Turntable Yamaha MusicCast VINYL 500 Black

Wireless belt-drive turntable with the MusicCast network platform

The MusicCast VINYL 500 is a belt-drive turntable with an integrated network section, allowing you to play vinyl records and stream them wirelessly to other zones. Thanks to MusicCast multiroom technology, the signal from the record can be streamed to speakers, soundbars or other compatible devices around the home. Built-in Wi-Fi supporting the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands, Ethernet, AirPlay and Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP, AVRCP, SBC and AAC codecs) extend the unit with access to streaming services without the need for additional components.

The mechanical section is based on a DC motor with belt transmission, which separates the motor from the platter and limits the transfer of vibrations into the groove. The die-cast aluminium platter with a diameter of 30 cm provides sufficient inertia at speeds of 33 1/3 and 45 rpm, with speed deviation of ±2 % and a wow & flutter figure of 0.2 %. Tracking is handled by a straight, statically balanced tonearm with an effective length of 223.5 mm and 19 mm overhang, with a tracking force range of 0–4 g and headshell weight capacity of 15.5–19 g. The supplied cartridge is an MM type with an output voltage of 2.5 mV.

The straight tonearm geometry reduces the mass and internal resonances of the moving part, which results in a more open midrange presentation and better detail resolution. The belt drive reduces mechanical noise, so the signal-to-noise ratio of the turntable section reaches 67 dB and above. The outputs comprise two pairs of RCA – PHONO and LINE, so the unit can be connected to an amplifier with or without a phono stage. The digital path works with a dynamic range above 100 dB, harmonic distortion below 0.003 % and a signal-to-noise ratio above 110 dB.

The network section supports MP3, WMA, MPEG-4 AAC, ALAC up to 96 kHz/24 bit, FLAC, WAV and AIFF up to 192 kHz/24 bit and DSD up to 11.2 MHz. Control is handled via the MusicCast CONTROLLER app, which manages individual zones, sources and firmware updates. With dimensions of 450 × 136 × 368 mm, a weight of 5.7 kg and power consumption of 6 W, the design represents a compact solution for analogue playback integrated into a network system.

Key features

• Drive: Belt drive with DC motor
• Tonearm: Straight, statically balanced tonearm, 223.5 mm
• Platter: Die-cast aluminium platter, 30 cm
• Network: Wi-Fi 2.4/5 GHz, Ethernet, AirPlay, Bluetooth
• Outputs: RCA PHONO and LINE for any amplifier