An Easy Pathway to Vinyl Paradise: Pro-Ject X1 B Turntable Allows You To Experience Fantastic, Lifelike Sound from Your Records

Astonishing sound at an accessible price point: That's exactly what you get with the Pro-Ject X1 B turntable. This elegant spinner illustrates how the proper execution of basic principles in turntable design can result in audiophile-caliber sonics at an affordable price. It offers height-adjustable TPE-damped aluminum feet, a massive plinth made of top-quality MDF, a solid acrylic record platter, and a one-piece, carbon-wrapped, aluminum tonearm tube.

A key to the superior performance of the X1 B is the 8.6-inch carbon/aluminum tonearm. The carbon layer gives the tonearm a high degree of rigidity, while the inner aluminum tube supplies the damping properties. This one-piece design delivers precise, stable, and accurate tracking while avoiding vibrations that could be caused by detachable headshells. The X1 B comes with a high-quality, pre-adjusted Ortofon moving-magnet (MM) cartridge. The tonearm's higher mass makes it also an excellent fit for low and moderate compliance moving-coil (MC) cartridges. The TPE-damped counterweight reduces arm-cartridge resonances by as much as 50%.

The motor of the X1 B is engineered to run very quiet. To get the best performance, Pro-Ject designed a motor suspension that allows the motor to run stable and free from outside influences. Any remaining vibrations are damped and eliminated, so they are not transmitted onto the chassis, platter, and cartridge. The motor chassis is effectively decoupled from the main plinth for optimal performance. It is free-floating, horizontally completely level, and engineered to operate smoothly and efficiently.

The playback speeds are electronically controlled with a sophisticated DC/AC generator, which guarantees the most accurate and stable music reproduction. You can change speeds easily with the press of a button. Using the flat belt, you can switch between 33RPM and 45RPM. If you mount the supplied round belt, you will be able to switch between 45RPM and 78 RPM. (You will need an appropriate phono cartridge to play 78RPM records.)

The full aluminum tonearm base allows you to adjust both the azimuth and the vertical tracking angle (VTA). The tonearm height can be continuously adjusted by loosening the two grub screws. These settings give you the option of adapting the tonearm to height changes, allowing the use of different turntable mats or other cartridges to always achieve the best sound quality. (Setting and experimenting with the azimuth and VTA is crucial for getting the best performance out of your cartridge. Call a Music Direct audio consultant if you have any questions.)

The X1 B's MDF plinth is covered with eight layers of paint and polished by hand to achieve a beautiful finish. This elegant, high-performance turntable is handmade in Europe with premium materials, and it comes with the 100% Music Direct Satisfaction Guarantee.

The Importance of Balanced Connections

With the mini XLR connection between your turntable and phono stage, you no longer need to spend big bucks to achieve the measurable quietude provided by balanced phono. The phono signal coming from your cartridge is not unlike that of a microphone signal: extremely low-level, thus requiring unusually high amplification, making it more susceptible to interference. (This is even more true in the modern era, where electronics abound and wireless signals run rampant.) The recording industry uses balanced XLR connections to protect the purity of the microphone signal—which is an important reason why audio engineers do the same with the similarly delicate phono signal.

To achieve optimal results, you essentially need a moving-coil (MC) cartridge, a balanced turntable output, a balanced cable, and a phono stage with a corresponding balanced input. When you're ready to switch to the balanced experience, select your MC cartridge, add the mini XLR connecting cable, connect it to a mini XLR input (on a product such as the Phono Box S3 B or DS 3) and you're ready for next-level sonics. With noise eradicated, you can expect a new degree of depth to the soundstage, more sonic detail to emerge, and overall heightened dynamics.

A big advantage of a balanced connection is its ability to remove picked-up noise and banish interferences. The X1 B is Pro-Ject's first turntable with a fully balanced mini XLR output, which offers you a symmetrical connection. A reminder: To use the true balanced connection to your phono preamp, the X1 B needs to be upgraded with an MC cartridge.

The X1 B comes with the high-quality Connect it E cable. It is a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable, with superior shielding. In order to experience the advantages of balanced signal transmission, you will need a balanced phono cable.