Gumby, the Sota is NOT finicky to set up or maintain. Once you've got it dialed in, you're home free. Like anything else, there is a small amount of basic maintenance that one does have to do to it though. That is why they chose the "hanging" suspension that they did over the "shock absorber" type of spring suspensions that most other tables use. Not only is it more effective in terms of isolation, it is also a LOT lower maintenance.
As far as the Sota goes, it is the most resistant to acoustic feedback, "heavy footfalls" or high volume levels of any turntable that i have ever seen tested. It beat a Linn LP 12 in a head to head comparison by over 40 dB's in terms of isolation from shocks to the base. If you're using your TT on a suspended floor, have speakers capable of high level low frequency output or just plain listen to music loudly, this is a factor that you CAN'T overlook. That is, unless you've taken the time to actually set up a dedicated TT platform of some type. Even then, the Sota is still MILES ahead in terms of its' own natural isolation.
As to your cartridge testing from table to table, this would require a LOT of time and work to do correctly. Each cartridge would require being optimized for VTA, tracking force, anti-skate, etc... from arm to arm. You would have to re-adjust this every time you changed cartridges and / or headshells. If you tell me that you did all of that each time, then i'd put some creedence to your test results. Otherwise, i would not consider the results worth much of anything other than personal preference in less than optimum installations. Sean
PS... I'm not saying that the Sota is the ultimate table by any means. I don't have near as much experience as many others here that are "diehard vinylheads". I have found that it is the only table that i and several others that i know have had good luck with. Even those that have moved on to MEGABUCK tables ( ala Rockport's, etc.. ) still have their Sota's as a "spare".
