Does Anyone Know the History of the Early Sota Turntables?


Does anyone know the differences between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 and 3 of the Sota Saphire tables? I found a very clean Gen 1 table I am going to use as a casual player. I have some extra arm boards and an extra arm I can put on it. Motor and bearing is in excellent shape. The platter feels like alumium, and I do not know if in these first tables they went to the lead or acrylic composite platters. The way the spindle looks I doubt this is the inverted bearing either. Anyone know the history of these early Sota tables?

neonknight

I think in their earliest days, the Sapphire was marketed as a kit. A friend of mine who was technically savvy bought the kit and assembled it. He invited me over for its inaugural spin. This was just a test to see whether it would come up to speed and hold speed. He pressed the start button, and we both watched as the platter spun up faster and faster, far exceeding 33 rpm. In fact, the platter began to lift up off the bearing well, and I feared it was about to take flight, whereupon I ducked under the table. He pulled the plug at that point. Turns out he had neglected to connect something in one arm of the servo system. That early Sapphire was a bare bones TT with a nice wood plinth, not unlike that of the current Sapphire. I think it had the sapphire bearing, but I have no idea about the platter. Anyway, you own one. You are in the best position to assess the build quality and technical aspects.

@lewm That is interesting, I don’t believe I ever heard that bit of info. I know there was a SOTA Gem turntable that predated the Sapphire model.

Removing a platter on the earlier SOTA is not a straightforward task. You have to unbolt the bearing assembly from the bottom and lift the platter and well out as one unit. Then if you want to get to the thrust plate you have to unbolt the clamshell that holds them together. Taking one apart is not much fun.

 

I have taken a stethoscope to the table and listened to the motor and main bearing. Both are dead quiet, I cannot even hear any residual noise at all. It is really quite impressive. 

I am curious to know if the first generation platter is all aluminum or if it was a composite. If all aluminum I think there was a Supermat that was used to damp it. I find it odd that a google search brings up next to nothing on the early generation tables.