Pro-Ject’s $22,000 Turntable Looks As Good As It Sounds
Image: Pro-Ject
— 31 October 2024

Pro-Ject’s $22,000 Turntable Looks As Good As It Sounds

— 31 October 2024
Chris Neill
WORDS BY
Chris Neill
  • Pro-Ject has unveiled its latest high-end flagship turntable, the Signature 12.2.
  • The Signature 12.2 has been meticulously engineered for audiophiles to ensure the best possible playback with no interference.
  • The Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 is priced at $21,999.

What separates the boys from the men when it comes to record players? A $21,999 price tag is a good start.

Pro-Ject Audio has recently announced the launch of its latest high-end flagship turntable, the Signature 12.2, which has been meticulously engineered for audiophiles. With such a significant price tag you’d certainly hope you’re getting the best, but considering Pro-Ject’s track record regarding turntables – we’re big fans of the Debut Carbon Evo – it isn’t just big talk.

From sitting on spring-loaded conical feet to rounding the edges of the MDF plinth, the Signature 12.2 has been meticulously designed to reduce any chance of surface resonance affecting your playback.

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Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 record player

Pro-Ject has also equipped the Signature 12.2 with a new 12“ S-shape aluminium tonearm, along with a modified counterweight system and adaptive anti-skating that’ll adjust itself depending on the force required to sit between the inner and outer grooves of your records. The tonearm’s bearing has also been changed to a three-point pivot system to reduce friction and enhance its stability.

The turntable itself is pretty heavy, weighing in at around 37kg. The platter alone is 10kg of aluminium with a TPE damping ring and a top layer made from recycled vinyl records. The platter spins on an inverted ceramic ball-bearing with a magnetic support to minimise friction as well.

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It uses a flywheel belt drive and supports 33 1/3 and 45 RPM, which can be adjusted via a simple analogue control panel on the front of the turntable.

This basic operating system is one of the bigger changes between the Signature 12.2 and its previous iteration, which featured a small LCD display. To avoid any electromagnetic radiation potentially affecting playback, Pro-Ject has removed this display. As we said, no detail has been spared when it comes to ensuring the best audio playback possible.

The Signature 12.2 doesn’t come with a cartridge, but considering the price you’re paying for this, in for a penny in for a pound. Plus, if you’re the kind of person who’d buy a $22,000 turntable, I’m willing to bet that you already have a strong preference for specific cartridges anyway. It does come bundled with a high-end phone cable though.

The Pro-Ject Signature 12.2 turntable is priced at $21,999 and is currently available for pre-order.

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Chris Neill
WORDS by
Chris is a writer and editor who has been working in print and digital media for over a decade. He was previously an E-Commerce Editor with Pedestrian Group, writing across the publications Pedestrian.TV, VICE Australia, Gizmodo Australia, Lifehacker Australia and Kotaku Australia. He mainly covers about video games, movies and consumer technology, along with pop culture-focused criticism. You can reach him at [email protected].

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