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Review: Yamaha PX-3 Turntable

Category: Analog

I have always been intrigued by the linear tracking turntables. God and my wallet knows I have had many of these over the years. Sadly to say most never lived up to the promise.

However recently that has changed. Was fortunate to find a NOS Yamaha PX 3 Linear Tracking turntable. It also came with a very fine Yamaha 705 Low Output Moving Coil phono cartridge. Yamaha did make another one of these called the PX 2.

By the size,weight and construction Yamaha appeared to have spared no expense on this project and it shows very well indeed. Weight is about 25 pounds.

Have had this one for several weeks now and the performance is quite stellar to say the least. Set up was fairly easy, but it does need a rock steady platform and needs to be level.

So on to the test. Mounted the enclosed Yamaha 705 MC Cartridge. Put on Sadao Watanabe Live at Budokhan. To say that I was startled is a major understatement. The channel separation and soundstage totally blew me away. Name an adjective to describe the presence of this piece, well you can name them all dealing with the analog experience. Next up was Santana Abraxas, just had to try some rock on this and once again the PX 3 delivered the music with impact an clarity that would have been hard to imagine. So on to a Classical Album Frederick Fennel & The Cleveland Symphonic Wind Band. Just astounding the strikes on the anvil,- gad I thought it was live and in the room!! French horns came through as I had not heard before. Except for the most exalted linear trackers I had not heard this kind of performance at all. Truly impressed for this old jaded audiophile. Not familiar with the Yamaha 705 MC cartridge, but it sonics are truly in the higher end. Without question this is one of the most musical turntables I have owned since I got started in this hobby in 1957 and I have owned a boat load of tables since '57.

Yamaha really has only 3 truly collectible turntables the PX 2,PX 3 and YF 800. These tables are holding value and beginning to move up in price. Audiogon Blue Book puts this as $340.00 as a used average. My opinion one of high ends true bargains. You can spend a ton more, but you will be severly tested to do better. My neighbor with his VPI Scout was more than duly impressed and when I told him what I paid he nearly passed out!!!.

Later on will be trying different moving coils to see if the current performance can be enchanced.

The only caveat I find is the fixed interconnects. However the ones supplied are quite heavy and gold plated. The accessories package contained additional head shell and counter weights to use heavier cartridges.

So if you get a chance to acquire one of these,do so. Yamaha got linear tracking very right with this. No it is not in the exalted level of linear tracking tables,but will clearly hold its own up to todays $1,200.00 level tables. In 1982 this went for $695.00 not cheap by any standard of that year.

Specifications:

Tone Arm Section;
Arm Type: Linear Tracking Arm
Servo System: Opto-electronic tracking error sensor and
coreless dc servo motor.
Total Length: 236mm(9 9/32")
Effective Length: 190MM(7 15/32")
Tracking Force Device: Static Balance Sliding Weight(0 to
2.5 Grams)
Effective Mass: Tracking Force Proportional 17.0(when trak
ing force 1.5g)
Cartridge Weight Range: 5-11 grams 10 to 18 with optional
Counter weights.
Tracking error angle: +/- 0.15 degrees
Arm Lifter: Electronic Oil Damped
Adjustable Arm Height: +/- 4.0mm
Headshell: Forged Aluminum EIA Type 8.0g Gold Plated Conn-
(ector)
RCA Cable: Neglex 2496 low impedance double cylindrical
cord. Capacitance 130pf,Resistance 1 ohm to pin

Rotary Section

Motor: DC 4 phase 8 pole coreless Hall motor
Drive System: Direct Drive
Servo Systen: Quartz PLL
F.G. :Total Circumference intergrating type
Speed: With Lock Indicator 33 1/3 and 45 rpm
Platter: 30 CM(12") aluminum die cast,weight 3 pounds
Moment of Inertia: 210kg including mat

External Design

Cabinent: High Density BMC(bulk moulding compound)
Dust cover: 4 MM acrylic weighing 1.1kg
Hinges: Detachable Type
Insulator: Combination of spring and rubber type with
height adjustment

Control Section

Automatic Functions:
Auto Lead In
Auto Return
Auto Repeat
Auto Cut
Auto Up(during power off)
Size Selector 17/30 CM
Manual Functions:
Arm up
Arm down
Left and Right 2 speed sensing.

General:
Signal to Noise ratio: 77dB(DIN B)
Wow & Flutter: 0.015% WRMS
Power Supply: 120V60Hz U.S. and Canadian
Dimensions:18 1/2 x 5 7/8 x 16 7/8
Net Weight: 26 pounds 6 ounces

For a turntable that is 20 years young the above specifications are quite spectacular by any standard.

Operation of this table has that solid smooth silk feel and for all its automation is remarkably quiet.

So if you have ever wanted to try a linear tracker, I certainley endorse the Yamaha PX 3 and for a lot of us this could be the perfect stopping place. To do better than this table one will pay dearly.

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ferrari
married4stereo
2 posts
 
Wow, I wondered if anyone else knew how wonderful these turntables were, I've never seen one on Ebay!

I have a PX-2 that I bought as a 10 day old store demo. You know how it happens, I just had to have it, and I've now owned it now for probably 20 years. Very heavy at about 50 lbs, but nothing compared to the PX-1 for the Japanese market that weighed in at 100 lbs. That was the one I wanted! Yamaha might be able to still get parts out of Japan as I later saw a picture of a PX-1 in a magazine and I think PX-2 continued there as well. Someone here with Yamaha would have to be willing to research it.

I had problems with my alignment about 10 years ago. I made several calls to Yamaha and they're facility in CA took great care of me! Unfortunately, they had to call me to report that they received it with the cover cracked. Bad day! The tech's attitude was super as he said a new cover could be secured from Japan - oh yeah! They checked it over, replaced an alignment servo and got it back to me in two weeks; the cover took a month. I was so grateful to that tech as I had stupidly kept the cover attached to it in shipping; a big no - no! It still sits as beautiful as the day I bought it without a mark on it, thank God! It is a little beefier than the PX-3 and to me, it's operation is sheer elegance! The cartridge head can be switched, but the one with it is well suited to the unit and accept for a brief period, I still use it. The only possible negative about the unit is it's heavy and can be fragile, and as for moving it, I carry it!!!
sbennett31107875-14a3
1 posts
 
Just got one of these from ebay. Used but in absolute mint condition. Came with two Yamaha headshells and a Audio Techinica headshell with cartridge mounted which is what I am using. Everything works perfectly except the tone arm hangs up sometimes. Sometimes it won't return fully to the rest position and the platter will keep spinning. Other times it won't move but a quarter of an inch from the rest position to move towards the platter. A slight nudge at the back of the tonearme gets it moving. Seems it's binding on something. Any suggestions?
ekobesky
259 posts
 
The most common cause of those types of issues is that lubricants tend to dry up over the course of 20 or 30 years. One of the first things I do when I buy a new tangenital tracking turntable is take it apart, clean the old lubricant off the tracks and mechanisms, and re-lube it with whatever greases or oils are necessary. This is very delicate work, though. Also, it MAY be possible (I'm not familiar with Yamaha designs) that a seperate belt is used for the arm and it will likely need to be replaced. Your best bet it to book it in for a service--then you'll have a like-new table. It's probably long, long overdue for a cleaning, regardless of how nice it looks on the outside.
cwlondon
1,210 posts
 
These are great turntables.

The PX-2 had a bit of a cult following when it came out and as mentioned above, is even heavier and more exotic.

I had one in high school and it was a beautiful turntable, great sounding and of course, FULLY AUTOMATIC.
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