The company best known for its industry-leading turntables, Pro-Ject has premiered a new affordable E1 range for 2022. The new range, which has been made in conjunction with Sumiko, hopes to introduce a new group of music lovers to vinyl records, a medium that has made a massive resurgence over the last decade.
At the core of the E1 range’s promise of quality is Pro-Ject’s true subplatter design, which features a low mass synthetic main platter that sits upon a high-density resin sub-platter. Furthermore, the spindle is made of polished stainless steel that sits in a low-friction brass bearing well, ensuring smooth and stable playback.
Visually, turntables in the E1 range are quite pretty to look at, with the choice of three foil finishes. Despite its low price tag, the inclusion of an aluminium tone arm that boasts a Ortofon OM5 cartridge from the factory makes it competitive even amongst more expensive turntables. Finally, Pro-Ject have fitted the E1 range with a precision DC motor, allowing for speed selection between 33 and 45 RPM, as well as a detachable, hinged acrylic lid.
The E1 line is made up of the E1 at $349 USD ($481 AUD), the E1 Phono SB for $399 USD ($550 AUD) and includes a selectable phono preamp for connection to a speaker via auxiliary input, and the E1 BT for $499 USD ($687 AUD). Official Australian prices will be revealed when the E1 range is launched this month.