Product Reviews

As I return to vinyl I was looking to have the option to store my recording on other formats. This turntable gives the option to do that as well as to listen to the vinyl as it plays. I cannot believe how quiet it is there is literally no sound in the background which allows you to listen to that warm sound.

Best turntable so far. Silent smooth running with great sound and features.

Brought back old memories. It is great to hear my old vinyl collection and this turntable does it justice. I do pride myself on quality. I cannot justify my overall spend on high end models, but this Sony Turntable delivers and compliments my recent rebuilt vintage speakers. The feel and build has a clever feel while operating the turntable, but become confused at the function of 'Hign Res'. The overall nostalgic sound of vinyl together with the handling the record is why I chose the Sony Turntable. So why would I rob myself by transferring the music to digital? I came across a record sleeve with a waring about tape recording. ""Taping is killing the music business". That said, finding a quite moment from my family life, I have found a reason to lock myself away to recapture my love of the vinyl records. Along with Great Sound and a Great Experience, is exactly why I don't feel that old. Love vinyl records, love the Sony PS-HX500.

I had been wanting a turntable for some time as I buy a lot of 12" vinyl from the 1980s and most of it was, and still is, unavailable on CD or as Digital Download. As I like all of my music stored digitally on my pc/phone, I needed a way to not only play it, but also record it. I had previously tried the cheap 'All In One' retro-style systems from a brand I'd never heard of, but the quality was awful (I sent it straight back!). I then toyed with buying a standard turntable to plug into my existing CD Recorder, but came across this item after searching for alternative ways of recording vinyl digitally. I have always like the quality of Sony products, so I though I'd give it a try...and I'm so glad I did. The sound quality is superb, and the software is so easy to use. I can record a high quality, lossless digital file in the time it takes to play the record, which sounds identical to the record itself. In fact, the only downside is that I've now got a CD Recorder that I'm unlikely to use ever again!

Bought this a few weeks ago. Easy to put together, felt very robust and the look exactly what I wanted - clean and black. Sits nicely atop my Cambridge Azur AV receiver. The sound is great with plenty of depth. Cant complain so far, looking forward to using the Hi-res software to digitise my vinyl. Great product so glad I bought it so that I can enjoy my vinyl collection again.

My old one (PS-LX60) complete his mission today (25 year), Sony is a very good quality brand on audio equipment from my experience of PS-LX60, today this new force impress me and also the DSD from Sony!

I bought tdhis to replace budget deck i previously had and the sound quality is much broader and deeper than the bidget model and I was please I invested in a more quaality product. I was surprised however that the deck does not feature an auto return arm, i.e when the music stops, the arm returns to the resting position. whilst the sound qualauty is not indoubt, i would thought that a feature that was on a budget model would also be on a a much moe expensive model. The 4 star grading reflects this, to re-iterate the sound qualuty is excellent

Easy to setup, great performance. The HD audio recording is easy to use with good results. Recommended

It’s a great turntable, but the lid scratches REALLY easily. Even following the cleaning instructions, it scratches. Sony don’t want to know and trying to talk to anyone there about it is impossible.

I purchased this deck to replace my 50 year old Rotel, which sadly had died. I get the same true sound (as you can only get from vinyl) as I did with my Rotel, with the added advantage that there is a built-in pre-amp. The deck was easy to set up. I haven't tried the recording feature yet, although I have downloaded the software.

This product is highly recommended, it was bought as a Vinyl ripper in order to supplement a Sonos system. The big surprise, its quality shifted the whole system. My system now has an analog side that I never expected to fall in love with. I am old enough to feel a little humiliated having to recognise that millennials are right, Vinyl rocks and this turntable is god enough to enlighten me about it. Later on, taking Vinyl seriously I tried to improve my turntable, it is possible but a wee nightmare. To start, I compared the turntable to a relative's cheap 90s Sony record player, to my disappointment the motor bearing was identical and the general design too, even the old deck's straight arm was like a cheap inspired copy of the new one, so to sum up; Sony has not innovate enough on the Analog side. This is a typical 80's Sony cheap turntable on steroids, with upgraded materials such as a better made tonearm and a thicker aluminium platter. This has practical effects, the first one is that the belt which is weirdly similar to the old ones for light plates turntables. The original belt stretched rather quickly, an iPhone app registered a pathetic 0.3 wow and flutter just some month after Heavy use. I also had problems with statics, in part ought to the thick rubber mat which is a dust catcher. However this is a rather Japanese turntable trait, so I would have the same opinion even if it was a Technics. In the end I manage to upgrade it, I bought an Achromat and an upgraded elliptical stylus without changing the cartridge, in a whim I added a Cambridge Duo preamplifier. Also, I bought a new generic belt. Out of the box the sound was nice and warm but a little bit boomy, after the modifications the results are more than good. The elliptical stylus was the biggest change, in conjunct with the Achromat plays a more sophisticated sound, still warm but with taut bass; the new belt took the wow and flutter to an impressive 0.11, I also changed the turntable's location farther from the speakers. In the end, I got an "I cannot believe how much" sound, so a happy owner here. I gotta say the Sony PS-HX500 can really push beyond its class, but as it comes from the factory is not the best around at the same price bracket. The main reason is that Sony uses the AT91/3600 cart, this is the best of the cheap cartridges around but this is a Hi-Re recorder, not coming ought of the box with at least an elliptical stylus is disappointing as it means its DAC is fed low resolution analog. Sony should have already changed the cartridge to something like the ATVM95E. I did not changed the cartridges as it is difficult but if you venture into it you have the choice. Unlike other turntables the anti-skating is adjustable, so it is the counterweight and the fixed Head shell allows moving any cartridge forward or backward to help with alignment. Many cartridge alternatives are likely to be slightly taller than the 17mm of the original cartridge. In this case a mat swop will likely be a good idea, anything made of acrylic seems the way to go. In my humble opinion the plater is better than the cheaper siblings yet is one of the weakest part of the turntable. I have to praise its Phono preamp though, the Alva duo which is one of the class leaders certainly betters it, but it only provides a more extended bass and it was my less cost effective improvement. By the way, having an external phono doesn't disconnect the usb out, something I really like. I left the ripping capabilities for the end for a reason, they are beyond good and can only be praised. I do not bother in ripping albums with a CD version available but I have recorded some Vinyl at 24/48. If the Original is clean no matter how old, the results are impressive, no complaints here. Some of its recording can blow out of the water remastered versions of old songs. For the first time in ages I carry my own music on my iPhone and some of the recording are just more pleasant than Spotify or even Hi-Re streaming. If you need to record LPs I hardly believe you can better this without spending a fortune but you may wander around for a while trying to get the analog part at the level of the impressive recording capabilities. As a comment you can change speed moving a selector, this is to me essential and something that put me off from so call audiophile options, new to Vinyl people be aware this is rare a this price level and definitely a plus. On the downside not auto lift capabilities, though the tonearm is easy to position and it feels of good quality when dropping the needle. To conclude, a good out of the Box turntable with a lot of potential if you have some patience, you are unlikely to regret purchasing it.

I used the SONYs online video to set up the turntable and all went well. I do find that the recording and editing software does leave some seemingly obvious questions unanswered. As I have only had the product for a month, maybe some more usage will resolve the issues ?

So glad I bought this,no bother using Hi-Res Audio Just perfect. So pleased with it.

A great turntable and USB combination at a great price

Having used both the playback and now the recording functions, I think that this is a solid turntable for an interested listener. The controls are intuitive and the software to capture recordings is both effective and easy to use. Note, you will need to download the software from Sony's website.

Bought primarily to digitise charity shop vinyl purchases. The ease of use and overall sound quality of the resultant files is outstanding. I was curious to also hear the turntable as a playback device in my hi fi set up and was astounded at the quality of reproduction. In over 40 years of hi fi ownership this product rates as one of the most outstanding buys in relation to its price. You will not be disappointed with this product.

I brought this a month a go and I am very pleased with it

I bought this a couple of weeks ago to transfer vinyl to digital had purchased a cheaper turntable previously that sadly was faulty but due to delays in trying it out properly I let warranty lapse. This product is more sophisticated and I am learning each time I use it but it's fairly idiotproof for my needs. Will probably hook it to my very old stack in due course

My first surprise being my first record player ever is how good Vinyl can sound, in this regard this is as good as any at the price. The sound background is quiet with little hiss, the music fun, clear, spacious and the integrated phono amp useful. You do not need to invest in anything else. I was deciding between the Rega P1 and this, the set up is very similar between both including identical cartridges, with no doubt that the Rega would be a better all analog sound. Nevertheless, I went for the Sony knowing that its DAC has to be good and so it is. Ripped albums sound excellent, no identical but conserving all the dynamics that has taken vinyl back to the mainstream. There is a big but, it is borderline unacceptable that Sony is using an AT91/3600L phono, which it is been their norm since who knows in the twentieth century. The cartridge is fun and venerable, but low (17 mm), too cheap and basic for a product that is meant to be the first step on the Hi-Fi or Hi-Re ladder. Also, when you have a not adjustable height tonearm, it makes a swoop for another one a bit of a nightmare. I have seen with horror aficionados that obviously know more than me cutting their own platter mats to accommodate their favourite cartridge. Though other Audio Technica, Ortofon and Nagaoka have similar height; so it is possible to do it without going through this as weight and anti skating adjustment are included. The tonearm has small lines on the head shell that help you to aling the screws so obviously Sony wanted you to have the choice, but observing the perfect alignment of the cartridge's screws, I am opting to buy a 3rd party eliptic needle as I believe the AT91 cartridge could be improved avoiding the hassle. Going back to the product as it is, the product's manual claims a wow and flutter of 0.1%, this is better than the less of 0.2% claimed when this product was launched in 2016. If there was an update it seems nobody noticed it. I believe this figure will matter to some people but I am not expert to comment more on it. Finally Sony obviously spent the money on Sound quality but created a too understated product, the mate finish is good to avoid fingermarks but without being a Lenco it could have been shinier. The high resolution logo I believe is distracting rather than catchy. But as it comes out of the box is an all rounded winner that is impossible not to recommend.

Looks really good, feels heavy and durable metal. Set up is a little complicated but if you take your time you will get there and is satisfying when you finish it. If I managed it you can. Love the built in amp so I use it with my Google home max.

Turntable itself works but hi-res Recording software sometimes does not bring up the option to write files at the end of the lp playing

Easy to use and install with great sound and features. Priced well and looks good (if you like plain black).

Little frustrating to setup. Finally realized screws were loose on cartridge head shell after tightening them it was a breeze to setup I am enjoying it so far. Purchased based on stereophile and absolutes Sound reviews. So far my lps sound good and track we’ll have OT done hires vinyl transfer yet

After much research I decided to purchase this unit for my college--they have the invoice from Amazon. I am very happy with the purchase as we are in the process of making transfers from vinyl to digital for archival purposes in my next class. Simple to use and interfaces well with my PreSonus hardware and software. Worth considering for anyone.

Unfortunately I have not been able to spend much time using my record player, but the time that I have has been most rewarding. The sound is great and the switching between record speeds is very good.. It was easy to set up and I was using it within a few minutes.

It's a decent turntable, and is very convenient and easy to use. The built-in pre-amp and USB out make it dead easy to set up for listening and copying vinyl, which is a major plus. However, after using it at home for a week I've found little irritations which together are enough for me to trade it in for a different turntable. Firstly, the built-in pre-amp and DAC does clip with vinyl which is cut particularly loud, which means audible digital clicks during playback. Because it's all built-in and the levels are set internally there's nothing that can be done about that. Secondly, the stylus that comes with the turntable is cheap and looks like a fiddly nightmare to upgrade. The USB output can only be used with Sony's own software, which is fine but is clunky to use (no keyboard shortcuts, awkward zoom view on the recorded waveform) – it's designed not to work with any other audio recording software. Also, I've found that 33rpm runs a little bit fast (and is not adjustable). So all told it's very convenient and decent for the price point, but won't work for everyone.

Been pondering should I get myself a new turntable for a few years before I decided to get this one mainly to digitised some very hard to replace vinyl in hi-res (this is the only turntable that I am aware of that has the built in ADC that supports hi-res output before it reaches the computer) and the fact that the price had dropped to almost half of the original RRP. The software download was surprisingly easy to use but is basic (it does what it should do but nothing more). Setting up the turntable was easier than I thought it would be and the vinyl I had recorded so far sounds great.

Truly a great turntable sound quality very good and easy to set up also option to record your vinyl to your computer would highly recommend this Sony turntable if you love your vinyl this is the one for you

Nice turntable, seems well made (nice and solid). Sounds Very Good ! Pity it doesn't look more STYLISH, but is a much better turntable than most with phono pre-amp and USB !

Simple to setup but still with great features. Clear Hi-Res sound. Easy to use. Nice digital features.

I have had this for a couple of weeks now and it is a real pleasure to sit down after work and listen to my records on a quality piece of kit. The sound is so pure and the turntable looks great.

Bought about a month ago, and the sound seems smoother and more incisive and revealing than the venerable turntable before it. Easy to set up, and connect. Good value, good product, recommended.

I bought this after trying a much cheaper USB turntable to convert my records into digital media and what a good decision it was. This turntable is aesthetically beautiful in its minimalist approach and performs just as well. The ability to convert my vinyl into DSD at 2.8Mhz which takes up roughly the same room as a 24bit/96Khz Wav file is fantastic as the real width and depth of sound comes through especially when listening to a good quality live album (Dire Straits - Alchemy is sublime). I have been trying to decide if there is a background noise from the needle but can't seem to work out if I need to change the setup and correctly ground the deck or if it simply part of vinyl life. Absolutely no regrets at all with this purchase and my only complaint is that I may have to consider upgrading my Hi-Res player from the Xperia Walkman app to an original Sony Walkman, an expense I don't really need. Well done Sony you nailed it again.

I haven’t played vinyl for 20 years, and am now a Sonos die-hard advocate. I wanted a quality turntable to link into the Sonos system, using a Sonos Connect to stream to the rest of the house. Sound quality is great through the speakers directly attached to the Connect module, with the only challenge being when I stream to multiple rooms via wifi. Not sure why the turntable would create this issue though. It was nice to play music the old fashioned way, lifting the needle onto the vinyl.

I have been playing Music digitally at DSD level for some time now and decide to go back down the Vinyl route to see if I was missing out on any detail. The Sony PS-HX500 attracted me because of it ability to Rip Vinyl to DSD format. Well I wasn't disappointed, the ripping part was easy to perform and the end result is very similar to what you would purchased in DSD format - preparation is key to ensuring your Vinyl is in good state so you have no pops and crackles.. Playback via analogue doesn't sound as clinical as DSD, the sound is smoother and the emotion of the recording or event can be felt. This player in my opinion is very good value for money in terms of build and sound quality. The sound quality can be improved by replacing the stock cartridge with an upgraded version, but this is limited due to no VTA adjustment. It would have been nice of Sony to publish tone arm and cartridge spec's to make this upgrade a smother process, but there plenty of info on the web, the Audio Technica VM540ML seems popular. Overall very pleased with purchase..........

I’m glad we didn’t ditch all our old vinyl. I wonder if we will be saying the same thing about CD a few years from now

Bought this a few weeks back easy set up quality sound

This is undoubtedly an excellent turntable. The only issue I have is that I bought it as much to digitise my vinyl collection as to play the records and the problem is that the High Res Audio software is not compatible with Mac OS Mojave. Please issue an update immediately!

I have this next to an AT LP5 and it's a good table, if you change the stylus on the stock cartridge to something similar to the lp5 (elliptical) the two become very similar and excellent, and should satisfy all but the elitists who have more money than brains usually. You can spend more for better built eye-candy, to me this is pretty enough. Replacement belts are available that resolve the pitch issues some people experience. Sony, put better belts in to begin with. Turntables that carry your name should last a long time.

NEEDE A HIGH END TURNTABLE I HAVE VARIOUS SONY PRODUCTS AND NEVER HAVE ISSUES

Christmas present Superb sound Great design and style

Looks and sounds great, easy to set up so can enjoy your vinyl without any hassle

I've used this for a month or so and am very pleased with the results - the sound is excellent. Setup was relatively straightforward. The deck looks very good, too.

Wanted a top quality turntable and after reading the reviews on What Hi-Fi I bought the Sony PS-HX500. It was easy to assemble with the belt,weight etc. The sound quality is excellent and playing my vinyl again is great(some of my albums are 50yrs old). It helps having a decent sound system but would recommend the Sony to anyone.

After going through 3 turntables in less than a month, my wife accidentally settled on the Sony PS- HX500. This unit became a keeper due to its simplicity and great sound reproduction. An added bonus is its ability to rip your vinyl records via a USB port and Sony's software that is included with the purchase. It was an accidental purchase as I was looking to get another brand. I decided to give the Sony a shot before sending it back but its simplicity, the USB feature, and great sound changed my opinion of it and I kept it. The only things I would change about it would be the ability to play 78 rpm records and to have a holding place for the 45 rpm adapter. Excellent product!

Bought to replace an old PS-LX250. The sound quality is fantastic. The only thing missing is "auto return" but I knew that before purchasing.

This is a very solid turntable and it produces great sound. It's surprisingly low-profile, giving it a stylish appearance. My one concern is that the on/off/speed selector is a little awkward to operate and I suspect will be the first thing to fail! My biggest problem is that the DSD-recording software does not work with Mac OS High Sierra. This is a disappointment.

The player has a nice design. It's very easy to assemble. I wish I could get more info about the cartridge. It records Hi-Res indeed making a big difference when I transfer to my Xperia XZ Premium or play them on my ES receiver on a USB. The only problem I've noticed is a constant and annoying fluctuation of speed while I play a record. I thought it had to break in but after several hours using it for several days, it is still there. Maybe it was made like that or I've got a defective product. In overall, I recommend it if you're interested in not only record Hi-Res files but the pleasure of playing a real record.

Purchased this because I want to digitize some of my vinyl exclusive electronic records. Set up was easy and it sounds pretty good. However, the mandatory recording software is problematic. While my first recording was able to be saved, nothing else will save after ending the recording process. I'm on Windows 10 and have plenty of hard drive space. The software completely freezes. The hi-res recorder is minimalistic, so I was surprised to find that it's broken. Luckily, I have an audiophile grade soundcard. With this, I am able to input sound from a turntable and record into other recording software. I'm going to return the PS-HX500 and go with another company to do so.

My turntable worked well for a year, but now it plays only one track of a record. I'm immensely disappointed that something would break so quickly, and it is used only to digitize my album collection. Sony service is non-existent, and I live in Seattle, not way out in the countryside. Sony was very unhelpful, putting me in touch with a service center in East Syracuse, NY. Really? Nothing on the west coast? Very disappointed in Sony.

I work for Sony and have one of these turntables - I noticed someone was complaining about adjustment of the feet - it's not mentioned in the manual but you can adjust them. Turn the inside rubber part of the foot, you can't turn the outside of the foot - hence at least one reviewer thought (as I had at first) that you could not adjust the feet to level it.

I have been using my PS-HX500 to save my growing vinyl collecting to a high quality digital format, to my Mac, since I purchased it in March 2017. I recently updated my MacBook Pro (2014 spec) to High Sierra 10.13.2 and now the supplied Hi-Res Audio Recorder app can not 'write to file' which renders the purpose of the Turntable i.e. to preserve some precious vinyl records redundant. I get as far at the "Write to files" button, then I click it and nothing happens. This is regardless of the length of the recording or the number of markers. The review will remain at 1 star until Sony fix this problem

Excellent sound quality and robust construction however software is not fit for purpose in terms of the updated MACOS I.e. Hi Sierra

Well as I have only purchased today Dec30/2017 it sounds fantastic. The wife wishes it shut off on its own, me to i guess but it is good exercise to get up to do it manually i think.

I purchased this turntable as a Xmas gift for my daughter. I tested it and found it to be a very good quality turntable. so much so that I recortded 15 of my own albums @ 24bit 192Khz. The only prtoblem was the recording software froze up 3 0r 4 times and I had to reinstall it or disconnect it from the turntable.

This turntable sounds fantastic. It also looks terrific. VERY happy with it and would recommend it to anyone.

The turntable is just what I was looking for. But now that my Mac is updated to Mac OS High Sierra, the High-Res Recorder app is useless. I was even told by support that there might be no update for the app... :(

Just got it out of the box and one foot is too short, so it rocks. Moving the turntable didn't help either. Customer service was worthless, their solution is return it. As a disabled vet I'd have to get someone to do it for me. So, I folded paper under the short foot. Some solution for an expensive turntable.

Got this deck because of the reviews and found that it does the job really well. The deck is solidly built and doesn't take much effort to get it up and running. The downside is that the software, for Apple users is hopeless. No matter what I've tried to do after recording a track nothing will write to files. I have had to record and save using Audacity.