Turntables — Pro-Ject Essential II Demon by Parov Stelar

The Essential II Demon by Parov Stelar is a belt-drive turntable with an Ortofon OM5e cartridge pre-fitted, part of a limited collaboration series rather than Pro-Ject's core catalogue. The Parov Stelar branding and cosmetic treatment are the primary reasons to choose this edition over the standard Essential II it is built on.

Position in line

It shares its mechanical platform with Pro-Ject's Essential II line, differentiated by finish and the Parov Stelar branding rather than by drive technology or tonearm - buyers should understand that the underlying mechanics are the same as the standard Essential II, with the collaboration adding cosmetic value rather than technical improvement.

Key specs that matter

The platter is a 300 mm particle-board disc with a felt mat, lighter and less costly to produce than the steel platters used on the Debut range, a deliberate cost reduction that keeps the Essential tier below the Debut tier in price. Wow and flutter is specified at 0.33%, matching the Debut S figure despite the different platter material, suggesting the motor and bearing assembly rather than the platter itself is the dominant factor in this measurement. At 420 x 112 x 330 mm and 4 kg it is close in size to the entry E1.2 but heavier, thanks to the pre-fitted cartridge and tonearm counterweight adding to the overall package weight.

Sound and use context

Expect a similar basic, functional character to Pro-Ject's other entry decks - the particle-board platter trades some of the steel platter's mass-driven speed stability for a lower production cost, a trade-off consistent with the Essential range's positioning below the Debut tier.

Pairing

The pre-fitted Ortofon OM5e is a moving-magnet cartridge, requiring standard moving-magnet phono gain from the amplifier or a separate phono stage, so it integrates easily into any basic vinyl setup.

Alternatives

Outside the collaboration branding, the standard Essential II or Debut S cover the same mechanical territory - this edition is for a buyer specifically drawn to the Parov Stelar design rather than to a spec difference, since the underlying performance is not meaningfully distinct from the standard Essential II.

Buyers considering this edition purely for the branding should weigh whether the Parov Stelar cosmetic treatment carries enough personal value to justify any price premium over the plain Essential II, since the acoustic outcome is not meaningfully different between the two.