Denon DP-500BT

You lower the stylus by hand, the turntable lifts the tonearm and stops the platter at the end of the side, then you choose where to listen to the record: on the living room hi-fi system via a cable, or through wireless headphones at the other end of the room. The DP-500BT is a belt-drive turntable with an aluminium platter. In the Denon range, it sits just below the DP-3000NE, sharing its two-tone styling and S-shaped tonearm.

Simple mechanics beneath a design borrowed from the DP-3000NE

The DP-3000NE uses direct drive. The DP-500BT uses a belt: a DC motor turns the platter via this flexible belt, which absorbs much of the motor’s vibration before it reaches the record. The die-cast aluminium platter provides the mass needed for steady rotation that does not respond to every small variation in torque. Wow and flutter is 0.1%: this figure measures speed fluctuations, the ones you hear on a sustained piano note when it “wavers” slightly. The chassis is treated to reduce vibration and rests on four cast-metal feet, which isolate it from the furniture.

The plinth is matte black. The platter rim, feet and tonearm hardware are in light-coloured metal, giving the turntable its two-tone finish. The dust cover can be removed for listening sessions. It can then be put back to keep dust away from the platter and matte finish.

A balanced S-shaped tonearm and a universal headshell

The S-shaped tonearm is statically balanced: a counterweight at the rear balances the arm, then lets you adjust the stylus tracking force on the record. The factory-fitted cartridge is a moving magnet (MM) model, the most widespread technology. Its DSN-85 stylus can be replaced on its own when it wears out, without replacing the cartridge. The headshell is universal: it unscrews from the end of the tonearm, which accepts other headshells using the same standard. When you want to try another cartridge, simply mount it on a second headshell, and you can switch between them in seconds.

The turntable runs at 33 ⅓, 45 and 78 revolutions per minute. It therefore plays albums, singles and old shellac records. The latter are cut with a much wider groove than microgroove records, and a stylus tip suited to their profile gives better results. The interchangeable headshell makes this switching back and forth easier.

Manual cueing, automatic stop at the end of the side

Operation is semi-automatic. You move the tonearm over the record and lower it with the cueing lever. This is the classic action, which also lets you resume playback in the middle of a side. When the stylus reaches the run-out groove, the tonearm lifts automatically and the platter stops. If you step away while listening, the stylus no longer runs endlessly in the final groove, which needlessly wears it out and marks the record. A switch on the back of the turntable lets you disable the automatic stop.

A built-in phono preamp to enable or bypass

An MM cartridge produces a very weak signal: 2.5 mV for the DP-500BT. Record cutting also reduces the bass and boosts the treble, and this needs to be corrected during playback. The phono preamplifier handles both operations. The one in the DP-500BT raises the signal to 150 mV and applies the correction. With the switch on the back set to ON, you can connect the turntable to any line input: an amplifier, active speakers or a network amplifier. This output level remains lower than that of a CD player, which generally delivers 2 V. You will therefore need to turn the volume knob a little further than usual, without this causing any problems.

With the switch set to OFF, the RCA output delivers the raw signal directly from the cartridge. You then feed it to your amplifier’s phono input or an external phono preamp, if your system includes one or you plan to add one later. A grounding terminal on the back accepts the ground wire, which prevents hum when the turntable is connected to a phono input.

Bluetooth aptX for listening away from the hi-fi system

The DP-500BT includes a Bluetooth transmitter. It sends record playback to wireless headphones, a speaker or a soundbar, and a dedicated control on the front manages the connection. It supports the aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs. These are the most advanced in the Qualcomm family: HD transmits the signal in 24-bit resolution, while Adaptive adjusts its bitrate to the quality of the wireless connection to prevent dropouts. The turntable also integrates with the Denon ecosystem: Denon Home speakers and HEOS amplifiers receive the record playback and redistribute it to other equipped rooms.

This connection also lets you place the turntable on a low cabinet, within easy reach, and leave the amplifier and speakers on the other side of the living room, without a cable crossing the room. To use Bluetooth, the analogue signal is converted to digital and then compressed. For attentive listening on the main hi-fi system, the RCA output therefore remains the most direct connection. Wireless is useful for listening in the kitchen, through headphones in the evening or in another room.

Technical specifications

Design and operation

• Type: high-fidelity belt-drive turntable
• Motor: DC
• Playback speeds: 33 ⅓, 45, 78 rpm
• Operation: semi-automatic
  • Automatic tonearm lift at the end of playback: yes
• Tonearm: S-shaped
• Platter: die-cast aluminium
• Colour: black

Cartridge and audio performance

• Cartridge: moving magnet (MM)
  • Installed cartridge: DSN-85
• Universal headshell: yes
• Wow and flutter: 0.1% (WRMS)
• Nominal output: 2.5 mV / 1 kHz
• Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 62 dB

Phono preamplifier

• Built-in phono preamplifier: yes, switchable
• Nominal output with phono preamplifier: 150 mV / 1 kHz
• Phono preamplifier frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Connectivity

• Bluetooth: yes
• Bluetooth profiles / codecs: SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
• Bluetooth connections: RCA, Bluetooth

Included accessories

• Dust cover: removable

Power supply and identification

• Power supply: 100–240 V AC, 50 / 60 Hz

Dimensions and weight

• Product dimensions (W × D × H): 426 × 357 × 118 mm
• Product weight: 6.2 kg
• Box dimensions (W × D × H): 500 × 425 × 230 mm
• Packaged weight: 8 kg