EISA Best Vinyl System 2023-24 Award - Pro-Ject Audio Systems T2 W Wi-Fi Streaming Turntable

Pro-Ject's T2 W Wi-Fi Streaming Turntable - Best Vinyl System EISA Award!

Pro-Ject T2 W Turntable - EISA Award for Best Vinyl System of 2023-24

Pro-Ject Audio Systems' #1 priority is you, the listener. Moreover, our mission is to provide you with the best-sounding turntables, electronics & hi-fi accessories that your hard-earned money can buy. Pro-Ject is widening their scope here with the T2 W record player- a lossless wi-fi streaming turntable designed with special attention paid to delivering the best possible performance from a player with such capabilities. The T2 W expands on the quality of the world-famous T1 range, implementing a more massive plinth, a thicker & heavier tempered glass record platter and a 9" one-piece aluminum tonearm. We've included the Sumiko Rainier moving magnet phono cartridge ($149 value, mounted & aligned) to offer a deeply satisfying listening experience right out of the box while allowing for simple, profound upgrades via the Olympia, Moonstone and Wellfleet replacement styli. Having so much impact on overall sound quality, we had to be discerning about the phono preamp circuitry we selected. Extensive listening evaluations lead us to a phono board that closely mimics the aptitude of our Phono Box S2 ($199 value)- a clear winner in terms of cost/performance. Keep in mind, though, that the T2 W's built-in phono preamp only handles MM cartridges. We've selected high-quality streaming circuitry that does proper justice to what the turntable & phono preamp are capable of.

We're not the only folks who are 'over the moon' about this product's entrance into the market... The Expert Imaging & Sound Association (EISA) have come aboard as well. Here's what they have to say!

"The T2 W is an audacious attempt to marry analogue vinyl playback with digital convenience, and one that Pro-Ject manages to pull off with zest. At its core is a belt-drive turntable with 9in aluminium tonearm and Sumiko MM cartridge, plus electronic speed control, but elevating the T2 W is an integrated wireless module that lets owners stream their music to networked speakers and hi-fi systems. The ‘Pro-Ject Control’ app makes setup and operation easy, with options including lossless 48kHz/24-bit FLAC output and automatic streaming when you drop the needle. Spinning discs, while integrating the vinyl format into a ‘modern’ system, has never been easier."

Pro-Ject T2 W Streaming Turntable Profile View Showing Tonearm, Sumiko Phono Cartridge & Built-In Phono Preamp


Pro-Ject USA at Audio Advice Live 2023 - The Premier Audio & Video Experience

Pro-Ject Displays at Audio Advice Live 2023!

Audio Advice Live - The Premier Audio & Video Experience

Pro-Ject USA is excited to be sharing some our best sounds & styles at Audio Advice Live in Raleigh, NC. The event is hosted by our friends at Audio Advice- a longtime Reference Partner Dealer of Pro-Ject products here in the US. This year we're auditioning a Pro-Ject True Balanced System: our RPM 10 Carbon turntable with a Sumiko Starling MC cartridge to a Phono Box RS2 phono preamp (using a Connect it DS 5P > XLR balanced interconnect). The turntable & phono preamp are each powered by the Power Box RS2 Phono linear power supply. From there, the Michi P5 S2 preamp & M8 monoblock amplifiers take over & power the majestic new Stradivari speakers by Sonus faber. Nearby we're also auditioning our X8 Evolution turntable (Sumiko Moonstone cartridge) with amplification by our friends at McIntosh Labs & more speakers by Sonus faber (Electa Amator III). Pro-Ject's Colorful Audio System is also active in the bold & beautiful satin yellow finish. Our world-famous Debut Carbon EVO is on static display in satin green & satin blue along with the limited edition Metallica turntable and satin green Speaker Box 5 S2s.

There's a ton to see & hear! If you're in the Raleigh area we'd love for you to stop by, otherwise stay tuned for more news from the show and other Pro-Ject updates!

 


Pro-Ject Tristand Speaker Stands Lifestyle Image with Speaker Box 5 S2 Bookshelf Speakers

Isolation Matters - Pro-Ject Releases Tristand & Wall Mount it 5/4

The hi-fi audio hobby is rife with opportunities to upgrade & tweak your system. Needless to say, some upgrades are easier to make than others and some upgrades have more profound impacts than others. The best upgrades are those that don't cost an arm & leg, make a readily audible improvement and are easy to implement. Always on top of the upgrade game, Pro-Ject Audio Systems has released two new products that meet these criteria. Both are proudly manufactured in Europe and are comprised of pure steel for maximum mass & rigidity for your dollar. These won't require a dramatic hit to your pocket book, are designed to last a lifetime and most importantly, they offer immediate improvements to your hi-fi listening experience.

Tristand Speaker Stands

In order for bookshelf speakers to perform their very best, isolation is paramount. Contrary to the term "bookshelf speakers," a bookshelf is not an ideal environment for placement of speakers. You can pretty much count on some detraction from sound quality if you're not using dedicated stands. First off, most speakers need some distance from the rear & side walls for proper stereo imaging. Second, in an environment such as a bookshelf, the speakers' own vibration can hinder their sound quality. Mainly it detracts from the clarity that speakers are capable of delivering, and all sorts of detail can get lost in that muddiness. Furthermore, at higher volumes and depending on the location of your audio components, that vibration can also affect the performance of turntables and other electronics. Thus it's important to isolate speaker vibration to the speaker cabinet itself and to prevent external vibration from getting back to the speakers. Made of high-mass steel and including spike feet for the bottom and top platforms, Tristand will leave you no doubt that your speakers are doing their job at their very best.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems Tristand Bookshelf (Stand-Mount) Speakers Stands in Black & White

Wall Mount it 5/4 Audio Rack

Isolation is important for all audio components, not just speakers. It's just as important to shield your CD Player, power amplifier, line preamp and phono preamp from the negative impacts of vibration & resonance. We know this is particularly true of turntables. Yes, a tonearm & cartridge may mis-track if poorly isolated, but the problem goes deeper than just record skipping. The phono cartridge is a highly-sensitive transducer that deals specifically in vibration- namely the stylus vibrates in response to the vertical & lateral contours of the record groove. If vibration and resonance find their way back to the record player (or if the turntable itself is of poor quality and resonates internally), the phono cartridge is sure to pick it up. Whether it interferes with playback (causes skipping) or not, the sound will be colored unfavorably. Here again, clarity, resolution & detail will suffer meaning you're missing out on some of the musical information your audio system is trying to convey! Poor isolation can impact other components in a similar way, perhaps just to a lesser degree. Most folks just target turntable isolation, unknowing of the fact that the rest of their equipment can benefit from the same sort of attention. In the new Wall Mount it 5/4, Pro-Ject Audio Systems takes the liberty of offering one high-quality, wall-mountable steel shelf with 4 platforms for your various audio components. Each shelf rests on spikes to minimize surface contact, and the intelligent frame design sends vibration and resonance back into the 'mechanical ground'- in this case, the wall.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems Wall Mount it 5/4 Steel Wall-Mounted Audio Rack in Black

Pro-Ject are Audio Isolation Experts

Pro-Ject Audio Systems have been doing the research & development for decades. Unlike elsewhere in the market, you won't find record players made of plastic shells with hollow spaces that act as resonance caverns... Pro-Ject uses solid plinth designs comprised of high-quality MDF which actually absorbs resonance before it can reach the record platter, tonearm & phono cartridge stylus. Consequently Pro-Ject turntables become increasingly 'transparent' as you climb up the line, passing along loads of micro-detail that make a sound stage more immersive and convincing. It doesn't stop with turntable design, though. Pro-Ject puts the ball in your court with a whole selection of products offered specifically to isolate your audio components from performance-prohibiting vibration. View our isolation category here at Pro-Ject USA see just how we can help you get the best sound from your system. In addition to the new Tristands & Wall Mount it 5/4, we've got various isolation platforms, wall shelves, record platter upgrades, sub-platter upgrades, record clamps & pucks, record mats, isolation pods among a whole lot more- all in the spirit of putting you in control of your sound.


Pro-Ject USA Favorite Music Playlists for Streaming [Ft. Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 Digital]

Pro-Ject USA Playlists!

Friends of Pro-Ject,

Pro-Ject Audio Systems turntables, hi-fi electronics & hi-fi accessories are imported & distributed by Pro-Ject USA- a member of the Fine Sounds Americas collection of world-class brands like Rotel / Michi hi-fi amplifiers & CD players, Sonus faber audiophile & home theater loudspeakers as well as premium moving magnet & moving coil phono cartridges by Sumiko Analog.

Needless to say, we at Fine Sounds Americas are all just nuts for music and we'd like to share with you a slice of our excitement. We regularly put our heads together to build the riotously entertaining playlists you see below. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Follow us on Spotify for access to existing and future playlists such as...

Our Favorite Solos  |  Totally 90s  |  Instrumental Music  |  Our Favorite Country Songs  |  Cover Songs  |  Motown Music  |  Chill Vibes  |  Our Favorite Metal Albums  |  Guilty Pleasures  |  Our First Albums

Looking for hi-res digital listening? We've got you covered too. Also follow Fine Sounds Americas on TIDAL & Qobuz.


Pro-Ject Audio Summer 2023 Turntable Sale Ft. Unprecedented Debut Series Discounts

Summer 2023 Turntable Sales are ON!

Greetings, friends of Pro-Ject Audio Systems! We are in the thick of summer when the heat & humidity are pommeling us... It's the perfect time to hunker down with your audio gear and get immersed in your music while we endure the remaining dog days of the season. Three turntables are now on special for a limited time...

Debut Carbon EVO Record Player in Gloss Black - Save $100 through July 31st!

Pro-Ject Audio Systems Debut Carbon EVO Piano Black Turntable Sale

If you've considered the Debut Carbon EVO turntable but haven't yet ordered one, now is your time to pounce. At it's retail price of $599, it's already considered the Industry Standard in Value. Dedicated solely to providing the best possible sound quality for your dollar, it features a carbon fiber tonearm, a dense & massive MDF plinth, height-adjustable TPE-damped isolation feet, Speed Box technology for speed stability & push-button speed control, the highly acclaimed Sumiko Rainier MM phono cartridge ($149) among other features that further the cause of sound quality. Visit our Debut Carbon EVO page for complete product details, downloads & industry reviews. Save $100 through July 31st at your Pro-Ject Audio Systems dealer!

A few upgrade options: Sumiko Olympia, Moonstone or Wellfleet stylus (works with fitted Sumiko Rainier cartridge), Debut ALU aluminum sub-platter, Acryl it record platter, True Balanced compatible

Debut III Phono SB Record Player in Piano Black or Real Walnut Veneer - Save $350 through Labor Day!

Pro-Ject Debut III Phono SB Summer Turntable Sale - Includes MM Cartridge & Built-In Phono Preamp

This is the venerable Debut design that brought Pro-Ject Audio Systems global notoriety and laid the foundation for the Debut Carbon EVO. It was designed to be simple: to focus solely on the things that matter most when it comes to attaining high-quality analog reproduction of your vinyl LPs. Debut III uses a 8.6" one-piece aluminum tonearm, a massive & dense MDF plinth, effective isolation feet and a stamped steel record platter. Debut III Phono SB enhances quality & convenience with Speed Box technology (SB) which stabilizes platter speed and allows for push-button speed control, also a built-in moving magnet phono preamp (Phono) that synergizes harmoniously with fitted OM 5E phono cartridge by Ortofon. The built-in phono preamp is bypass-able should you already have the phono preamp you prefer. Save $350 with your Pro-Ject dealer through Labor Day weekend or while supplies last.

Automat A1 Fully Automatic Record Player - Save $100 through July 31st

Pro-Ject Automat A1 Automatic Turntable with Phono Preamp - Summer 2023 Sale!

If you're the type of listener who'd rather 'set it & forget it,' we've also got something for you this summer. The Automat A1 is Pro-Ject Audio Systems' first fully automatic record player with a built-in MM phono preamp. Under the record platter there's an on/off switch for the phono preamp, meaning the circuit is bypass-able for those who want to use their own phono preamp or have one built into their integrated amplifier or receiver. Like all things Pro-Ject, the Automat A1 is a Sound-First Design. Pro-Ject has not only optimized convenience factor of this player, they've raised the bar for how good an automatic turntable can sound. It features an Ortofon OM 10 MM phono cartridge- a classic workhorse cartridge known for its transparency. Now through the end of July, save $100 on the A1 with your Pro-Ject dealer.


Sound Matters Video Reviews of VC-E2 & VC-S3 Record Cleaning Vacuum Machines

Pro-Ject's VC-E2 & VC-S3 Record Cleaning Machines - New Reviews & Videos!

Replacing the VC-E and VC-S2, Pro-Ject Audio Systems' latest VC-E2 and VC-S3 record cleaning machines are now beginning to ship within the US. Keep in mind that Pro-Ject USA expects normal stock levels by August this summer. In the meantime, the new record cleaning machines are available on a limited basis while the VC-S2 is on special (VC-E is sold out!). Talk to your dealer about getting an order in place to secure your spot in line!

Pro-Ject's vacuum-based record cleaning machines are easy to use, reasonably priced, and most importantly, they meticulously and thoroughly clean your records so that all that's left to hear is the music. Grime in the record grooves translates to noise that drowns out the micro-detail in your analog playback experience, depriving you of the nuances that can be the most charming: fingers on the frets, the brush on the drum head, the breath of the vocalist. Pro-Ject's record cleaning machines bring this sort of charm closer to the surface and more available to your ears. Remember that even new records tend not to be 'clean' as we understand it. It's typical for a new record to have what's known as mold-release compound in the record grooves (it facilitates the clean separation of the record from the press). If you want to extract as much music as possible from the grooves, the record in question should be cleaned, and Pro-Ject has developed these machines to heighten efficacy & efficiency while remaining in the "real-world-prices" category of analog audio equipment.

Improvements to the VC-E2 are as follows:

-Side-facing ventilation outlet

-Improved cabinet design with rounded corners

-Magnetic record clamp to speed up the process

-Replaceable 1-piece arm strip (scrubs record while rotating)

-Ready-to-use (pre-mixed) Wash it 2 cleaning fluid for 33, 45 & 78rpm records

Improvements to the VC-S3 are as follows:

-Improved cabinet design with rounded corners

-Magnetic record clamp to speed up the process

-Replaceable 1-piece arm strip (scrubs record while rotating)

-Ready-to-use (pre-mixed) Wash it 2 cleaning fluid for 33, 45 & 78rpm records

-Aluminum motor mounting pads & cataphoretically treated motor (reduces corrosion)

 

The process is relatively similar with each machine... Place the record over the record spindle, place the magnetic clamp over the record label, apply the cleaning fluid to the vinyl LP, flip the switch to the rotate the platter with the vinyl LP affixed to it, work the Wash it 2 record cleaning fluid in the the grooves with the supplied goat-hair record brush while the record rotates a few times (or longer for very dirty records), bring the vacuum arm over the radius of the record & engage the vacuum switch. The platter and record will continue to rotate until you stop it with the switch. The muck suspended by the cleaning fluid should be gone in a rotation or two and the record completely dry by the time you get it over to your turntable to spin it proper.

As a rule, the VC-S3 is your best option if you're cleaning records in volume. VC-E2 is more than sufficient for clean-as-you-listen people. Please review the user manuals for detailed instructions. User guides and product brochures can be found in the 'downloads' section at the bottom of the product pages for VC-E2 and VC-S3, respectively.

Marc Henshall of Sound Matters has produced these fine articles and videos for your education & enjoyment. He's got experience with the preceding VC-E & VC-S2 and offers up his experience with those in addition to the latest VC-E2 & VC-S3.

Click here to visit Sound Matters' article on the VC-E2, click here to be taken to the VC-S3 article!


Pro-Ject Audio Systems Box Design Factory in Slovakia - A Video Tour [Finished Boxes Pictured]

Pro-Ject Hi-Fi Electronics - A Tour of the Factory & Manufacturing Process

Pro-Ject Hi-Fi Electronics - A Tour of the Factory & Manufacturing Process

 

Pro-Ject Audio Systems builds 95% of their turntables, electronics & accessories within 440km (275mi) of the headquarters in Austria. Suffice it to say that you can count on thoughtful design & quality build from the vast majority of our product catalog. Not far from the HQ in Austria is the Slovakian factory that specializes in the precision-manufacture of Pro-Ject phono preamps, digital hi-fi electronics, amplifiers and more- referred to as Pro-Ject's Box Design series of audio gear. In this tour you'll observe advanced machinery working in unison with highly-skilled factory personnel for finer, more delicate work that requires hands-on expertise. It gives you a glimpse into just how well-built Pro-Ject's hi-fi electronics are and how they're able to make enough to keep a world of music lovers enjoying their tunes in high-fidelity stereo.


T1 Phono SB, Debut III Phono SB & A1 Accessory Pack Promo

Winter Promotions & New Products at Pro-Ject USA!

Friends of Pro-Ject,

It's been a busy fall at Pro-Ject USA and we're here to share with you the fruits of our labor! First and foremost, let's make sure you're privy to our winter specials...

Next let's cover some new products...

  • The long-awaited MaiA DS3 has arrived. Look no further for immersive amplification with all the perks: a built-in MM/MC phono stage, an onboard DAC, a Bluetooth receiver and more- it's got 9 total inputs and accommodates whatever you can throw at it.
  • Stereo Box S3 BT, a compact integrated amp with Bluetooth, is perfect for the discerning listener on a budget and with space constraints. Don't be fooled by it's tiny footprint. At 40WPC into 4 ohms and with reasonably efficient speakers, Stereo Box S3 BT can fill your room easily and with grace.
  • Amp Box S3 paves the way to building a system of separates. Offering impressive power handling for such a compact design, the sound quality will knock your socks off.
  • The new Juke Box E1 is Pro-Ject's most affordable turntable/amplifier combo- just add speakers and you're off to the races. It's all you need to play records plus an additional source. You can also use the LINE OUT function to relay your music to another system.

We extend our very best to you these remaining days of 2022 and may your holidays be filled with great-sounding music.

Happy Listening,

Pro-Ject USA


Pro-Ject Debut PRO S Tonearm with Replaceable Headshell - Top View

Introducing Debut PRO S, Power Box RS2 Phono & Vinyl NRS Box S3

Pro-Ject USA welcomes several new models to the states! Debut PRO S is takes the Debut PRO design to the next level with a 10" curved tonearm with user-replaceable headshell, CNC-machined sub-platter and Record Puck PRO. Power Box RS2 Phono provides a linear power supply option for Pro-Ject turntables & phono preamps in one impressive box. The new Vinyl NRS Box S3 gives listeners  control over noise-reduction in their vinyl playback rig. Check out the video below to learn more and stay tuned for forthcoming unboxing videos of the products introduced here. Happy listening! -Pro-Ject USA

 


Pro-Ject & Sumiko Videos!

Sumiko Stylus Replacement & A Unique Tour of the MM Design

Sumiko Phono Cartridges pair well with Pro-Ject tonearms. Their sonic synergy delivers non-fatiguing music that can be enjoyed for hours with no sacrifice to low-level detail & resolution- the things that make our music reproduction spring to life! Upgrading your stylus is an easy, low-risk path to immediate, audible improvement in your analog experience that only improves with break-in. Cartridge/stylus break-in occurs progressively as you listen. Our listeners notice the greatest degree of improvement in the 20-50 hour range. CLICK HERE to view the video tutorial for replacing and/or upgrading your Sumiko stylus on a Debut Carbon EVO tonearm! Also enjoy our gorgeous rendering of a Sumiko moving magnet cartridge in action HERE.