![]() However, that’s to be expected with the entry-level Ortofon OM 5e. Listening to the Pro-Ject T1, sound quality was completely adequate but failed to capture the magic of recordings.ĭynamics, the contrast between loud and soft sounds, was lacking which made music feel flat and one dimensional. Since the T1 was designed to be as easy as possible to set up and start playing records, it’s an odd decision not to include one. This means buyers will have to factor in additional budget to buy one. The biggest feature lacking from Pro-Ject’s entry-level T1 is the omission of a phono preamp. Speed changes are a hassle as you need to remove the platter and move the belt to the correct pulley and there’s no auto-stop feature that protects your needle from excessive wear either like you do on the Fluance tables. In terms of using the Pro-Ject T1, everything was simple but there were no nice-to-have features that we loved from the Fluance turntables. The platter is extremely well-made with a nice frosted finish on one side and a glossy finish on the other side. One nice feature that the Pro-Ject T1 has that sets it apart from the competition is the glass platter. When asked, a representative from Pro-Ject told us that anti-skating is built into the tonearm and this was a design decision to make set up as easy as possible. We noticed that the tonearm of the T1 did not feature Pro-Ject’s iconic weight for anti-skate control. ![]() Vertical tracking force is also set out of the box so there’s nothing for the user to do. We checked the cartridge alignment with our Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Geo-Disc and it was spot on. Pro-Ject designed the T1 to be as easy to set up as possible and we found that to hold true: we were up and running within five minutes. That's some cost saved there, however, there is no built-in phono preamp so you’ll need to provide your own, so that's worth factoring into the final cost if you don't have one. It's also worth pointing out that the T1 features an aluminum tonearm with an Ortofon OM5e cartridge attached that often goes for $70 on its own. It’s a bit disappointing not to see adjustable feet to help level the turntable. While the Pro-Ject T1 does feature vibration damping feet, they are not adjustable so you have to shim the feet of the turntable with paper or note cards in order to get it level. While nicely built, the turntable is extremely light and doesn’t damp vibration as well as other turntables in the price range. The platter is made from medium density fiberboard and a wood-look veneer finish. The switch itself is big and easy to use, but requires a bit more force than expected for such a light turntable. To start the turntable, there is a switch on the bottom left. This is a bit cumbersome, especially when lower-priced turntables like the Fluance RT81 include a speed selection/power knob. ![]() There is no speed selection on the T1, so switching from 33 ⅓ rpm to 45 RPM will require removing the platter and moving the belt to the appropriate pulley on the motor. The turntable houses a built-in belt drive motor and spindle, which should help with isolating some vibration from the motor. The Pro-Ject T1 is classic Pro-Ject design with clean lines and no frills. That said, we are reviewing the base model T1, which means it doesn’t come with a phono pre-amp nor Bluetooth. The T1 line of turntables also includes a version that includes a built-in phono pre-amp and one with a built-in phono pre-amp and Bluetooth capability. The Pro-Ject T1 is available now for $349/£259 (about AU$460).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |