Pro-Ject Audio Systems

Pro-Ject Audio Systems was founded by one of Austria’s leading high-end audio distributors, Heinz Lichtenegger, in early 1991. A genuine music lover and a dyed-in-the-wool audiophile, Heinz challenged the common “cost-no-object” approach to analog audio equipment by manufacturing turntables, tonearms, and accessories at a reasonable price without compromising build quality or sonic performance.

Turntables

The Classic EVO

Designed to take the performance of the award winning Classic Series to a new level, the Classic EVO adds advanced technologies from our best turntables to this iconic, vintage-inspired design. The two piece plinth may look familiar from the outside, but make no mistake, this is a thoroughly modern machine under the hood. Where turntables of yesterday used fussy springs to reduce vibration, the Classic EVO uses TPE (thermo plastic elastomer) bushings to isolate the motor and making bearing from the tonearm. The tonearm also gets the royal treatment- a brand new 9″ effective length arm that uses the same tight -tolerance bearings found in our cc EVO line of tonearms for smooth, precise tracking of your records. Even the platter and subplatter get a big upgrade- the same machined aluminum subplatter used in the limited edition Vienna Philharmonic 175th Anniversary table is used in the Classic EVO to provide even more rotational mass- this results in better vibration resistance and enhanced speed stablity. Add Pro-Ject’s famous built in Speed Box speed control for quick, certain switching between 33 1/3 and 45 rpm speeds (78 rpm available with a belt swap) and you have a high performance, modern deck that only LOOKS like the famous tables of yesteryear.

Pro-Ject X2 with Sumiko Moonstone Cartridge

More mass in the chassis, platter and tonearm: Structurally, the X2 is supported by its large, heavy, dense and stiff MDF structure, reducing unwanted resonances to almost imperceptible levels. By adding this extra mass, the X2 is even quieter, allowing the vinyl reproduction to become more detailed and precise. Inside, it houses a sophisticated DC/ AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the silent motor system. The tonearm is longer – 9″ in length – and the tube has a wider diameter and the carbon/aluminum composite construction results in better internal damping. This also means, the entire tonearm bearing is upgraded to compensate for the extra mass; altogether tracking will be more precise, stable and accurate. The increased mass makes the tonearm an excellent fit for most modern high performance cartridges. The one-piece design avoids vibrations caused by detachable headshells. The TPE damped counterweight reduces arm-cartridge resonances by as much as 50%.

Pro-Ject X1 with Sumiko Olympia Cartridge

Audiophile Turntable with Sumiko Olympia Phono Cartridge. The X1 incorporates a newly developed Carbon Fiber/ Aluminum composite construction tonearm. This 8.6” tonearm design is incredibly light and stiff, with remarkable resistance to external interference. With an integrated headshell and one-piece tonearm wiring, the X1 also provides azimuth and VTA adjustment, offering the flexibility for optimization with a huge range of cartridges.

Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO with Sumiko Rainer Cartridge

Building a great high-end turntable requires design expertise. Building a great & affordable turntable requires not only expertise, but also skilled engineering, flawless manufacturing, advanced material sciences, and relentless passion. Creating a worthy successor to the legendary Debut Carbon required rethinking and reevaluating every component and each design choice. The new Debut Carbon EVO represents the epitome of Pro-Ject’s philosophy: high performance, clean aesthetics, and superb value. The elegant, simple aesthetic is unmarred by gimmicky lights, sliders, and buttons. It is a pure, high-performance turntable. Should requirements call for a phono preamp, Bluetooth or digital connectivity, USB interface, etc., we offer a wide range of external electronics, optimized for any application.

Vinyl playback starts with the cartridge, converting what’s in the three-dimensional record groove to an electrical signal. The new Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge combines superb trackability with uncanny accuracy and clarity without sacrificing smoothness. Factory mounted and aligned on an 8.6″ low-mass carbon fiber tonearm, the Rainier offers a replaceable stylus that can be easily upgraded to a Sumiko Olympia (or even a Moonstone!) in a matter of seconds. No need to replace the cartridge, reset the alignment nor rebalance the tonearm. The signal from the Rainier is transmitted via a single run of high quality copper wiring direct to high quality RCA connectors with a completely separate ground, preserving the balanced signal from the cartridge output. The Debut Carbon EVO is supplied with our Connect It E: a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable with superior shielding designed specifically to carry the delicate phono signal.