Reference System TT - Dr. Feickert Analogue or Sota

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.  

Jim Hall invented the idea to use a fan to produce low pressure under the car, i.e., enhanced downforce, in the late 60s, when Nikki Lauda was probably still racing go-karts.  The idea was so successful, the cars were soon bounced out of the sport in that racing class; I think it was CanAm or IMSA, the class that then was dominated by the Porsche 917 and Mark Donohue from 71 to 73-ish.

My own testimony may or may not apply, but I also experienced the SOTA Star Sapphire III with vacuum as a bit lacking in dynamics, particularly when the vacuum was engaged.  (As I recall, it was switchable on the SS III.)  Rightly or wrongly, I attributed that particular quality to the felt mat + pulling the LP against it with vacuum.  This is just the kind of unfounded judgement we audiophiles make all the time, so take it with a grain of grated Parmesan.  I think I had the Triplanar mounted on the SS III.  I have since had it mounted on two other turntables, and I can not ascribe the perceived lack of dynamics to the TP.  Sure, could have been the cartridge.

Dear @jperry : I’m with you about " the SOTA is not as dynamic sounding." "

I was an owner too and I had mounted the ET LT tonearm where in those times this combo was something as the " fashion " and in those times I owned very good cartridges.

Yes SOTA TTs are good but for me SME are way superior TT with and engineering design second to none and with a build quality levels that could be missed in even top $$$$ TTs.
We have to remember that SME was only an small company part of manufacturer group that works in the automotive and aero space industry. SME was almost a side line for that group.

I listened several times the SME 20 and 30 but no money to buy it.

The model 15A is a real deal for any one interested in TTs where ( between other things ) its suspension ( take it from the 20/30 models. ) and its new designed controller makes the 15A just a " keeper ".

I seen your LP mounted in the SME 10 so you have experience with. Probably you need to listen the 15A in a know environment to you.


@mijostyn , "" Record weight does not matter anymore. ""

Are you kidding. did you tested with the vacuum and the record weigth atop?

R.

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).

Schick ("12 inch) was in my system and I would recommend it as a very cost effective solution, it’s a pure beauty! As far as I know a "9 inch version with anti-skating is available now. Schick is nice for any turntable (if you can mount it), I’ve been using it on SP-10mkII. It's often seen on EMT. My tonearm was OK for mid compliance MM, but I bought it primarily for SPU.