Reference System TT - Dr. Feickert Analogue or Sota

I would select the Dr Feickert over the SOTA. I have heard both and the SOTA is not as dynamic sounding.

In your price range an alternative suggestion is the AMG Viella 12, A great table with a great tonearm.

@mijostyn- well said and I share your experience.  I bought a Sapphire 3 in 1992 and used it up until last year.  I now have a Star V vacuum with the Series VI motor but Donna is building me a Nova VI vacuum which should be ready by December.  I am trading in my Star.  It started as a discussion for a new belt and springs which lead to how about the magnetic bearing and what about the Eclipse/Condor package and suddenly I'm getting a new turntable!  Their trade up program is not bad at all.  My first exposure to Sota was in 1988.  I was impressed with their design and engineering.  I finally got one myself.  I kind of wished I had upgraded to vacuum many years back but I was happy with the Sapphire.  Until the record is perfectly coupled to the platter, there is not much to talk about.  Adding rings and weights to a record seems like a good idea?

As an owner of a Sota Nova VI with mag lev bearing and Eclipse controller/tachometer package, I would recommend it. Most of the observations made by @mijostyn describing his Cosmos are spot on. The long-proven reliable vacuum system and rock solid suspension were meaningful differentiators at the price point. Series VI improvements like the beefy aluminum bracing in the subchasis were worth the wait vs. Series V. 

Due to budget, I've been using an Audiomods V arm with micrometer and continuous run of silver wiring. Kuzma 4point9 is my wishlist arm on this table. SME V is a popular proven combo favored by Sota, When they were still in production, Sota also recommended the Jelco 850 series for more modest budgets. Agree with @chakster that if you want a Schick arm it must be paired with a low compliance cartridge. Not that it won't work with a Sota or Feickert, but those setups are far more commonly mated with better vintage tables(e.g. Garrard 301,401).

I've heard both Feickert models mentioned at dealers. The Blackbird is nice, but almost double the price of the Nova VI (So is the SME15 that was suggested by Raul). 

My experience in dealing with Donna at Sota was always "above and beyond". You can trust the people at Sota. In these days of supply chain chaos, any dealings with bespoke and boutique companies require trustworthy, candid relationships more than ever. Should you ever need a new custom cut armboard, replacement part or want to consider a future upgrade, Sota will be responsive and treat you like family. They won't just look to take your money like some others. I would recommend searching forums for user service issues on any brands considered. I considered a tonearm from one of the companies mentioned in one the replies above, but eliminated it after reading of frequent QA issues from owners. Cheers,

Spencer

Tony, it just increases wear on normal bearings. You are going to love the vacuum and guess what! It will remove some warps! Last night I discovered that the second copy of Lorrena McKennitt's 20th Anniversary Book of Secrets was just as warped as the first copy which I returned. 
The vacuum starts automatically when you start the turntable. It pumps like crazy until the record is sucked down then goes into it's low pressure mode. If the record does not seal the pump goes back into standby mode after 20 seconds or so. What I did was lift the lip of the mat up against the high section of the record on startup. I let it go after about 1/6th of a revolution. It sucked the record right down to dead flat! The pump actually starts up a split second before the record starts spinning. This probably will not work with really abrupt warps but it will work with about 90% of the warped records. It all depends on the lip making a complete seal. the turntable will easily rack this record. The problem is that the warp was bad enough to be audible which totally destroys the fantasy of being at the concert. I'm not going to send this one back because more than likely then entire run is warped and I can play this one. 
@jperry, if the Sota was not as dynamic sounding there was a problem with the tonearm and/or cartridge and their matching. Due to three items the Nova and Cosmos are going to out perform any unsuspended table that resides in the same room as the speakers. The suspension, vacuum and an isolated dust cover. If this were F1 the Sota would be outlawed just like Nikki Lauda's fan car. 

Tony, what cartridge and arm do you plan on using? 

I have the Star V vacuum right now with a Series VI motor.  I plan to carry over my SME309 Tonearm to the Nova.  I am using the Soundsmith Zephyr ES cartridge.  It sounds great and tracks like it is on rails.  I have one or two records that have enough warp to not quite seal on the lip of the platter; but I just gently press the outer edge with my fingertips and the vacuum grabs them just fine.  So true story:  Summer of 1977 I was in college and working in Indianapolis.  I would stay over at my cousins apartment sometimes there.  One night we went to a record store and I picked up the new Eric Clapton Slowhand album.  Then we went to another of our cousins' place and the two of them proceeded to get drunk.  So my cousin gave me the keys and let me drive him home.  On the way home I asked my cousin, "You aren't sitting on my record are you?"  "No man," he said.  He did.  It was warped.  I left that record under one of my speakers all of that winter in college, but it remained warped.  So when I got the Star vacuum, of course that is one of the first records I had to try on it.  It pulled that record down flat.  Finally, after all these years I could play this record without having to watch my tonearm bob up and down.