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If you had $500 to spend, how would you spend it?

I own an older but great SOTA Sapphire table that I bought used with an FT-3 arm; I added a Benz MC-20 cartridge. It works and sounds great but I'd like to know if it can be improved. Problem is I only have $500 to spend. I'm looking for advice on how to best spend it. Here are some of my options, as I see them:
1) I live close enought to Chicago that I can drive up with my turntable and have SOTA inspect and adjust the machine ($225)
2) On the phone, Donna from SOTA thinks the first thing I should upgrade is arm board ($250)
3) Her other suggestion is to replace the existing felt mat on platter with acrylic mat(?)
4) I guess I could trade in the MC-20 cartridge for a better Benz cartridge
5) Sell FT-3 and buy better arm (?)
6) None of the above. Apply the $500 towards a vacation with the wife.
I'm looking especially to those of you who are/were SOTA owners to advise me how to best spend my $500.
Thanks in advance

rockyboy
steveaudio
331 posts
 
W/O knowing your specific TT or cartridge, here is my 2 cents:

Don't do 1,2,3,5, or 6. Your TT & cartridge may be maxed out given the $$ invested, & (maybe) the only way to seriously upgrade is to sell it & start over.

But, If you can get a nice used cartridge at a great price, you could try that.......& use it if you upgrade your TT.
khaki8
206 posts
 
Cello Blow the whole thing on a dial in. Forget 2 or 5. Quality baby
sbachman
41 posts
 
I'm with Cello on this one.
jond's avatar
jond
5,847 posts
 
How 'bout sending some of it to a tsunami relief fund and using the rest for the tune up at Sota? It'll make you feel good and your table sound better.
danlib1
819 posts
 
Cello's almost right...but one hundred $5.00 hookers is the ticket...
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