You can buy a lot for $15,000 even in this day and age – that fee could bag you 54 years of Netflix Premium, about 94 pairs of Nike sneakers or even a Caddy (albeit one of the, ahem, slightly less commercially successful models). Or, it could buy you the huge chunk of analog hi-fi heaven you see in the image above – and I’ll bet it tracks just as smoothly…
What you’re looking at is Pro-Ject’s latest flagship turntable masterpiece, the Signature 12.2. It weighs over 80 lbs – the platter alone comes in at 23lb – and comprises over 100 “high-precision CNC-machined parts”.
The company tells me all manufacturing is done in-house at Pro-Ject’s factory, “keeping costs down and passing savings along to serious vinyl enthusiasts” (so, it’s a bargain really – although if it’s budget-friendly you’re after, you might want to look at the company’s new three-strong T1 Evo range rather than this top-end model).
The 12-inch tonearm uses a new three-point pivot for extra stability, with the DIN plug conveniently located at the rear of the arm’s base. Pro-Ject says the anti-skate and counterweight portions have also been simplified to offer finer degrees of adjustment and the vertical tracking angle (VTA) can be adjusted with a single thumb screw.
I feel the need, the need for speed…
That huge platter is TPE-damped on the underside with an integrated vinyl mat on top. Your chosen record is also clamped onto the platter with the help of the Signature Record Puck, which comes with your purchase. How has Pro-Ject relieved tension on what it calls the “flawless ceramic ball” bearing? A magnet around the inverted bearing well opposes another magnet embedded in the plinth, encircling the stainless-steel shaft. Everything here is geared towards speed stability, with Pro-Ject’s DC-driven AC generator in the driver’s seat.
Pro-Ject says the MDF plinth is “mass-loaded” with steel pellets, thus drawing resonance away from the platter and cartridge. Its conical, spring-loaded feet can also be adjusted from the top of the plinth – a great perk considering its weight (you don’t want to lift this thing regularly if you value your spinal health).
The Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 will begin shipping in the US in November 2024, retailing for $14,999, which is around £11,497 or AU$22,350 – and remember, that doesn’t include a cartridge. Will it be one of the best turntables out there? I really hope so. I mean, look at it…
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