Pro-Ject has taken some time to invest in making things easier for newcomers to enjoy the hobby of record playback for a few years now. Following the recent resurgence in vinyl playback, the Austrian company has incorporated such conveniences as built in line level output to bluetooth capabilities for their long line of trusty disc spinners. The A1 AUTOMAT turntable announced this week will bring an automated playback to the product feature set, allowing users to simply put a record on, set the speed and hit “START”.
The rest of the feature set includes a setup Ortofon OM10 cartridge, defeatable phono pre stage and 8.3″ tonearm. More details in the press release below:
Sumiko and Pro-Ject USA are proud to announce the new A1 Turntable from Pro-Ject Audio Systems. After years of dedicated research and effort, the team is thrilled to have identified the proper technology to develop automatic turntables at the sound quality standard that Pro-Ject’s esteemed reputation evokes around the world.
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. 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.
AUTOMAT A1 HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES:
• Factory installed and aligned Ortofon OM10 cartridge
• Built in, switchable phono preamp
• 8.3” aluminium low-mass tonearm
• Precise mechanics with automated start and stop
• Aluminium platter with damping ring
• Carbon fiber reinforced non-magnetic headshell
• Resonance damped chassis
• Silicon damped isolation feet
• Electronically controlled playback speeds
• Premium semi-symmetrical Connect it E phono cable
• Gold plated RCA cable connectors
• Dust cover included
• Handmade in Germany
The Pro-Ject A1 AUTOMAT turntable will retail for $499 when it launches in early February 2022 to the company’s US dealer network.
More info: Pro-Ject A1 AUTOMAT Turntable
f you would like to hear more about Pro-Ject and its history, you can check out The Occasional Podcast interview with founder Heinz Lichtenegger from last year. The episode is available on iTunes or direct though the embed below.