. I don’t know the details of the Sota arm, but the technics has removal head shells. A must if you listen to 10” 33s and 78s on a single table.  It also has push button speed control. It is based on the SP 10 & 15 moreso than the original 1200s. Transcribers swear by those models. I also own a belt drive Trovatore with the same capabilities. Between the two I find the Technics more precise, and very strong in the mids. Also, the soundstage is wider - but not as deep. I can’t comment on the cartridge choice. I prefer MC carts. Again, the discs - needle size - may limit you on the cartridges. 

Looks like you're sold on the Technics, especially since you actually like its appearance. The quality of the sound of a direct drive TT is dependent on the quality of the drive motor. Quiet motors are expensive to manufacture and that price has to be passed down to the consumer. In the price range you are considering, both tables are compromises and will work well for you, but the real players will take a little larger financial commitment.

I’m normally a fan of belt-drive tables, however, I recently acquired a 1210GR and am very impressed with the sound quality it produces. I’ve owned quite a few turntables including a handful of vintage direct-drive tables. This is the first table I’ve encountered that I feel mostly combines the best sonic attributes of belt and direct-drive. I can only surmise this is due to the core-less motor, or maybe that it allows the user to choose the motor’s torque level (which I set to its lowest). Whatever the case, it doesn’t exhibit nearly as much of the character I previously found objectionable with direct-drives.

Sure, I’d rather have a Palmer or SME 20, but for a mere mortal’s budget, I doubt there is anything better under $2K (my reference is a belt-drive setup that last retailed for over $4K).

The GR’s arm is no slouch BTW. I have a nearly new $800 Jelco arm in my closet that I could fit to the GR but don’t foresee that I’ll ever bother.

find a well cared for Sota Sapphire, decent arm and any of the good already mentioned MM carts mentioned above w addition of the Nakagoka. As you hopefully know, the 240 is the gem, GEM of your system. Tube amps mostly sound like the output transformer and the 240 has transformers rarely bettered today.....hold on to that and keep it running in top shape. PM if you need a referral on doing that.
have fun, enjoy the music. You can see sota w 240 variations on my vintage system page......

Don’t listen to anyone pushing either solution. Everyone hears differently. How you hear, and you alone, must determine which sounds better. To you. For the record, I prefer belt drive, but YMMD.

Audition, audition, audition!