SOTA Comet turntable

[JohnMichael]

I am thinking about a new ttable. My 10+ year old Rega is still sounding good and performing properly. I will be keeping the Rega. I am interested in another table which I could have another cartridge mounted. I do not need another table but I want one.

I have been thinking about the SOTA Comet of late. When I was younger I really wanted the Comet. I miss the days when you could actually listen to ttables at an audio shop. It has been a long time since I have been in a shop where you could compare tables and phono cartridges. That is why I am asking my fellow members if they have any experience with the Comet.

Those who know me know I will want to buy new. I want to spend no more than $1500. Since I can not audition a higher priced ttable I do not want to spend more. There are some incredible tables available but I do not have incredible money. Also since I have limited time to sit and listen to vinyl and play cd's for convenience I do not want to spend too much.

I have also thought about the Rega P5 and Clearaudio Concept ttables.

Thanks,

[jrhymeammo]

Are you willing to buy a deck only and use your current arm?
If so, how about the Sota Satellite at $1500ish? The Comet comes with another REGA arm, and is not flexible when it comes to installing a different tonearm. I imagine the sound characteristic of the Comet will be similar to your current P2. But the Satellite's design is completely different from the Comet and your P2.

A local hifi buddy of mine has the Concept.
Very melodic and beautiful sounding TT, but it doesn't really kick your ass when you want it to. Maybe his platform had something to do with it.

[poppachubby]

02audionoob has a P5 and loves it. Personally I think you should spend the cash on a cartridge upgrade and some vinyl.

[Brett A]

It would seem to me that for $1,500 new, you'd be looking at something different, not likely better than your current hot-rodded Rega.

$1,500 used would certainly buy you an obvious upgrade.(I can say from experience that a Well Tempered offers a whole other level of performance above the Rega) But you said used is not your thing.

I'll team with Poppa Chubby and say spend the money on a higher-performing cartridge--and I'd add a motor upgrade to your Planar if you haven't already.

All that said, you did say you just want a different 'table to add to the stable. So maybe you should just go for the SOTA if it's what you want. Then you'll have two different 'tables. Not necessarily an upgrade (but maybe).

[JohnMichael]

It would seem to me that for $1,500 new, you'd be looking at something different, not likely better than your current hot-rodded Rega.

$1,500 used would certainly buy you an obvious upgrade.(I can say from experience that a Well Tempered offers a whole other level of performance above the Rega) But you said used is not your thing.

I'll team with Poppa Chubby and say spend the money on a higher-performing cartridge--and I'd add a motor upgrade to your Planar if you haven't already.

All that said, you did say you just want a different 'table to add to the stable. So maybe you should just go for the SOTA if it's what you want. Then you'll have two different 'tables. Not necessarily an upgrade (but maybe).



I have thought about the motor upgrade and may buy one to keep on reserve if the original one fails. Chances are I would have to install it myself and my soldering skills are very rusty. I should not say used is out of the question but buying used sight unseen from a distance away is out of the question.

Since the Rega tonearm is not easily adjustable for VTA I would not want a cartridge with a stylus with a long and narrow profile that I could not set the VTA correctly. A poorly set up expensive cartridge could sound worse than a less expensive cart with an elliptical stylus.

I have read where the Well Tempered is very good at classical but not as much with rock. I do listen to a lot of classical but I also enjoy some rock and jazz. The Rega does a nice job with Rage Against The Machine. I would be interested in hearing more about your experience with the Well Tempered Turntable.

Maybe I need to plan a trip to a major city where they still demo tables before I make a choice.

[Brett A]

I have thought about the motor upgrade and may buy one to keep on reserve if the original one fails. Chances are I would have to install it myself and my soldering skills are very rusty. I should not say used is out of the question but buying used sight unseen from a distance away is out of the question.

Since the Rega tonearm is not easily adjustable for VTA I would not want a cartridge with a stylus with a long and narrow profile that I could not set the VTA correctly. A poorly set up expensive cartridge could sound worse than a less expensive cart with an elliptical stylus.

I have read where the Well Tempered is very good at classical but not as much with rock. I do listen to a lot of classical but I also enjoy some rock and jazz. The Rega does a nice job with Rage Against The Machine. I would be interested in hearing more about your experience with the Well Tempered Turntable.

Maybe I need to plan a trip to a major city where they still demo tables before I make a choice.

First of all, I want to once more say thank you, JohnMichael, for single-handedly getting me into high-quality vinyl playback with this post (http://forums.audioreview.com/showpost.php?p=230774&postcount=8) you offered back in March of '08. I've been on a steady upgrade path since then that has delivered me to my current Well Tempered.

I did sell my own Rega Planar 2 almost exactly a year ago and bought the Well Tempered. My Rega had the stock drive system, but did have an Incognito wire set and an Expressimo Heavyweight (http://www.tnt-audio.com/accessories/heavyweight_e.html)and end stub.

After about a year, I came to the point where the wow and flutter of the stock Rega drive system was too distracting and instead of buying a sub-platter, I just bought the Well Tempered instead.

Another reason for divesting myself of the Rega was the motor noise. The pre- 2000 "Planar 2" had the motor suspended by a rubber O-ring to isolate it from the plinth. this dynamic mounting exacerbated the speed inconstancy caused by the out-of round sub platter on my specific deck. The motor upgrade package is the one they use on the "P2"; it's a quieter motor and so does not need the isolation for the plinth that the older, coarser-running one did. The upgrade sticks directly to the belly of the plinth with two-sided mounting tape providing a more stable transmission to drive the platter. All this to say, IIUC, a motor upgrade would lower your current deck's noise floor and decrease wow and flutter.--but i digress.

When I bought my Well Tempered, (http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=32834) I transferred all the electronics over--same cartridge (an AT150MLx at the time) and the same phono amp (a Jolida JD9) and the difference performance was surprising!

It's hard to say what the biggest thrill was; the spot-on pitch and speed stability or the experience of the music now floating in 3-dimensional space.

The latter i believe to be due from the fact the WTRP's tonearm has no bearings and is damped in a silicone fluid about the viscosity of honey. I've become a believer that mechanical bearings, at least the ones in an RB250, impart junk into the signal I didn't even know was there until it was gone.

The speed stability, coupled with the near-silent noise floor, results in a turntable that pretty much disappears sonically. Every other 'table I've owned or have heard has a sound. (people talk about the "Rega house sound" for instance.) With the WT, all I hear is the record.

You've got to deal with some weirdness with the Well Tempered. The one that I notice daily is the absence of a lift-mechanism for the tonearm. (I've developed steady index finger). Also, after initailset-up,you need to check everything after a day to see that it is all still correct after the honey settles.-but once it's set, it doesn't change.

Anyway.. I've gone on too long. I don't want to hijack the thread. There are a lot of really nice 'tables out there, and with the level of care you'll take, there's no way you'll get it wrong.