Yamaha GT-2000

Yamaha GT-2000L

October   1 9 8 2 october 1982
1 9 9 2 1992

Gigantic & Tremendous series of extremely successful LP turntables, alas only distributed in Japan. In exchange, the rest of us got the PF-1000 belt-driven record players.

So while we got belt-drive touted as best-as-can-be for LP replay, the japanese got direct-drive touted as best-as-can-be to spin musical vinyl - the arcanes of market-related marketing will always be full of contradictions.
Not to mention that the GT-2000 series took on where the PX-1, PX-2 and PX-3 left off, when tangential tonearms were supposed to be top of the pops :)

Unlike the PFs which consisted of one turntable available in two versions, the GT series took four shapes and many more optional accessories : the four shapes are the small and black GT-750, the not so small but still black GT-1000, the standard GT-2000 (black only) and the more luxurious GT-2000L (wood veneer only).

The ultimate, bigger and very rare GT-2000x came in, discreetely, in 1985 as a last goodbye to the vinyl format but all (GT-750/1000 /2000/L/x series) mostly came from Micro Seiki engineering :)

The 5,8kg platter is made from ultra-pure aluminium cast between 500 and 700°C with alumite coating ; as in the Sony PS-X9, its diameter is oversized at 37,4cm for even better rotation stability and linearity ; inertia moment amounts to 1,2t / cm2.

The motor is a high-torque 4-phase coreless DC regulated by bi-directional FG servo Quartz PLL (like the Victor TT-101 series) and can push 2kg/cm ; its shaft is 10mm in diameter.

The (non-Micro ?) YA-39 tonearm boasts 7mg of friction for both planes - already excellent but still higher than Technics' old EPA-100 for instance ; material is pure aluminium and solid brass with precision gimbal support and adjustable VTA ; the structure seems quite reminiscent of that of the earlier YP-D8 or YP-D10...

The 14,5kg enclosure is made of 5-layer particle board, coated with either walnut veneer (2000L) or the same rugged black finish as used in the NS-1000M loudspeaker for the regular GT-2000.

With a 4,5mm thickness, the acrylic cover ads 2kg to the already impressive weight. Feet are height adjustable spring+rubber. However intriguing, the big post stuck into the front of the platter only displays speed lock for either speeds ; it is a plug-in item.

The accessories go from dedicated external power supply (YOP-1), air-sucking turntable mat (YDS-1), cast-iron base (YAB-1, resting on Micro MSB-100 feet), solid gun-metal platter (YGT-1), one straight tonearm (YSA-1), an upgraded version of said straight tonearm (YSA-2), one S-shaped tonearm (YA-39), a dedicated wood rack (GTR-1B), an adaptable automatic arm-lifter (YAL-1), various counterweights (YPB-1), two central pucks (YDS-3 & YDS-9) and... I believe that's all !

A GT-2000L with all accessories skyrockets above 60kg and close to 500,000¥ - an expensive Lego of sorts :)

There are thousands and thousands and thousands of these in Japan.




A GT-2000x here, another one here.
A GT-2000L here, another one here (with a Technics EPA-100 !).
A GT-2000 with the YSA-1 tonearm
on the side, an YSA-1 all by itself, a YDS-3 here and a YGT-1 (looks more like bronze ?).

Since posting this page in 2009 with only one catalog, I have now gathered all the possible catalogs related to the series, including that for the GT-2000x !
None of them are scanned yet and this will take time because Yamaha published many - and this will only fit in the Knobber TVK : too many images !

Yamaha GT-2000, image 1 Yamaha GT-2000, image 2 Yamaha GT-2000, image 3 Yamaha GT-2000, image 4
Yamaha GT-2000 specifications
Title Value
Turntable Turntable
Motor : DC 4-phase 8-pole
bi-directional servo
Platter : 37,4cm / 5,8kg
anodized
Inertia moment : 1,2t / cm2
Start up : 2kg / cm
Electronic braking : with YOP-1 ext. power-supply
Wow & flutter : 0,005% (FG measured)
S/N ratio : 85dB (DIN-B)
PC : 7W (GT-2000)
12W (GT-2000L)
Dimensions : 54,5 x 12,5 x 39,5cm
Total weight : 28kg.
Tonearm YA-39 Tonearm
Type : static balanced
Effective length : 26,2cm
Friction ratio : 7mg
Tracking : 0...3g (0,1g steps)
Tracking error : -1...+2°
Overhang : 14mm
Effective mass : 22g
Cartridge weight : 1...20g
VTA : +10...-6mm
Wiring : Neglex2496
Cable output : 130pF / 350mOhm
Supplied headshell : massive aluminium, 13g
Auto-stop : optical detection (GT-2000L only)
Misc. Misc.
Cabinet : 12kg
14kg (with optional base)
Acrylic cover : 5 / 4mm thick (sides / top)
2kg.
YOP-1 : external power-supply 32,000¥
YDS-1 : air-pump mat 60,000¥
YDS-3 : 680g wood+metal puck 8,000¥ (7cm Ø ; 3,2cm height)
YDS-9 : metal puck
YSA-1 : straight tonearm 40,000¥
YSA-2 : straight tonearm 60,000¥
YAB-1 : iron base 90,000¥
YGT-1 : 18kg gun metal platter 120,000¥
page online since : september 2008
page updated : not yet
page type : LGT / KNB
page weight : 217.13 Kb / 0 b
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