Not much talk about Yamaha turntables.


I've been wanting to jump into the analog world for years, but for a lack of experience and/or knowledge about the equipment, I haven't. There's plenty of talk here about the big names in analog and I was surprised the other day browsing around somewhere that Yamaha has turntables.  Are these any good?  What do they compare to in terms of other more well-known analog names?  I'm not asking about their $8,000 models.  I will never be able to afford that.  I'm asking more about their sub $1k models.  

Thanks!
shtinkydog
Chakster, Have you ever heard a GT2000 or an L version (or an X version)? These are very highly regarded turntables with coreless motors. In fact, on the current market, a very nice GT2000 or any of the variants will cost more than a DP80. I’ve seen them in the flesh, many times in Tokyo. They are beautifully made and not just "cute". I am confident based also on the testimony of owners that the GT2000 is in the same league with any of the vintage decks that you and I also like.
But I think the OP is inquiring about the current models now marketed under the Yamaha name. Unfortunately, they LOOK a lot like the vintage turntables, which were all DD, but they are belt-driven, not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that. One novel feature of the one model I have researched is that it comes with an "underhung" tonearm. That means the stylus underhangs the spindle. Therefore also the headshell is not offset. This has operational advantages and disadvantages (to some) if you require minimal tracking angle error to make you happy. I can say more about underhung tonearms, because they interest me, but I would not shy away from the new Yamahas solely on account of the underhung tonearm. Belt drive is not my thing, however.
A nice GT2000X will be about double the cost of a GT2000 or 2000L.  The X version is rare and very desireable, about $4k to $5K, last time I looked.  Has bigger motor and heavier platter and better standard tonearm, compared to the GT2000, plus an outboard PS, but some or all of those upgrades were also optionally available on at least the GT2000L.  It's a bit confusing on Vintage Knob.  I'd rate a fully equipped X version up with an SP10 Mk3 or Pioneer Exclusive P3.
Yamaha had many very good turntable the PF-1000 and 800 are great turntables. Many of the YB-D series are very good like the 71 and 6 And at a much lower price and fully automatic the   Yamaha P-750 and P-751 are good turntables that can be found for like 300 bucks. Obviously the GT series are what audiophiles would recommend but really not worth the money they were mostly only made for Japan so finding one is hard and has driven the price way up. And depending on what your plugging this into you would need a very good phono stage and system to warrant spending money on a GT series and the Cartridge to go with it to make it worth while would also set you back a pretty penny. So go with what fits your system if your hooking it into a 500 dollar vintage yamaha receiver buy a P-750 or 751 and a good MM cartridge and enjoy