Braun PS-500
- Thread starter manpikin
- Start date
Very good home hi-fi I am hoping. It certainly is a very similar design to the TD-124 if just a bit less massive. Let's hope it sounds as good as it looks.
I have not personally had the 1st listen yet, soon I hope. I find it interesting that it comes with a V-15 III and yet someone else is running a DL-103 and likes it. I would not have thought both would run happily on the same arm. Trying to find out what the arm mass is and the headshell type but no luick yet. I guess I will just have to go into the shop and get the deck pulled out and have a look. The arm looks to be some sort of medium mass design from what I can see so that would be fine.
As you know those carts are very "apples and oranges". I have yet to hear a V15III soar (worst deadest sounding in my personal experience) and have no interest in playing only Dynagroove with spherical tips, neither appeal to me.
Brian
An Old Geezer
Funny, I could never warm up to the V15 series. Back then preferred the ADC 25 and XLM (original and III), Stanton 681series, B&O SP12 and even the then totl Grados better. I gave my ADC XLM (original mkI) body away not long ago so just down to a XLM III in service and have a 25 and SP12 bodies to outfit sometime.
60 Cycle Hum
Well-Known Member
I somehow manages to miss this post. Nice to see the 600. How do you like it compared to the 500? I gather there was also a 1000, though apparently they are a bit less reliable? I note the tone arm while similar is not the same on the automatic version. How is the sound in comparison? I still have not managed to pick mine up as the guy I am getting it from insists on putting on RCAs to replace the DIN plug and has trouble getting to the job. Dying of curiosity! What cart are you running? As I said earlier in this thread, mine comes with a Shure V15 III which seems to me to be an odd choice.
BTW it is a standard headshell set-up, no?
I'm so glad you found this and are going to use it (if dealer ever fits RCAs). I am a huge fan of Dieter Rams's industrial designs for Braun. This may not be an all-out performer when compared to the best of the best decks and arms, and certainly it is a home hifi unit and not ne plus ultra sonically, but on the other hand, as a piece of visual design I'd say *this* is the ne plus ultra.
I had an interesting discussion with a guy from Czech awhile ago wherein he told me that the PS-500 was the preferred table for radio use in that area back in the day over a lot of others. I gather it is a robust if complex mechanism and can be made to sound very good. I am still curious about how it will work with a V15 III. Seems to me to be incompatible with the posting of someone earlier in this thread about running a Dl-103 on the arm. Anyone know the actual mass? I have not been able to find a figure anywhere.
Yes, it sure is a looker. Of the vintage decks it is right up at the top in that regard IMHO. It will be my living room table for sure I think!
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
The Braun is good, but not TD 124 or 301 good. Those turntables are 2-3 notches superior and professionally acceptable. I put the Braun as high end consumer idler so in the upper end Lenco territory, which is still superb. And sought after. I like the Braun performance in it's class well.
I am itching to get my hands on it finally. A promise to do the connector change over by next week has been extracted. If I had my druthers I'd be bringing home a 401, but unless a miracle occurs the Braun will most likely do me fine.
Still wondering if anyone knows the mass of that arm? It seems like a state secret.
I know, my thoughts as well. I'll take it with the V15 III though as I have an SME 3009 improved it might pair very nicely with down the road. guess I should get that DL-103 re-tipped?
60 Cycle Hum
Well-Known Member
I didn't trade a 500 for the 600, but a tube amp. I have never heard a 500. It came with a high-end AT P-mount in an adapter when I got it. I bought Catman's favorite Shure M97ed that has been on there for several weeks and is maybe about broken in. I'm using it with the brush down but I'm guessing it might be OK without. I figured I could have adjustable cartridge compliance with this one and not spend too much cash yet...
I do have some more literature but no compliance data. I'm just lately getting back into vinyl and it is the nicest table I've ever had.
The headshell on mine has a record stacking switch (changes angle), but otherwise appears to be a standard type.
An idler it is indeed, laid out like a TD-124 with a belt driving things, or so I understand.
canadapuck
Ak!-Ak!
Four years later I am going to add to this thread in case anyone goes looking for another of these Braun units. I recently bought the Bruan PS 500 locally on CL here in the Vancouver area. I jumped on it having used some of the braun speakers previously and also loving the Dieter Ramsiness of it. First of all it is a very lovely example of the German post war Bauhaus design movement. Very minimalist. As far as quality build goes it is quite robust, the platter is well over 2 kilograms but since my kitchen scale only goes up to 2 kilos all I can say is that it exceeds it by a substantial margin. It has an idler actuated belt drive system. The drive shaft off of the motor spins the rubber idler, idler spins a tapered (for pitch adjustment) aluminum spindle. The spindle is notched to hold the belt which then spins the sub plater. There is a cast aluminum suspended sub-chassis with oil dampening that is reminiscent of an AR XA or a Thorens td 145/160 albeit far more robust then either. If I spoke German I would be laughing as there is a whole forum for Braun Hifi and from what I have been able to google translate thus far the folks over there are modding these unit to simplify them by removing non essential parts related to the auto return function which can also be disengaged by a switch at the base of the tonearm just above the metal top of the plinth. Sound wise I found mine to be lively and rich right off the hop and I am using an Audio Technica 155lc mm on the stock toneame but with a micro seiki headshell. The original aluminum headshell has an antiquated mounting system with very little flexiblity so I put it aside for now. I myself have taken out some of the auto return pieces since mine had a broken plastic disc that was part of the mechanism so it was not working and subsequently the arm would only travel to the middle of the last track before getting hung up and skipping. It sounded good before I fixed that and now it is even better. Lots of character with less warm cudliness of the AR that I sold to make space for this. The detail is not lacking either, it has a nice "boppy" sound that is surprising while the speed noticeable smooth and a consistent base driver. Is it the finest deck I have ever owned? No, but as much as I can recall of each of them this one has a unique and approachable sound and feel that sure is surprising! The Germans seem to like it, so while I don't listen to marching bands and Uumpah music (nor Hasselhoff) I can say my horns via mid sixties jazz and vocals via Simon and Garfunkel are well suited and at home.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
The Braun PS-500 is very good home HiFi grade. Would stretch to be good enough for FM Broadcast use a la Empires. Not quite the ultimate overengineered or fastest cueing, but would meet all other criteria demanded of FM station use then. So, a halfway point. Back in the era when the PS-500 was new, FM was mainly slower paced, easy listening, jazz, classical, and MOR type formats.
