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Type: Direct Drive Manual Turntable
Turntable Speeds: 33 1/3, 45, 78 rpm
Adjust Range: ±8%, ±16%
Starting Torque: 3.3 kg･cm (2.8 lb-in)
Build-up Characteristics: 0.7 s. from standstill to 33 1/3 r/min
Wow And Flutter: 0.025% W.R.M.S. (JIS C5521)
Rumble: 78dB (IEC 98A Weighted)
Turntable Platter:
- Brass and Aluminum diecast combined
- Diameter：332mm (13-5/64")
- Weight：About 3.6kg (7 15/16 lb) (Including rubber sheet)
Tonearm Section
Type: Universal Static Balance
Effective Length: 230mm (9-1/16")
Overhang: 15mm (19/32")
Tracking Error Angle:
- Within 2° 32' (at the outer groove of 30cm(12") record)
- Within 0° 32' (at the inner groove of 30cm(12") record)
Offset Angle: 22°
Arm-height Adjustment Range: 0 - 6 mm
Stylus Pressure Adjustment Range: 0 - 4 g (direct reading)
Terminals
Audio Output PHONO (Pin Jack) x 1
EARTH TERMINAL x 1 |
Building on the ground breaking Juke Box E, Juke Box S2 is taking the first audiophile all-in-one system to the next level. By changing to a more sophisticated acrylic platter and an upgraded, Pro-Ject proprietary cartridge gave the Juke Box the extra bit of audiophilia it deserves. Juke Box S2 effectively saves space by implementing a pre-amplifier and power amplifier in its chassis. With the rated 50 Watts per channel it you will be able to use your stereo speakers and enjoy realistic sound stages and great depth.
- Instant playback with super-easy setup
- Bluetooth and 1 line input
- Acrylic platter
- High contrast display on top
- Line record output
- Gold plated sockets
- Pre-adjusted tracking force & anti-skating force
- Pick it 25A cartridge, pre-mounted
- 8.6" aluminium tonearm with sapphire bearings
- Belt drive with silicone belt
- Low vibration synchronous motor & DC power supply
- Special feet for effective decoupling
- IR remote control included
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This turntable design, with Pro-Ject's underlying core philosophy and dedication to quality music performance, has all the high-end aspects built in that really take vinyl listening to the ultimate heights. But as is the way in hi-fi many people still wanted more. They were willing to invest more, because this is how much they fell in love with their newfound passion. It is hard to improve on such a well performing turntable, but there are ways to do it. It was not time to reinvent the wheel, because the core engineering on the P1, or now the X1, already was and still is perfect. Instead they improved on the technologies that had previously been established.
In 1991 Pro-Ject started a revolution in HiFi with the introduction of the Pro-Ject 1 turntable. A new high-end, low budget turntable at the time when CD was king. Against all odds, we were creating interest in analogue audio at a time when others were turning their backs, and the success was down to three critical philosophies:
– Simple yet technically correct design
– High-quality valuable materials
– Fully handcrafted, expert engineers, made in the EU
This turntable design, with Pro-Ject's underlying core philosophy and dedication to quality music performance, has all the high-end aspects built in that really take vinyl listening to the ultimate heights. But as is the way in hi-fi many people still wanted more. They were willing to invest more, because this is how much they fell in love with their newfound passion. It is hard to improve on such a well performing turntable, but there are ways to do it. It was not time to reinvent the wheel, because the core engineering on the P1, or now the X1, already was and still is perfect. Instead they improved on the technologies that had previously been established:
– The raw materials used in production are of a much higher quality but also more difficult to source.
– The selected components are bigger, heavier, more massive and robust for improved performance and greater build quality.
Not many companies are willing to go this extra mile, because it is a hard step to take and – as always – needs to be carefully balanced with cost vs. reward. Making the wrong decisions can lead to diminishing returns fast.
Pro-Ject wants the X2 to lift the incredibly high standards, as set by its smaller brother the X1, to new limits. The X2 is made for those who take great joy in the fine details, the build-quality, the high-grade materials and even more audio performance.
More mass in the chassis, platter and tonearm:
Structurally, the X2 is supported by its large, heavy, dense and stiff MDF structure, reducing unwanted resonances to almost imperceptible levels. By adding this extra mass, the X2 is even quieter, allowing the vinyl reproduction to become more detailed and precise. Inside, it houses a sophisticated DC/AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the silent motor system. The tonearm is longer – 9“ in length – and the tube has a wider diameter and the carbon/ aluminium sandwich construction results in better internal damping. This also means, the entire tonearm bearing is upgraded to compensate for the extra mass; altogether tracking will be more precise, stable and accurate. The increased mass makes the tonearm an excellent fit for low compliance MC cartridges. The one-piece design avoids vibrations caused by detachable headshells. The TPE damped counterweight reduces arm-cartridge resonances by as much as 50%.
Precision tuned motor isolation:
A good motor by itself, is already very quiet. To get the best performance out of it, we have improved the motor suspension. This will allow the motor to run stable and free from outside influences. Remaining vibrations are damped and eliminated, so they are not transmitted onto the chassis, platter and cartridge. The X2‘s motor chassis is carefully balanced and suspended on a precision tuned TPE belt; this way the motor chassis is effectively decoupled from the main plinth for optimal performance. It is free floating, horizontally completely level and able to operate at the highest performance levels.
High-end Cartridge:
The X2 is packaged to suit anyone who cares about how their vinyl sounds. Supplied either with or without an Pick it 2M Silver cartridge, average retail at 199€.
Better Audiophile Features:
Full aluminium tonearm base instead of a cheap plastic flange for better and stiffer fixing to the chassis with Azimuth and VTA adjustment.
Better Feet:
Height adjustable, isolating Alu/ TPE sandwich feet.
Better Cable:
All our turntables come with a high-quality phono RCAcable. Our Connect it E is a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable, with superior shielding. Compared to other digital and analog music sources, the signal coming from a turntable cartridge is very fragile in nature and cheap RCA cables often do not provide the ideal conditions for getting a phono signal to an amplifier. The Connect it E is purpose-designed for this exact application.
The design is carefully tuned to offer the most critical features for the best price and everything is put together with Pro-Ject‘s decade long experience in making the best-performing turntables without blowing the budget:
MDF is 2-3 times more expensive than standard particle boards, not to mention a plastic chassis, but sounds and feels way better.
The X2‘s luxury 8 layers of painting and the hand-polished finish are 3-4 times more expensive than simple foils.
Inside, it houses a sophisticated DC/AC generator board which, combined with the convenient speed control board, delivers clean and stable power to the quiet-running motor.
This adds additional costs, but performs many times better than a simple, direct powered AC motor.
For even further improved performance, the motor is decoupled from the main plinth using a new motor suspension system.
In the X2, the motor drives a new, heavy, non-resonant Acryl platter via a sub-platter drive system and a premium grade main bearing for liquid smooth rotation. This is the perfect platform on which to place your precious vinyl records, guaranteeing absolute reliability in its performance and sonic character.
The X2 is also better than its predecessors thanks to the super-stiff, perfectly tempered Carbon/Alu sandwich construction tonearm. This 9“ tonearm design is incredibly light and stiff, with improved resistance to external interference. Finished as a one-piece, with no resonance-inducing headshell, the X2 can also be set for azimuth and VTA adjustment, offering the flexibility that so many people are asking for, especially in this and even lower price ranges.
The tonearm is then supplied with a TPE-damped counterweight, further reducing cartridge-tonearm resonances.
The X2 has all the high-end features of modern turntable designs to maximise the music and listening experience. It is a statement and a counterpoint against other upcoming turntable designs, which go the way of offering more features but less performance.
The X2 is carefully tuned to offer only audio-focused features for the best possible price, and due to our decades-long experience in analogue technologies, it‘s hand-assembled by a European-based factory you can trust. Every effort has been made throughout to not cut corners on cost or sonic ability and the end result is a highly engaging, musical turntable. The X2 proves that, since 1991, our same core philosophies are those that guarantee to make music lovers happy with every new vinyl record they take for a spin.
- Speed: 33, 45, 78 (electronic speed change)
- Principle: belt drive Platter 30mm thick acryl, 2 kg heavy acryl
- Main bearing: Stainless steel
- Speed variance: 33: +/-0,25%; 45: +/-0,20%
- Wow & flutter: 33: +/-0,12%; 45: +/-0,10%
- Signal to Noise: 70 dB
- Tonearm: 9” carbon/aluminium sandwich tonearm
- Effective arm length: 9“/230 mm Effective tonearmmass 13.5 g
- Overhang: 18.0 mm
- Tracking force range: 0 - 30mN (18mN recommended for Pick it 2M Silver)
- Included accessory: 15V DC / 800 mA power supply, dust cover, Connect it E Phono RCA cable, felt mat
- Power consumption: 4.5 W max / 0.3 W standby
- Dimensions: 460 x 150 x 340 mm (WxHxD) lid closed
- Weight: 10 kg net
| Now it’s time for the heavy lifting. The motor alone weighs in at over 5lbs. This massive AC motor sits to the side of the table, providing complete isolation, and has a pulley for the belt that is machined to .0005% tolerance to achieve perfect speed. If you find the motor heavy, wait until you pick up the platter. This 20lb. beast is made out of aluminum and damping materials. It’s 39” circumference is machined to a +/- .001” tolerance. Coupled to the hardened steel bearing, this system spins at a perfectly constant speed. We believe this characteristic is essential when trying to achieve the “live” feeling from music. If the speed is off, the music does not sound realistic. VPI’s method of mass is one of the best ways to accomplish this since the heavy platter will maintain consistency once it gets up to speed. The first time you flip the switch on the motor, you’ll hear it squelch as it torques up, but don’t let this worry you. While it sounds a bit odd, it’s normal.
The Prime’s 10” 3D tonearm is quite a feat. Ideally, a tonearm would be one single piece of material, yet until 3D printing, this has been almost impossible to manufacture. VPI was able to use anti-resonant materials, and the end result is an elegant one-piece tonearm.
The tonearm is a unipivot type, meaning it’s free to move around in all directions and only has one bearing. Many in the audio industry believe this is the most friction-free bearing around, allowing your phono cartridge to do its job. The unipivot bearing even has two side outriggers to fine tune its level position. VPI includes a 6” lightweight rod you rest in a groove on the top of the headshell section, allowing you to easily determine whether its level.
Another impressive tonearm feature is its fully adjustable VTA (vertical tracking angle), which allows you to move the tonearm in order to align the top of the phono cartridge parallel to the record surface in order to achieve the best possible sound. With most tonearms, this is done by loosening screws in the side or base to raise or lower the arm, which makes it difficult to fine-tune the height. With the VPI arm, however, you simply loosen up two large screws, then use a large round knob to move the height up or down in small increments. Just as coffee fanatics experiment with achieving the perfect grind, VTA allows audio fanatics to experiment with achieving the perfect sound. There is even the option to make minor adjustments based on the thickness of your vinyl records, and the arm has a scale so you can record the exact setting for each record.
Finally, to couple the record better to the damped platter, VTA includes a stainless steel and delrin record clamp, which simply drops down over the center spindle to hold down the record.
At Audio Advice, we’re very particular about cables included with turntables. Since the signal coming out of your phono cartridge is extremely low in output, it’s necessary to use a higher-end set of cables so nothing is lost in the transfer of the signal from your turntable to the phono preamp. The Prime does not come with cables, which we actually prefer, since it allows you to choose from any of the aftermarket cables on the market today. Your choices are unlimited and whatever model you select will fit firmly onto the high-end RCA jacks found on the back of your Prime table.
One final word of advice: you must ensure your Prime is set up by a professional. They can mount and align the cartridge perfectly, and should also preset the VTA to the right height for an average record. From there, all you need to do is put it back together and set the recommended tracking force.
Performance
To check out the Prime, we used it with the Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC cartridge. Like VPI, Soundsmith has been around for over 30 years and is actually made in the USA right down the road from VPI in Peekskill, NY. This is a $1,749 low output moving iron cartridge. The Zephyr was very easy to get setup properly with it’s square body. It also has very good channel separation.
One of our favorite test LPs is Cat Stevens Tea for the Tillerman and the Prime perfectly captures his somewhat gravelly voice. The first cut, “Where Do the Children Play,” has a variety of sounds and rhythm changes that are a noteworthy test for a high-end turntable. In the first 5 seconds, you can tell the Prime is special. we’ve never heard bass notes reach down so low while maintaining such a realistic tonal quality. This same track has some very close mic’d guitar lines throughout the song. There are actually two guitars playing which on some rigs is hard to distinguish. Not so on the Prime! They each stand out alone even when things really build up towards the end of the track.
The 3D arm really lets your phono cartridge do its job, too. Once everything was set up we were not able to detect a shred of cartridge mistracking. In terms of dynamics, the percussion sounds explode to life with the Prime. After critically listening to a few more tracks, we ended up turning off the lights and putting on an old favorite, the first Chicago Album, CTA. We were instantly immersed in the music. The 3D representation afforded by the Prime is almost spooky.
As we played more records, we found the presentation of the music on almost every recording was extending wider left to right than our speakers. We believe part of this is the outstanding audio quality of the Zephyr MIMC, but if the table and tonearm are not going a great job, you would never get that type of soundstage. The Zephyr is certainly a great match for this outstanding turntable. The combination produced deep rich bass, with a high-end extension that was never harsh -- always smooth and liquid.
- 10-inch 3D Tonearm
- VTA Tower included
- Classic 20-pound platter and bearing
- Four solid Delrin corner assemblies designed for isolation and mechanical grounding
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The Cliffwood was made to celebrate the heritage of VPI and to honor the city where their turntables are built. VPI teamed up with Grado Labs to engineer a cartridge shell specifically for the Grado to make it easier to mount and contribute to the sound signature.
- New 9" machined aluminum gimbal tonearm with lateral type bearing.
- 1.25" thick textured vinyl-covered non-resonant MDF chassis. Platter rotates on an oil bath bearing.
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- Ultra lightweight plinth: The Planar 8 is the second Rega turntable constructed using the latest ultra lightweight Tancast 8 polyurethane foam core (a material developed for the aerospace industry). This material is sandwiched between two layers of HPL (high-pressure laminate). HPL is exceptionally thin and extremely rigid. This new construction makes the new Planar 8 skeletal plinth 30% lighter than the original RP8 while offering increased rigidity over the previous model.
- Double Brace Technology: A super lightweight plinth combined with a phenolic resin double brace mounted specifically where the increased rigidity is required (between the tonearm mounting and the main hub bearing) forms a structurally sound a oestressed beam" assembly. This rigid plinth design prevents energy absorption and unwanted resonances which will add unnatural distortions to the music. Equally, heavier mass can transfer more unwanted energy such as motor or bearing noise directly into the rotating record. The use of braces instead of the complete skin allows double thickness phenolic resin in these key areas while providing further weight reduction to the plinth, which directly addresses the issue of mass absorption and unwanted energy transmission.
- RB880 Tonearm: For the new RB880, Rega has introduced an improved vertical bearing assembly constructed using an aluminum and stainless-steel, low mass assembly with vastly improved stability and rigidity. This tonearm is using their advanced preloaded zero tolerance bearing assembly adjusted to less than 1000th of a mm, this gives friction-free movement and zero levels of unwanted play. This subtle but effective new structure is only visible via small windows at the rear of the new bias housing assembly. A thinner stainless steel balance weight is used, allowing greater adjustability and compatibility. Finally, the RB880 is terminated with a re-designed, low capacitance phono cable terminated with high quality, locking phono plugs to ensure the best possible connection.
- Hub bearing assembly: The Planar 8 uses a new low mass central bearing assembly. A single piece machined aluminum sub-platter and hardened tool steel spindle run inside a custom brass housing which is cleverly mounted within the chassis. This new mounting is designed to eradicate unwanted potential energy being transferred or stored in the plinth.
- Super flywheel effect triple layer glass platter: The Planar 8 uses a three-piece laminated glass platter which is the result of collaboration with a British glass engineering company. This brand new platter is constructed from two different high quality Pilkington glasses. As a general rule, the only part of a turntable that requires extra mass is the turntable platter in order to achieve constant rotational speed. However, a heavier platter creates more problems for the main bearing design so again an ideal compromise creates the best solution. Practically this means keeping as much of the mass to the outside rim of the glass platter to create more flywheel effect but keeping the inside of the platter as light as possible without sacrificing stiffness.
- 24v Low noise motor assembly: The Planar 8 uses Rega's latest generation, 24v, synchronous, low vibration motor technology. Uniquely mounted using the highest level of coupling while retaining higher vibration isolation than any previous model. This new motor mounting technique (mounted from the bottom) has been taken directly from the ultimate Rega turntable, the Naiad. This unique mounting method removes all stress on the motor body. The reduced vibration and more rigid mounting delivers superior drive from the new EBLT drive belts. Each motor is hand tuned to match its own custom Neo power supply before fitting to the turntable to optimize the anti-vibration circuit.
- EBLT Drive Belts: For three years Rega has been researching and developing with chemists the use of a bespoke new rubber compound for drive belts. Using a specialized curing system, the new drive belt offers superior consistency of modulus (a constant representing the degree to which a substance has a particular property, especially elasticity). These new belts are manufactured on Rega designed, state of the art, super-accurate tools which produce 'perfectly round' and 'dimensionally accurate' belts, critical for perfect speed stability.
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