The sound of a vinyl record is unmistakeable. The ‘pop’ of the needle hitting the wax; the distinctive analogue warmth that blankets the music; the subtle hiss of the grooves.
All these qualities make for an intimate listening experience that simply can’t be matched by digital formats, and it’s for this very reason that music lovers are once again falling for vinyl - over Christmas, the retailer HMV reportedly sold one turntable every single minute. But there’s one glaring drawback with the format: it’s not very portable. MP3s can be carried around easily thanks to their low audio quality, but vinyl’s tactile delights are bound almost exclusively to the confines of the home.
Or at least that used to be the case thanks to the PS-HX500: an expertly-crafted turntable that can convert (or ‘rip’) your records into High-Resolution Audio digital formats.
Preserving the vinyl sound
Ripping vinyl to MP3 or AAC is nothing new, but formats like these are so heavily compressed that all the endearing nuances of the vinyl is lost. However, by converting your records to uncompressed High-Resolution Audio formats (from WAV right up to double DSD), you’re preserving every last detail of the authentic vinyl experience. It’s an important breakthrough, which is something that Kazuo Nada, project leader for the PS-HX500, is clearly aware of as he talks to us.
“Consider the High-Resolution format of DSD: it’s already established in the professional market for recording and playback. Now, for the first time, we’ve employed the technology into a turntable. People are more conscious of better quality, and High-Resolution Audio is helping to promote this idea.”
Another person closely involved in the turntable’s development is Eric Kingdon, who echoes Nada-san’s sentiments. “I remember thinking at the time: if we were going to make a turntable, with the obvious rise in popularity and the move towards file listening...why not make something that can record [music] in very high quality?
“We have a very good budget [vinyl-to-MP3] turntable that we’ve had for a number of years...but to actually take that step further, it didn’t just mean adding a DSD solution - it also meant making a turntable that could justify the quality.”
Even Nada-san himself was amazed when he first heard the difference that High-Resolution Audio can make: “[My proudest moment was] when I was finally able to initially test the digital files recorded from a vinyl record by our engineering unit,” he tells us. “The higher frequency resolution and bit-depth delivered a smooth and natural sound. Although digital, I could still enjoy the natural character of vinyl.”
The actual ripping process is about as straightforward as you could get - just connect the turntable to your computer via USB, open up the included Sony software, cue up the track and press ‘record’. When you’re finished simply press ‘stop’, and then you can edit, title and label each track accordingly. “It’s honestly, hand on heart, so simple to use that you don’t need an instruction book,” Eric says. “It’s that simple. There’s no mystique about how to enjoy it.”
Audio pioneers
Although a powerful and important feature, we didn’t want the PS-HX500 to be known purely for its converting potential; we wanted it to be a great stand-alone turntable in its own right, too. As it turns out, we’ve made a lot of turntables in our time, and thus we have plenty of experience to draw from.
Eric elaborates: “Unlike some other companies, we still have vinyl engineers - one of them was responsible for a number of turntables from Sony’s first spin of the vinyl, as it were. As a company, we’ve made turntables since the late 60s and had some world-first designs. Some of the models are considered to be amongst the best in the world.”
With this in mind, the team decided to take a long, hard look at these turntables - including the legendary TTS-8000 - and adopt the best ideas from each one. The result is a turntable with bespoke components that have developed and tuned for perfect harmony. There’s the integrated shell type straight tonearm which stabilises the cartridge for improved sound quality and tracking ability, the belt drive system that helps to maintains a natural vinyl sound, the rubber slipmat that’s been subtly contoured to minimise unwanted surface noise, the strong aluminium die cast platter…
We could go on and on, but the main thing is that this turntable is far more than just a ripping device - it’s an entirely worthy addition to any hi-fi setup.
“That’s the thing I want to make clear to everyone and to encourage everyone reading this,” Eric tell us. “Go and listen to the turntable as a regular vinyl record player. I confidently believe that it won’t disappoint.”
With the number of record shops at an all-time high and vinyl sales up 500% in just three years, now is the perfect time to rediscover the joys of the physical vinyl record with the PS-HX500.
Learn how to rip your record collection into High-Resolution Audio via the video below.
