Sota Star

**Odyno** · 05-07-2012, 11:48 AM

Somehow in an audiophile trade I ended up with an older Sota Star Sapphire.
I ended up sending the deck to Sota service facility to have it brought up to spec.
They contacted me back with the following answer.

Needed repairs
Heavy wear on bearing, replace
$230 - Chrome bearing replacement
or
$260 - Zirconium bearing replacement
*
Old style mat/lip.* Deformed lip, replace
$420 - Series V Mat/Lip replacement
*
Old style belt
$30
*
Old style spring assembly hangs very low.* Springs are maxed out.
$365 - Series V Spring(s) replacement
*
Sent in non-factory packing
$25 - Transit screws w/Allen key, Instructions, Bubble Level, Strobe Disc
$65 - Factory packing
*
Since they are willing to give me $700 on trade in, would it be wise to spring to a refurbished Star or shop in the used market for a newer design such as a VPI or else.....

**Gregadd** · 05-07-2012, 12:03 PM

They encourage tradeins over repairs and I think they are right.

**Jay_S** · 05-07-2012, 06:42 PM

Refurb is probably the better way to go. Or sell your old Star and buy something else. One thing that is puzzling about the Sota refurbs - they still use the old Series III motor assemblies. The Series III motors go back to the 1980s. The Series V has been out since the 1990s.