PRO-JECT X1

In 1991 Pro-Ject started a revolution in HiFi with the introduction of the Pro-Ject 1 turntable. A new high-end, low budget turntable at a time when CD was king. Against all odds, we were creating interest in analogue audio at a time when others were turning their backs, and the success was only down to three critical philosophies:

– Simple yet technically correct design
– High-quality valuable materials
– Fully handcrafted, expert engineers, made in the EU

There are no fancy, unnecassary features; it was a strictly manual turntable design and all of these decisions resulted in unbelievable sound at a fantastic price. The X1 is based on the same concept as the P1, but improved in every aspect thanks to modern materials and new production methods.

Better Chassis:
Heavier, denser, less resonating ,new MDF material
Better Platter:
Non resonating, heavier Acryl platter
Better Motor Isolation:
New motor suspension for better decoupling of the motor vibrations to tonearm and chassis
Better Tonearm:
Superstiff, perfectly damped Carbon/Alu sandwich construction
Better Counterweight:
New Anti-resonant counterweight with TPE damper to reduce cartridge-tonearm resonance
Better Motor Speed Control and Electronic Speed Change:
A sophisticated DC/AC generator board generates clean and stable power to drive the motor
Better Feet:
Height adjustable, isolating Alu/TPE sandwich feet
Better Cartridge:
Premium Ortofon made, Pro-Ject sound tuned MM cartridge
Better audiophile features:
Aluminium Tonearm Base with Azimuth and VTA adjustment
Stiff one-piece tonearm without a vibration causing detachable headshell
Better Cable:
All our turntables come with a high-quality phono RCA cable. Our Connect it E is a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable, with superior shielding. Compared to other digital and analog music sources, the signal coming from a turntable cartridge is very fragile in nature and cheap RCA cables often do not provide the ideal conditions for getting a phono signal to an amplifier. The Connect it E is purpose-designed for this exact application.
The design is carefully tuned to offer the most critical features for the best price and everything is put together with Pro-Ject‘s decade long experience in making the best performing turntables without blowing the budget:
MDF is 2-3 times more expensive than standard particle boards, not to mention a plastic chassis, but sounds and feels way better.
The X1‘s luxury 8 layers of painting and the hand-polished finish are 3-4 times more expensive than simple foils.
Inside, it houses a sophisticated DC/AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the quiet-running motor. This adds additional cost, but performs many times better than a simple, direct powered AC motor.
For even further improved performance, the motor is decoupled from the main plinth using a new motor suspension system.
In the X1, the motor drives a new, heavy, non-resonant Acryl platter via a sub-platter drive system and a premium grade main bearing for liquid smooth rotation. This is the perfect platform on which to place your precious vinyl records, guaranteeing absolute reliability in its performance and sonic character.
The X1 is also better than its predecessors thanks to the super-stiff, perfectly tempered Carbon/Alu sandwich construction tonearm. This new 8.6” tonearm design is incredibly light and stiff, with improved resistance to external interference. Finished as a one-piece, with no resonance-inducing headshell, the X1 can also be set for azimuth and VTA adjustment, offering the flexibility that so many people are asking for, especially in this and even lower price ranges.
The tonearm is then supplied with a TPE-damped counterweight, further reducing cartridge-tonearm resonances.
The X1 is packaged to suit anyone who cares about how their vinyl sounds. Supplied either with or without a brand new Pro-Ject Pick-IT S2 MM cartridge, manufactured by the cartridge experts at Ortofon but voiced by the design team at Pro-Ject, it can be ready to play within a few minutes of unboxing. Also supplied in the box is our Connect-IT E RCA cables, a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable with superior shielding that’s optimized for turntable use.

Lastly, height-adjustable feet in their Alu/ TPE sandwich construction are a very exclusive but necessary feature to level up the turntable and effectively isolate it from the surface it is place on.

The X1 has all the high-end features of modern turntable designs to maximise the music and listening experience. All these features can in fact be done at a reasonable cost. Due to our extensive experience and meticulous manufacturing processes, we put resources, time and effort into giving music lovers the best sound for their money, rather than cutting corners to save on costs. It is a statement and a counterpoint against other upcoming turntable designs, which go the way of offering more features but less performance.

A lot of convenience features can become unnecessary incredibly fast, if you don‘t make the 20 minutes of listening to a side of vinyl count. Using an automated start feature is over in a second or less, but listening takes place over many, many more seconds. Pro-Ject thinks performance and high-quality listening are the keys to making customers happy, this has been true since 1991.

The X1 is available in 3 finishes; a premium walnut wood veneer and a luxurious black or white eight-layer gloss paint.