Pro-Ject Xtension 12 Evolution Turntable (No Cartridge)

Modern and classical designs are working, more than ever before, in harmony. The reason behind the love of retro is it’s inherent mix of classical beauty, mechanical precision, quality components and superior performance.

Pro-Ject products gave analogue a new life in the nineties. We’ve always endeavoured to prove that music can sound better than with any digital medium. Now with the Xtension, we aim to bring back a classical analogue concept from the eighties, and combine it with our advanced contemporary technologies. After eighteen years of turntable manufacturing for vinyl lovers on a budget, we’re delighted to announce our first deck not subscribed to budgetary limitations… And boy, does it deliver.

Our critically acclaimed 6perspeX has already proved the fantastic result of using magnets to isolate the sub-chassis. This technology has been re-developed so that the Xtension 12 Evolution can use new magnetic feet, almost completely decoupling the main plinth. Combine this with the weighty 25kg total mass of the turntable, and you’ve got a unique combination of mass loaded and floating turntable design principles for absolute minimal base resonance.

In keeping with these principles, the platter is metal for the sake of its higher mass than other materials. However, the old standard adoption of pure metal has been abandoned because of its highly-resonant tendencies. Instead, we’ve found a perfect alloy which we dampened on the inner side with Sorbothane. Taking this base, we’ve glued recycled records to the top (which act as a perfect mat) and baked it before precision balancing it. The final product subsequently benefits from a wonderfully resonance-free, heavy platter.

Another consideration was the amount of energy the tonearm base would have to take from arm and cartridge movement. These energies have to be controlled, as do those from the motor and the bearing. They have to be kept away from the tonearm to avoid interference. Consequently, the tonearm base on the Xtension 12 Evolution also benefits from high mass technologies, and is isolated from the main board by a sheet of Sorbothane®. This board is still able to incorporate the adoption of different tonearms.

The Xtension 12 Evolution comes with a beautiful dustcover with adjustable hinges. It truly delivers a timelessly classic, exclusive analogue experience.

Turntable

• Super-heavy 25 kg mass load magnetic floating belt drive design
• Sorbothane® damped ultra precise balanced Sandwich platter made from special alloy combined with recycled vinyl
• Brass record puck
• Ultra low noise motor
• Magnet supported, inverted main bearing Type Block 1 with ceramic thrust-pad
• Integrated Speed Box SE for super silent motor drive and electronically switchable speed
• Metal-granulate filled plinth for universal damping
• Mass loaded interchangeable armboard
• Height adjustable magnet supported feets for perfect isolation
• Gold-plated RCA phono sockets

12cc Evolution Tonearm

• 12″ precision tone-arm with carbon fibre armtube & headshell
• Generation 2 carbon technology
• Conical armtube avoids standing wave reflections
• Highest selection of components
• Antiresonace heavy mass cardan bearing block
• Inverted bearing design with four hardened ABEC7 spec ballraces
• Solid armbase permits accurate height adjustment of armtube and VTA (vertical tracing angle)
• Single-screw fixing of armtube allows rotation for easy adjustment of needle azimuth despite fixed headshell
• Highly flexible top-grade copper internal wiring
• Silicon damped tone-armlift
• Resonance optimised Sorbothane® enhanced counterweight construction
• Improved anti-skating and tone-arm lift mechanics