Vintage DD turntables. Are we living dangerously?

My impression from touring Tokyo audio salons is that the GT2000 is much more commonly seen for sale these days than are some of the other TOTL vintage direct-drive turntables. This can only mean that many more of them were sold vs for example the SP10 Mk3 or the Exclusive P3/P3a. However, I have seen a GT2000X only in those photos on Vintage Knob, never saw one in "real life". Thus I missed the point that the GT2000X has the heavy platter; I thought it was distinguished only by its more massive plinth. All of that said, I have never heard either Yamaha. One criticism I read was of the tonearm. It is apparently made at least in part of plastic, probably some high-tech plastic but plastic, nevertheless. There was an article detailing the fact that those tonearms can develop stress fractures (maybe on Vintage Knob???). I don't know if this applies to all tonearms supplied with the GT2000 and GT2000X or only a particular one.

Does anyone here own a GT2000/X? How about a Luxman or Onkyo TOTL direct-drive? Those last two seem really rare to find these days.

I have the GT2000 and am quite happy with it, though I have not done direct comparisons with other DD turntables.

The difference between the GT2000 & GT2000X is that the latter has a bigger motor shaft and plinth. The have the same platter, motor, and controller. The 18kg gunmetal platter was optional for both.

Some people like the arm on the GT2000 but many also change it for something else. Yamaha sold two other arms and SAEC made a special version of 407, the 407/GT that can directly replace the existing arm. There are also commercial arm boards available that allow the use of other tonearms. I have no experience with or knowledge of fractures in the tonearm.

Thanks, Sampsa. Have you compared your GT2000 to any other vintage DD turntables? Have you ever seen either the 18kg platter (hard to believe) or a GT2000X?

No. I've compared it to a Garrard 401 with the same cartridge (SPU Gold) but with different tonearms and preferred the GT2000.

I haven't seen either the GT2000X or the YGT-1 platter in real life. They're both pretty rare but do occasionally pop up on the net.

I have now compared the Jico leather mat with the custom rubber mat that comes with the Exclusive P3.

Overall the leather mat has good transparency let down by a softening of the leading edge of instruments and a slight fattening of the sound in the upper bass. would probably be good with neutral/lean SS gear.

The P3 rubber mat is more coherent top to bottom and the music is more involving.

A bit of a PITA is the thicker mat is not flat - it bows where the Jico cattle mark is. Makes every lp look like it is bowed. Sort of defeats the purpose of a mat when it cannot effectively coiuple the lp to the platter.

YMMV

Still have to compare on my P10 and TW Acustik.

cheers