Pro-Ject The Classic Reference Audiophile Turntable (Brass & Acacia)

A True Reference Turntable

Pro-Ject Audio Systems have gained notoriety for producing simple, superlative-sounding turntables with no frills nor unnecessary cosmetics, only quality materials and intelligent, sound-centered designs. Through the years, Pro-Ject enthusiasts wanted to see more of what the factory could produce in the high-end arena. Pro-Ject has the resources, skill and technology to do just that, so they began with luxury products like the Signature 10 & 12.

One of their legacy highlights was to create an audiophile turntable with insights from the world-famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra for their 175th anniversary. Pro-Ject used wood and metals from their old musical instruments to manufacture 175 pieces of the anniversary turntable (now a highly sought-after collector's piece). The result was so beautiful and high-performing that they were eager to revive the concept. The Classic Reference combines technical finesse and luxury trimmings like no other turntable. Given the accolades that the VPO 175 & The Classic EVO generated, Pro-Ject is eager to introduce you to this improved iteration of the design.

EVO 9 AS HG S-Shaped Tonearm

The Classic Reference features the EVO 9 AS HG tonearm. The tonearm uses inverted cardanic Swiss ABEC 7 quality bearings with four stainless steel tips. The bearings are housed in a massive aluminum gimbal for maximum stability. It's also C-shaped to prevent bell-mode resonance. For the EVO AS tonearms, Pro-Ject uses an aluminum S-shaped tube internal damping paired with a removable headshell. They use flexible high-purity copper tonearm wire – a great conductor for the phono signal. Each lead is fitted with a gold-plated connector clip.

Platter & Sub-Platter

The heavy aluminum main platter construction utilizes advanced Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) for optimizing resonance behavior. Casted platters, while heavy, can have a 'ringing' effect. This platter is precision machined and balanced, then TPE-damped on the underside, eliminating ringing and damping resonance. The platter rotates on a precision machined and balanced aluminum sub-platter, heightening rotational stability and adding mass to the drive system.

Balanced XLR Output

The Classic Reference offers standard-sized XLRs for balanced transmission, as well as traditional RCA jacks. Balanced audio connections are most prevalent in the professional audio sector such as recording studios and live events. Here it is highly important to have a stable and interference-free connection – particularly with microphones, which send low-level signals similar to that of phono cartridges. The phono signal stands to benefit in the same way. Simply put, balanced transmission delivers more signal, less noise.

Get Started with a Quality RCA Phono Cable

Decent cables ensure the transmission of micro-detail to the dedicated receiving device. Using poor cables can limit the potential of your whole system! The included Connect it Phono E RCA is a high-quality phono-optimized cable. Pro-Ject focused on quality copper and shielding to allow all the musical information through.

Sophisticated DC/AC Generator

Pro-Ject's turntables use switch-mode power supplies for good reason. They take the unrefined AC power from your wall and convert it to DC. That DC power is then fed to DC/AC generator within the turntable, which in turn powers the AC motor. The advantage is that a completely new sine wave is created by the generator, fully decoupling your turntable from the dirty AC power coming from your outlet. This amounts to steady power being fed to the motor thereby enhancing speed stability.

Two Upgrades in One Box!

Clean and stable power is critical for phono setups. The included power supply is a great starting point, but you can take it further. Power Box RS2 Phono provides linear power to The Classic Reference (15V) as well as your Pro-Ject phono stage (18-20V). Its two outputs are specifically engineered to power Pro-Ject turntables and phono preamps simultaneously. The sophisticated linear power supply can have a dramatic impact on overall sound quality. In addition to the sonic improvements, Power Box RS2 Phono also offers users a cleaner cable solution (only one wall-wart needed for the PSU).

Features

• High-end 9" S-shaped tonearm (EVO 9 AS HG)
• Removable headshell for simple cartridge swapping
• Balanced XLR & single-ended RCA outputs
• Low-friction zircon pin-point cardan bearings
• Electronic speed control (33/45/78rpm)
• Fully adjustable azimuth & VTA
• TPE-decouple aluminum top over MDF plinth
• Precision-balanced TPE-damped aluminum platter
• TPE-damped counterweight
• Clamp it record clamp included
• Leather it turntable mat included
• Height adjustable decoupling feet
• Handmade in Europe

Technical Specifications