Turntables — Pro-Ject E1.2

The Pro-Ject E1.2 is the most basic belt-driven turntable in the company's range, made as a first record player rather than a reference source. It suits someone who wants to find out whether vinyl is worth investing in further before committing to a serious system, and it is the entry point of Pro-Ject's turntable line, below the Debut series.

Key specs that matter

The E1.2 runs at 33 and 45 rpm, with its platter belt-driven by a DC motor. Pro-Ject gives a separate wow and flutter figure for each speed, 0.23% at 33 rpm and 0.21% at 45 rpm, slightly higher than the single figures quoted for the Debut models. Signal-to-noise ratio is 65 dB. The deck measures 420 x 112 x 330 mm and weighs 3.6 kg.

Engineering and use context

In the platter bearing, a stainless steel axle sits in a bronze bushing, whereas models further up the Pro-Ject range use ceramic or inverted bearings.

Pairing

No cartridge comes fitted, so a moving-magnet cartridge has to be bought separately before first use, together with a matching phono stage if the amplifier has no phono input.

Alternatives

For a moderate step up in price, the Debut Carbon EVO adds a pre-fitted cartridge and a heavier platter.