The Yamaha GT-2000 direct-drive turntable is a super-deck from the golden era. Come along as I install a new RCA cable on this beautiful deck.
Make no mistake, if you want one of the very best turntables, it’s going to be a high-end deck from Japan. For many, it will be a direct-drive deck like a Kenwood L-07D, a Technics SP-10 or perhaps a Yamaha GT-2000. For others, it will be a killer belt-drive like a Luxman PD-350 or Micro Seiki SX-8000 Mk 2.
The GT-2000 is so big that GT actually stands for ‘gigantic & tremendous’… It’s so large that it’s difficult to carry, my L-07D is denser, but it has handles, the GT-2000 does not. The GT’s platter alone is nearly 6kg of machined aluminium and the chassis is so big that it’s awkward to pick up and move around.
The GT-2000 is, in basic form, a nearly 30kg beast, that gets out of the way and plays records. Very simple to operate and with few frills, you get on/off and speed controls and that’s it. You can add an auto arm lift that raises the arm at the end of the record, and beyond that, Yamaha’s accessories catalogue was the go.
Yamaha offered a range of accessories for the GT-2000, some of which are pictured above and most are described in the table below. If the 6kg platter wasn’t enough, you could grab the 18kg gun-metal platter, for just 180,000 Yen, or the YAB-1 cast-iron base, for 90,000 Yen…
Hi-fi lovers are searching out this high-end vinyl gear because many are fed up with paying top dollar for what are often just light-weight belt-drive decks. High-end vintage decks like the GT-2000 are becoming so popular now that Yamaha recently announced a modern ‘replacement’ for the GT-2000, the new GT-5000. Check it out and have a think about which one you prefer…
You can read more about the GT-2000 at The Vintage Knob. If you want more holy grail decks, check out this article with five of the very best. Also, check out my GT-2000 service article and my video overview to accompany this article, below!
Yamaha GT-2000 Specifications & Accessories
(Courtesy of The Vintage Knob)
| 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) – naughty Yamaha…! |
| 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. |
| YA-39 Tonearm | |
| Type : | Static-balanced |
| Effective length : | 26,2cm |
| Overhang : | 14mm |
| Effective mass : | 22g (I’m not sure about this spec…) |
| Cartridge weight : | 1…20g (no way with the standard counterweight) |
| Wiring : | Neglex 2496 |
| Accessories | |
| YOP-1 : | External power supply @ 32,000¥ |
| YDS-1 : | Air-pump mat @ 60,000¥ |
| YDS-3 : | 680g wood+metal puck @ 8,000¥ |
| 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¥ |
Longer Cable
Yamaha knows what they are doing and fitted a Mogami Neglex 2496 RCA cable to this deck. Neglex, in its various iterations, is superb stuff and found in studios and serious home systems around the world. What’s not great is the 1-metre length of the factory cable. The owner needs 2 metres and, rather than use adapters, he asked me to custom-make and install a new, longer cable.
Mogami is a Japanese cable manufacturer that makes some of the best cable stock available. I used Mogami here for my custom cable build, as I often do in serious installations, this time choosing a Neglex cable type that can be used in single-ended or balanced configurations.
It’s worth considering that Mogami cable, dressed up with different coloured jackets and labels, is often sold for hundreds of dollars per metre from boutique manufacturers. Canare and Mogami are who the OEMs go to, it’s the real deal, real copper, made in Japan. Best of all, it’s affordable, a rare high-end hi-fi bargain, though that puts people off can you believe!
Performance
You’ll see the details in the review panel, but cutting to the chase, the Yamaha GT-2000 is a very serious record player. In terms of rumble, the GT-2000 is dead quiet and wow & flutter is almost unmeasurable. The GT-2000 contributes virtually nothing to the sound, a superb technical performance, expected from a machine of this calibre.
It’s worth noting that Yamaha specifies their wow & flutter measurement at the FG (frequency generator) output, not from a test record and wow & flutter meter (like my Kenwood FL-180A). That’s not really fair and Yamaha’s 0.005% wow & flutter measurement is therefore not comparable with others made conventionally.
Sonically the Yamaha GT-2000 is a heavyweight with a deft touch. The deck renders the slightest breaths and nuances with incredible precision and lightness, whilst digging deep into the bass and maintaining a rock-solid stereo image. Very few decks are this quiet or exhibit wow & flutter this low, so if these sonic attributes matter to you, and they should, this is an excellent start.
This level of insight is only possible with very heavy decks like the GT because, with turntables, great mass is needed to ground everything and render the chassis inert. The longer tonearm used here helps to reduce tracking distortion. Compared to lesser machines, especially the swathe of belt drives so many people are familiar with, playing records on a GT-2000 is like hearing them again for the first time.
You don’t actually realise just how good records players get until you own a Japanese heavy-hitter like this. It’s then that everything clicks in terms of how obsessive the Japanese are about vinyl replay, and why this sort of machine is the path so many of us must take.
Other Considerations
The Yamaha GT-2000 is limited by its tonearm. I’ve spent a lot of time with this arm, it isn’t in the same league as the superb arm that comes with the Kenwood L-07D for example. Old-school low-compliance MC carts which can sound great aren’t ideal here.
The GT’s medium mass arm and small counterweight need a medium to high-ish compliance cartridge to match, despite the 22g effective mass specification. Does the 22g spec include a cartridge? Hard to know. I’ve worked with many arms, including some that are 20+ grams effective mass and they certainly feel heavier than the YA-39 tonearm.
The FR-2 fitted here, whilst sounding great, is not an optimal match to the owner’s system. The low-mass counterweight also limits the weight of headshells and cartridges one can fit. All of this must be considered for good mechanical matching and I’ve been working with the owner to refine this. A new cartridge is coming soon…
Based on careful consideration, modern cartridges suited to this arm and calibre of deck include the Ortofon 2M Black, Audio Technica AT/OC9 Mk 3, Shelter 501 III, Hana SL and Benz Micro-Glider SL.
Bang Per Buck
Overall, the Yamaha GT-2000 is a superb turntable and a great buy, especially with ever-appreciating heavyweight deck prices. We’re just lucky that this deck was popular back in 1982 because there are plenty available now and that keeps them sensibly priced, for now.
What are your options? Well, Yamaha wants $9,000 AUD for their modern version of this deck, the Yamaha GT-5000. Technics will take $4,000 from you for a new SL-1200, albeit with a lovely sounding 2M Black cartridge. Luxman wants $8,500 for the gorgeous PD-171A.
The GT-5000 is a belt-drive deck with a very disappointingly puny motor. The deck looks great but doesn’t have the technical performance or collectibility of the GT-2000. Only time will tell if it too becomes a classic, but I doubt it will, certainly not in the same way as the GT-2000 has.
The Luxman PD-171A is a stunner, I’ve set up and listened to one, but again it’s a belt drive and doesn’t have quite the GT-2000’s specs. The SL-1200 is lovely and a classic, but not in the GT-2000’s league. You can pick up the real thing for 2 – 3K, so here again, the value of vintage hi-fi gear is obvious.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day and as I keep telling people, decks like this will only continue to appreciate in value and appeal. More and more folks realise this and understand the value, performance and collectability of wonderful analog equipment from the golden era. If you want a Japanese super-deck, the Yamaha GT-2000 is an excellent choice.
As always, thanks for reading and if you like me to set up and service your Yamaha GT-2000, get in touch.
Yamaha GT-2000 Direct-Drive Turntable
$2000 - $3000 AUD
Pros
- Gigantic & tremendous!
- Superb sound and build quality
- Wide range of excellent accessories
- Yamaha reliability & servicability
- Amazing value for money
Cons
- Tonearm limits ultimate performance
- Tonearm limits range of suitable cartridges
- (But a better tonearm is available..!)
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I believe the cable will be too long and will adversely affect the low output of a phono cartridge.
Hi Robert, no, fortunately, this cable is designed for long runs with low amplitude signals and 2 metres is no problem. The way I’ve wired this Neglex makes this even less of a concern, and of course, I carefully test everything before it leaves, it sounds superb, with a very low output moving coil!
That’s good to know. I’ve always had problems extending phono cables.
Great job Fitz. The GT with its new cable is sounding great. It will be even better when I find the perfect cart!
My pleasure mate, glad she’s back up and running and sounding so good!
Awesome as always Mike! As a devotee of the Kenwood KD 600/ 650 which is all due to your posts about those ‘tables I am intrigued enough by this post to ask you here & now, how much better percentage wise in your opinion is a deck like the Yamaha GT 2000 to the Kenwood KD 600/650? You know, just in the unlikely case that I’m ever in the position to buy one?!
Hi Tim, thanks and I’m glad to know you enjoyed this article! Decks like the GT-2000 and my Luxman PD-350, for example, are in another league sonically when compared to decks like the KD-600/650. This is to be expected of course, given the original sale price and engineering considerations, but the differences are obvious in weight and scale, imaging, dynamics and so on. It’s hard to put a percentage figure on it because one cannot quantify such things, but let’s say that once you use a properly set-up super deck like this, there’s no going back. I’d say go for a GT-2000 or any of the super-decks if you get a chance and remember that the synergy between deck, arm and cart is critical along with the set-up.
You can usually find them here: https://www.hifido.co.jp:443/sold/18-19061-49946-00.html
Correct, HiFiDo is awesome!
I’ve never purchased from them but am always tempted. Shipping is expensive to the States though.
Several of my customers have purchased gear from them and have had no problems. They are very professional, typical of how Japanese do business.
Good to know. Thanks.
Robert
Thanks for the info Mike! As far as associated equipment goes my priciest/fanciest cartridge is a Dynavector 10 x 5. My pre-amp is the Schiit Mani though I one day plan to upgrade to a Parasound JC3 jr.
Dang it! I accidentally hit send too soon. Anyways, do you think I can get a measure of the benefit of a GT2000 with such lowly gear? I get by on forty + year old Sanyo amplification & DIY speakers but I’m good with that ever since I heard a 6 figure Radialstrahler system & came away convinced that my rig has more weight, impact, & general dynamic life. Oh sure the MBL rig soundstages into the next town & all but I’m far more thrilled by punch than I am depth.
Hi Tim, yes I think you’ll definitely hear the improvements with something like a GT-2000. I’ve just installed my beautiful Luxman PD-350 in place of the KD-600, story to follow, and it takes things to another level. Even as the needle hit the first record, the sonic improvements were undeniable. I knew this from when my L-07D was working, but sadly I have to repair that beast. If you are chasing the very sound from your records, you’ll need to improve the cartridge, phono preamp and then, of course, the deck itself. Improvements in any of these will make a significant sonic difference.
The big question I cannot seem to get a straight answer to is what about voltage? This deck was designed for 100v
Please tell me if its safe to run on Western 120v. I have been told yes its fine and no you absolutely need a step down transformer.
Whats the truth? I would dislike to import a 2000 only to ruin it. Thank You.
Hi Jeff, there is a very simple answer to this, you must always use the correct voltage and never go more than 10% over, as last resort. 120V is 20% over the rated voltage and therefore not a safe running voltage. You can do it, but it won’t be good for the unit. It will run for a while, but the electronics will run hot and will fail eventually, maybe even quickly. Your margin for surges and spikes is also gone when running so far beyond rated line voltage. Any advice to the contrary is simply misinformation and there is a stack of that around, unfortunately. If you want one of these beauties, get one, but do the unit a favour and feed it exactly the line voltage it was designed to receive. Step-down transformers are available and cheap, so you would always use one in a situation like this. You want a passive device, ie a transformer, not anything active. I hope this helps!
As Mike says a step down transformer is a must and simple. I use one on my Japanese Laserdisc player and it’s works well.
Hello from Okayama Japan where today my Doctor gifted me this glorious Yamaha GT-2000 including a metal “exo-skeleton” chassis (not sure how to describe better than this). Took two guys to haul it to the 2nd floor of my 150 year old grain barn art studio! First needle drop was a whole new experience of quality and i realized quickly my current amp is not up to standard (he also handed off 2 Pioneer speakers – ridiculously kind of him but his new office set up is incredible so i am the lucky friend/patient).
Anyhow, started poking around to choose something worthy and complimentary to the turntable and found your fine post. I’m a bit overwhelmed with choices (great problem right) here. Do you have any advice of what i should be looking for? I am not loaded with cash but want something quality. Sorry vagueness, any advice appreciated.
Hi and thanks for writing, what an amazing gift! The cast iron additional chassis is highly sought after and adds to what is already a beautiful machine. The trick is to get someone to properly set it up for you, with a really good cartridge. This part cannot be skipped, a little like getting a beautiful high-performance car and not getting it serviced or set up correctly, it simply must be done. I’m assuming here that you are asking about cartridges? If so, I mention a few options in the review article so have a good read of that part. Much depends on your budget, a sensible minimum for a machine like this would be a roughly $1K, with more yielding very tangible improvements depending on your system. Do you have a budget in mind?
Hi Mike, thanks for your kind reply… I was so excited to tell someone about this.
Thinking about this and looking through your blog, I realized i need pause and start from the very beginning to set-up. There is a cartridge with the turntable (which sounded good with a quick test on a borrowed amp) so i picked up a Yamaha Amp of similar vintage (CA-R) in great condition, next up is finding a with a sturdy table to support this heavy equipment, plus quality speaker wires and cables. Then i can hear how the cartridge sounds and adjust for there. Alas, i don’t have a *set-up helper* (i’m new to the area and hard to get out and about these days) so digging into resources to do my best effort.
Good news is: i have all of this in a 150 year old wooden grain barn which has great vibes and should sound good and loads of vinyls awaiting a needle-drop. You can see a bit of the space here (whilst setting up my old gear).
https://daveostory.com/daveo-dispatches/personal-musings/records-books-kura-studio/
Thanks again for sharing my enthusiasm and for all the fine resources on your site.
No problem, be careful where you source advice on cartridge matching and setup, much of what is written out there is of no real technical value, so keep this in mind. Enjoy that beautiful deck in the meantime!
Thank you very much for the very informative conversation regarding GT2000. Im also a proud owner of GT2k.
Hi Rod, thanks so much for taking the time to read the article and leave a comment, really glad you enjoyed it. I’ve just finished a big GT-2000 service so I’ll write about that at some point later this year I hope!
Hello mike,
I read your story with great interest. I just ordered this TT and it is now on its way from Japan to The Netherlands. The Mogami cable was ordered via Ebay and is now on its way. The GT 2000 is a fixer-upper, so I already have all the capacitors ready for replacement. I see this as a fun project. It’s a shame you’re so far away from me. Because adjusting the MC will still take some effort and I could have used some help. For me the least enjoyable part of the job. but when done….. I am looking for some more information such as manuals or service manuals with the electronic diagram. Do you know how I can get this? VinylEngine is no longer allowing new users. That’s a shame. In any case, thanks for your stories about the GT 2000 that led me to buy one! Keep up this great work. Greetings, M
Hi Metin, great work on getting your GT-2000 and I’m glad the articles have been of some inspiration for you! Service data is hard to come by so don’t hold your breath on that one.