Automatic turntables were once an important thing in modern homes, still requiring the owner to stand-up to put the record on the platter, but impressing visits and unsuspecting friends with the music starting to play simply by pressing a button. Magically, the tonearm would elevate, move and gently drop on the beginning of the album. At the end, the needle would always rise and the arm would return to the resting position, but the turntable user could always stop the music by simply pressing the button "stop". The need to select, remove from the cover, clean up the dust and place the record on the turntable is still there to make the use of an Automat turntable enough of a proof of dedication for the love of music.
Handmade in Germany, the new Pro-Ject Automat series of turntables are the latest in high-quality HiFi automatic turntable design, while remaining accessible for modern homes and listening environments. According to the company, "the project was inspired as our team listened to our customers seeking maximum simplicity in their vinyl experience. The A1 is a reflection of experience in acoustic manufacturing, each turntable expertly assembled and adjusted by our team of top sound engineers."
Helping to make the whole experience even easier and simpler for new users who don't understand phono preamps and want a ready-to-use vinyl solution, the Pro-Ject Automat series of turntables includes a factory installed and aligned Ortofon OM10 cartridge, an 8.3" aluminum low-mass tonearm, and built-in, switchable phono preamp.
Other key features for the Automat A1 turntable include precise mechanics with automated start and stop, aluminum platter with damping ring, carbon fiber reinforced non-magnetic headshell and resonance damped chassis, with silicon damped isolation feet. The turntable is belt-driven and playback speeds are electronically controlled - avoiding the music getting gradually slower and the pitch lower over the years, which was also a part of the magic of vinyl in the past.
Like all Pro-Ject Audio Systems turntables, the A1 Turntable is handcrafted in Europe and will be available in the US in limited quantities via select Authorized Pro-Ject Dealers beginning February 2022, with a suggested retail price of $499 USD. The turntable ships with a premium semi-symmetrical Connect it E phono cable, gold plated RCA cable connectors and dust cover.
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, 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. With his passion for high-end audio fueling a desire to take a familiar industry in a new direction, Heinz proceeded to use Pro-Ject Audio Systems as a locomotive to bring high-end gear to the masses. By adhering to that philosophy while still only using quality electronic components that deliver sound that far exceeds their stature, the engineers at Pro-Ject redefined what is possible in high-end audio.
www.pro-jectusa.com
