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For sale in an AKAI BT500 Bluetooth manual turntable in excellent condition. I bought this brand new.The platter received a custom powder-coated matte clearcoat over a raw bead-blasted finish. When I got it new, the factory clear coat on the platter in one small area was not adhered, so I had it refinished to match the tonearm, gimbal bearing and base, and the switch bezels. Looks factory, so you can think of it as a one-off special edition!I bought this to match my AKAI tape machines and to locate it far away from my system using Bluetooth. The Bluetooth analog-digital conversion I actually prefer over the analog output as AKAI seems to have programmed it to filter out or mute minor low-level noise. So this feature goes beyond just convenience. This cartridge has very few hours as I used a Grado cartridge during my time with it. In general this table has minimal use.I had to move back home and I no longer have enough room for it. Will ship in original box-in-box and packaging. Thank you for looking!
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Akai Electric Company Ltd. traces its origins to Japan, founded by engineer Masukichi Akai in Tokyo around 1929, with his son Saburo Akai playing a key role in its early growth. Initially focused on affordable radio components, the firm formalized as a full electronics manufacturer post-World War II, often cited as 1946. By the mid-20th century, Akai had evolved into a prominent name in consumer audio, peaking in the 1970s before financial troubles led to its exit from the industry in 1991.
The brand built its legacy on high-quality tape-based audio gear, including reel-to-reel tape recorders, cassette decks, tuners, amplifiers, and complete stereo systems that brought professional-grade sound to homes. In the late 1980s, Akai Professional revolutionized music production with the MPC series—starting with the 1988 MPC60, co-designed by Roger Linn—integrating sampling, sequencing, and velocity-sensitive pads into compact workstations that defined hip-hop and electronic genres.
Today, Akai holds a revered vintage-collector status among hi-fi enthusiasts for its robust 1970s components, prized for their warm analog character and build quality. In the pro audio realm, the MPC line endures as an iconic, mid-to-high-end tool for beatmakers, with modern iterations sustaining the brand through licensing. While not a current leader in traditional hi-fi like amplifiers or speakers, its heritage appeals to savvy buyers seeking timeless reliability over fleeting trends.
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