Yamaha’s MusicCast VINYL 500 is an all-in-one streaming turntable

Yamaha’s new belt-drive turntable is much more than the aluminium platter, tonearm and moving magnet cartridge that meet the eye.

Part of Yamaha’s MusicCast product family, the MusicCast VINYL 500 can stream the vinyl it’s spinning wirelessly to any MusicCast speaker (or speakers) in the house over wi-fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands).

It can also stream files (up to 24-bit 192kHz and DSD 11.2MHz) stored on a network, as well as music from streaming services thanks to built-in support for the likes of Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and Qobuz.

Bluetooth and AirPlay connectivity build on the MusicCast VINYL 500’s ruthless versatility too. And if that doesn’t sound 21st century enough for the modern-day vinyl enthusiast, then how do you like Alexa voice control compatibility (via an Amazon Echo speaker) too?

Much like USB turntables, Yamaha’s encompassing, best-of-both-worlds, just-add-speakers solution has capitalised on the persistent vinyl revival with aplomb. Now all that’s left to do is hear whether it sounds good…

Yamaha’s MusicCast VINYL 500 is expected to go on sale for £549 in November.

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.

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