Sota Comet 3 Turntable

has posted a review of the Sota Comet 3 turntable with S301 tonearm (together, $1200) at Stereo Mojo. His conclusions:

Who might be interested in the Sota Comet III? Well, it is an entry level table; 8th model from the top and one from the bottom of the Sota line. (The Moonbeam is one level below) It is a good starting point for those who have boxes of LP’s in the attic that are much loved but are on the list of “things to do someday”. The Sota Comet III is a no frills table and extremely well thought out. If you think you want a more aggressive sound, one of the acrylic tables from companies like ClearAudio may be better. Paying more will certainly give more in terms of speed (transients and attacks), transparency, dynamics and subtle musical nuances. Nevertheless, it presents with a quiet background, imaging, and dynamics that are not always captured by even more expensive tables just a generation or so ago. Of course, many will also prefer its sound to lower priced CD players as well. You can save yourself $100 by opting for the S251 tone arm. Given the S300 is a mere 10% more of the table’s affordable price, it seems counterproductive not to opt for it. $200 more is a significant jump in table to the Satellite, however you will be out of pocket for a tone arm. The Comet III w/ S300 tonearm is forgiving enough to enjoy a collection of old classical, jazz and that Beatles or Beach Boys collection in your garage, but coherent enough to show the subtly of a jazz trio, string quartet, or the power of rock. I do not believe there is much more that can be asked of this little table at this pricepoint.

You can read the full review here.