Jerry's new turntable ....

[jandl100]

[chris@panteg]

PF 800 belt drive ' where on earth did you find it 'and was it an expensive hit or cheap as chips .

[Beechwoods]

Knowing Jerry's knack for a bargain, it would have been cheaper than chips, and complete with a NOS never-unused cartridge! His version of eBay is like a parallel dimension to the one I'm signed up to!

[jandl100]

Yep - a 'Yamaha' PF-800 - actually a Micro Seiki, I believe!

Stunning sound - my Ortofon Rondo cart has never tracked so well! It just sounds so totally secure and unphased by any groove antics. Really pleased with the sq. Vinyl has never sounded so good here.

No, not cheap as chips - at least, not unless your local chippie charges £350!

A sonic bargain, nonetheless - I do like my Japanese tt's! I tried a Rock II, which turned out to have some problems and so got returned. I preferred the Yammie anyhow.

& a new belt for it is on order from the USofA just to make sure it's a doin' of its best for me.

[chris@panteg]

I like it ' mm Jap turntables are damn good IMHO .

Oh how i wish i got into them back in 1985 ' instead of reading and believing all that claptrap ' Chris Frankland was spouting in the Flatulant response.

[Marco]

Hi Jerry,

Nice one

You're a jammy git! I've always rated the PF800 since I 'bumped into' one in a high-end dealer's in Germany a few years ago. Here's another one for sale on my favourite (although expensive) vintage site priced at, errm, slightly more than £350 :

http://www.audioscope.net/yamaha-pf800-mint-p-910.html

Consider yourself to have nabbed a veritable (and rare) bargain! I wouldn't be letting that one go too soon if I were you

Marco.

[DSJR]

Was this ever sold in the UK?

So many of these rare items were sold in Europe but never came over the channel. if any did, it was in tens of units or less, so blinkered were we by Linn and other home grown springy belt drives of the times...

[jandl100]

Hi Jerry,

Nice one

You're a jammy git! I've always rated the PF800 since I 'bumped into' one in a high-end dealer's in Germany a few years ago. Here's another one for sale on my favourite (although expensive) vintage site priced at, errm, slightly more than £350 :

http://www.audioscope.net/yamaha-pf800-mint-p-910.html

Jeez - that a £grand!

Consider yourself to have nabbed a veritable (and rare) bargain! I wouldn't be letting that one go too soon if I were you

Marco.

Thanks Marco.

Yep, I have to say that it simply sounds fabulous.
Compared to a Townshend Rock 2 / Excalibur unipivot / Merlin PSU (which admittedly had a slight case of the wows - & t'ank de Lord for that, or I would never have bought the Yammie!) it is just so much more musical and involving.

And the total security with which my Orty Rondo tracks is a genuine joy to behold. That arm looks a bit weird - OK, it is a bit weird! - but by gum, it does the job!

Yep, it sure sounds like a grand's worth. I am 1HB - One Happy Bunny

[jandl100]

Was this ever sold in the UK?

So many of these rare items were sold in Europe but never came over the channel. if any did, it was in tens of units or less, so blinkered were we by Linn and other home grown springy belt drives of the times...

I don't know if they were sold in the UK. From scanning the InterWeb with Google I deduce there are quite a few in the USofA, where they seem to have a bit of a following.

The design is a quite clever - the platter/arm is suspended on three springs but the control panel (front-right which controls on/off, cueing and 33/45speed) is anchored through the suspended base and so is very easy to access.

There are also speed control dials - I have a strobe light / disc on its way to me from a kind forum member so I can make sure the speed is spot on.

A playing LP is so totally impervious to knocks and nudges I have to admit to being just a bit amazed!

Yup, this tt is going nowhere for quite a while.

[Marco]

Jerry, I'd be keeping the Carys and the Yamaha for a very long time indeed! IMO, they're the cream of your current crop of kit and amongst the best things you've ever bought

Enjoy!

Marco.