Recent launches by IKEA and Linn, alongside a noticeable collaboration between Lamborghini and Technics are a testament to the fact that turntables are hot again. Add present-day successful Kickstarter campaigns to the equation, and one can be convinced that the appetite for adorning your interior with a premium record player is bigger than ever.
Getting on the bandwagon, Austrian Hi-Fi manufacturer Pro-Ject has recently unveiled its most high-end turntable to date. Dubbed Signature 12.2, the $15K turntable represents “the highest level of turntable technology at the most accessible price point possible.”
What makes the Signature 12.2 turntable carry a price tag of $15K? After scouring the official website, I found that the latest and greatest model is a belt-driven powerhouse, weighing an impressive 81.5 lbs. But it’s not just the massive weight for stability that has pushed the makers to add another grand to the predecessor’s (Signature 12 turntable) price. It’s also the process involved in the making of Signature 12.2.
As reported by blogosphere, the turntable is handcrafted in the company’s foundry in Europe by the company’s most skilled artisans. It incorporates around 100 different CNC parts produced in-house. Each unit takes two days to assemble and hand-polish to perfection. With such artistry, precision, and meticulous details, this premium vinyl player is worth a king’s ransom.
Then we have design and technical aspects like an S-shaped 12-inch aluminum tonearm with a new three-point pivot design for enhanced stability, that has the DIN plug conveniently positioned at the rear of the arm’s base. There’s a streamlined anti-skate and counterweight mechanism for “finer adjustments, and the vertical tracking angle (VTA) can be modified easily using a single thumb screw,” mentions the company.
The Pro-Jet employs a flywheel belt drive system in Signature 12.2 that guarantees vibration-free running, crucial for delivering the most accurate and stable speeds. This design reduces unwanted noise and vibration, thus enhancing the sonic signature for picky audiophiles to appreciate the full detail of their prized vinyl records.
The turntable is big and incredibly bulky, attributed to the turntable’s 10 kg platter crafted from mass-loaded aluminum and damped with TPE (thermoplastic elastomer). This design method absorbs vibrations, while the inverted bearing (magnetically decoupled from the chassis) ensures smooth and stable rotation. The vinyl layer atop the platter creates an ideal surface for records, promoting excellent audio quality.
The turntable offers two playback speeds of 33 and 45 RPM, and features an elegant control panel powered by a precision DC-driven AC generator. “This design ensures utmost precision in speed regulation, with variance ratings of just ±0.09% at 33 RPM and ±0.08% at 45 RPM,” the makers state. On a little downside, the turntable doesn’t come with a cartridge, as the company has left audiophiles to buy one on their own.
Also Read: SL-1300G Turntable Features Golden Platter, Looks Good, Sounds Even Better
Scheduled to ship in November 2024, the Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 will retail in a “luxurious piano” finish. Being the most high-end turntable to date by Pro-Ject, it has surpassed the $13,999 Signature 12, both in design and sonic audio delivery.
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