Sony ps-x500 (1980)

A quartz-locked direct-drive turntable system with microcomputer-controlled biotracer tone arm technology, released by Sony in 1980.

Overview

The Sony PS-X500 is a quartz lock direct-drive turntable system introduced in 1980. Sony's brand history lists it as a "Legendary Product." The tone arm is called biotracer. It uses sensors and linear motors to control arm motion with high precision. At the end of playback the arm lifts automatically. In the box you get a 45 RPM adapter, auxiliary weight, head shell (SH-151), cartridge mounting screw, and dust cover.

Specifications

Wow and flutter	0.015% wrms (rotating system)
Load characteristic	0% (Needle Pressure 150g)
Start-up characteristic	1/2 turn or less
Velocity deviation	0.0003%
Signal-to-noise ratio	78dB(DIN-B)
Tone arm effective length	216.5mm
Tone arm total length	295mm
Needle pressure adjustment range	0 ~ 3.0g
Shell dead weight	5.0g(SH-151)
Usable cartridge weight limit (including shell)	7.5g ~ 12.5g
Usable cartridge weight limit (including shell, auxiliary weight used)	12.0g ~ 17.0g
External dimensions	Width 430 x Height 120 x Depth 385 mm
Weight	8.3kg
Turntable diameter	32 cm Aluminum Die Cast

Design

A microcomputer runs the biotracer system. It makes hundreds of logical decisions in under 1/1000 second, managing arm motion electronically through speed and position sensors and linear motors. It suppresses low-frequency resonance by less than 3 dB and improves crosstalk. The motor is a brushless, slotless BSL type. The quartz lock servo controls phase using a magnetic disk speed detection method. The tone arm has a long-span bearing shaft on a single straight shaft, with widely spaced fulcrums. The arm pipe is a tapered special aluminum alloy for extra rigidity, and the joints are reinforced to minimize vibration. The cabinet is made of SBMC material for low resonance, high precision, and strength. A thick dust cover and gel-filled insulators cut vibration further. The auto lift-up mechanism raises the tone arm and stops the turntable when playback ends.