Pro-Ject Looks Back with the New Classic

by The Audio Beat | May 26, 2016

ith the new Classic turntable, Pro-Ject celebrates its 25th anniversary and pays homage to the clean lines and compact footprint of the turntables Heinz Lichtenegger admired and sold before he founded Pro-Ject. But the Classic is thoroughly modern in its design, with a separate plinth that holds the bearing, platter and tonearm that's disconnected from the sub-base, which holds the motor. Six TPE balls, which damp resonances at specific frequencies, separate the plinth and sub-base. This configuration isolates the record-playing elements from the motor and any external noise.

The Classic's tonearm features a sandwich-construction armtube made of aluminum and carbon fiber, zircon pinpoint bearings and a TPE-damped counterweight. Connection to the phono stage is via separate RCA cable; a high-quality cable is included.

The Classic is available without cartridge for €950. The Classic 2M Silver costs €999 and includes a special-edition Ortofon 2M Silver moving-magnet cartridge with silver coils replacing the standard copper. Finish options for the Classic include eucalyptus, rosenut and walnut.