Analog Gear News

The trend of semi-automatic turntables with Bluetooth capabilities continues in full force. The latest such entrant to appear on our radar comes from Denon: namely, the Denon DP-500BT turntable.

The Denon DP-500BT is intended to add convenience to vinyl playback — and to appeal to both those new to vinyl listening as well as to more serious hi-fi hobbyists who might be minding their budgets — and/or just have a hankering for a few more handy modern features, Bluetooth being the obvious one.

With this table, the BT-related bases are covered with support for Bluetooth via Qualcomm aptX, aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive to enable connection with wireless speakers, wireless headphones, or a soundbar. Traditional wired connection is also possible via RCA outputs.

The DP-500BT table offers automatic tonearm lifting and rotational stopping, in addition to a built-in phono preamp. It’s intended to suit the preinstalled Denon moving magnet (MM) cartridge that uses a version of Denon’s CN-6510 stylus, according to the turntable’s online specs. The phono stage can also be defeated — good news for those who already have their own separate phono preamp.

The belt-driven DP-500BT is equipped with a die-cast aluminum platter and a balanced S-shaped tonearm. Playback speed options include 33⅓, 45, and 78rpm. Additional features include cast metal feet and “vibration resistant construction,” according to Denon. The table comes with a removable dust cover (seen in position above), as well as a 12V AC power supply. The DP-500BT’s design draws some of its inspiration from the flagship Denon DP-3000NE turntable (Footnote 1), such as its minimalist look, two-tone matte finishing, and S-shaped tonearm. (However, note that the DP-3000NE is a direct-drive model.)

Also, as an aside, it’s encouraging to see some new analog products from a long-established brand — more than a century old, in fact — that’s undergone a series of changes over the last few years. Denon continue to operate and release products through the Sound United group of hi-fi brands, which is under the auspices of Harman, a Samsung-owned company. This also means that the DP-500BT table fits into the broader Denon Home “ecosystem” — i.e., one that could be populated with Denon Home speakers with HEOS amplifiers within a multi-room setup, for example.

Finally, the Denon DP-500BT turntable is available now — both online, and via authorized Denon dealers — and it sports an SRP of $899.

For more about Denon, go here.
To find an authorized Denon retailer, go here.

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Footnote 1: For Ken Micallef’s review of Denon’s DP-3000NE turntable, go here, which posted on September 2, 2025.