Thoughts on moving from a 1200G to Sota Saphire or above

Good thoughts.

“Steadier pitch”, if and only if the basic speed constancy of the SOTA is as good as that of the 1200G, which isn’t likely. Also, does $10,000 pay for either one of the recommended tonearms plus a SOTA Nova w vacuum?

my guess is you will hear belt drive vs direct drive differences.  you may like it better, its different.  at first when i put my belt drive table it seems like revelation, however, after a couple of hours of listening, i am hearing what I am missing and the 1200g goes back to the main table.  Ive tried this so many times that I do not anymore.  the 1200G is my table until I here something drastically better.

I’m targeting a Sapphire III with a vacuum. Also has a SME V arm. I can check it out in person and not have to risk shipping. I can see that it works properly but can’t listen to it cause a cart is not installed. 

I have a SOTA Cosmos with vac hold down done up to VI specs with the mag platter, roadrunner and condor.  I also have a JVC QLY5F with an Ort Bronze.  I use a Ort Kontrapunkt B with bob's devices on the SOTA.

As you would expect the SOTA clearly has more definition and comes from a pitch black background.  Your components are first class you should be able to easily hear the differences.

The JVC is extremely good and has been trouble free since upgraded caps done by a cool cat Ed in the West who borrowed it.  It is a fine spinner and if I had to I could easily live with it as my only player.  Not as refined as the SOTA, not as deep a background but easily lets out detail and you can deduce bad and good pressings with no problem.

The Technics is a fine spinner but depending on your tastes and inclination I believe the SOTA would be all that in your system.

Good luck and happy spinning.