It's an essential feature if you want to do like they do in the movies and on TV. You demonstrate your surprising cooking skills to her, pour some wine, put some music on that shows how cool and romantic you are, and then you want to get on with other business and not want to be doing more fiddling with your turntable.
When you consider that those vibration-creating components are doing absolutely nothing during playback I honestly question the motive of manufacturers and the absolute buy-in of audio nerds. I recently sold my Project Debut Carbon and purchased a vintage Kenwood full auto KD4100. No discernable difference in sound quality. Perhaps the minimalist, manual TT is cheaper to manufacture. I'm fairly certain like a lot of things in audio the difference in sound quality is imagined.
That’s no coincidence. This turntable is a product of Pro-ject in collaboration with Fehrenbacher, a German manufacturer that built turntables for Dual until recently. Fehrenbacher took over Dual‘s production line in 1993. It was announced in 2021 that Fehrenbacher will become an exclusive manufacturer for Audio Tuning, Pro-Ject’s parent company. Rekkord turntables are built at the same place.
It’s nothing more than a overpriced Dual OEM (CS435-1). Philips also used this build for their Philips FP930 turntable. Even the dust cover hinges and plastic holders in the base, are the same. Recently I bought a secondhand Philips FP930 at a thrift shop for €6,00. Okay, it hasn’t got a build-in amplifier, but you can easily remove the platter and change the belt (and discover a cheap mechanism..).
I have just bought the Project A1 and my first impression is very good indeed. But I do think that you have te use an external phono preamp. The one inside is not bad, but with a good preamp it sounds very nice.
This is exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for. I doubt I'd notice the audiophile nuances you described. But I *definitely* could see myself forgetting to take an LP off after side two finished...and damage my stylus/album.
well, by logic there is zero reason to use LP's - I'm 73 and have half a century of LP's.... learned long ago the machine does a better job of the critical needle / disc contact than my hand ( especially if 'enhancements' are used.). I'd easily prefer a generic mid 1970's t' table - Pioneer, Yamaha, whoever..... My Pioneer full auto from mid '70's still works fine. thou I did buy a new Thorens fulll auto 103 , just for kicks. bottom line, CD's are cheaper ( Ya can buy a DVD player from a big box store for $75.) and CD's are just better, depending of course on technical engineering/ producing.
Hey......Wondering how difficult it is to make the platter even and not wobberly......I like the design, simple and nice. But i love my Technics SL 1300 fully automatic......Just have a ball and take care
Many years ago I had a Dual CS-505-2 which was semi automatic in that it started the motor when the tonearm was moved toward the record, and it lifted the arm from the surface at the end of play, but it didn't return it to the cradle. It also had a "backwards" cueing lever. Good memories!
I love my vintage technics SL-Q3 FULLY AUTO From 1979 Working perfect sounds wonderful It's even got record repeat function witch I never use . I enjoyed the video 👍
I had the same turntable but gave it away many years ago i don't know why. But since 10 years i use the fully automatic Teac P9 from 1981 that ones belonged to my parents. I am loving it...
Hi Paul I appreciate the rise in interest in vinyl , but I can’t get my head around the concept of simplifying the process . Isn’t it better to stick with CDs , after all you can’t get more simple than shoving a disk in that spent the night on the floor with last nights pizzas crust .😅 Even if your interested in older records, they will be available on CD at a far less price of a vintage record . And of course the sound infinitely better than these low budget offerings . Obviously if someone is lucky enough to inherit a collection of records I can see the sense in adopting this way of playing them . But if it’s a lifestyle decision, I’m completely out of my depth with such concepts 😂. Kind regards as always. 👍👍👍
We finally decided to replace our reliable, budget Sony PS-LX300USB with a better quality turntable and settled on the Pro-Ject A1. The difference in sound quality was phenomenal, and the simple, clean look of the unit made it an appealing part of our living space. While the placement of the phono amp switch is a bit inconvenient, we don't have a dedicated phono input on our amp, so the switch is set on all the time anyway. I have to give credit to this review (and a few others) that convinced me to select the A1 as our automatic turntable choice. There are others on the market, but the look and quality of the A1 made it the best option for the money.
Bought an Automat and the platter is scraping a bit. I looked for a "transit screw" many people recommended but there is no mention of it in the manual. Does anyone have any suggestions ?
I just received this exact TT and upgraded the stylus to a 30, cork mat, and use a weight on top. This is connected to my McIntosh MA-252 and their XR50 speakers. Turned off the internal preamp and used the terrific phono stage in my amp. Terry Reid sounds majestic. His voice is amazing. I understand that it will take a bit to break in. So far, so good. The stereo separation is amazing as well. It still makes noise when it drops the needle but seems silent at the end of a side. Simple solution is the mute button. I'm sure there is a moving coil turntable in the future, but this one seems more than just adequate. Simple style and clean lines. Big plus for the cables to attach to the amp. They are very much above the average cords. Hope this helps those on the fence about this nice product. ❤
One big thing that I noticed about this TT. It does not like a spindle hole, which is too tight. >I got a tool for that and have used it on about 5 records like that.
It is a nice review but I was hoping it would include it's origins, which is a Dual CS 430 of the '90s. That era was a shake out for so many HiFi brands including Dual it self. It is clear that Dual had the knowledge but it is also clear that this turntable came at a time they where on their knees. Apart from that, it has been UN-interrupted on the market for over 30 years as a multi model platform of which the A1 seems to be the cheapest version. If it was not for Brexit, there would be some good news for those who like this turntable (assuming most viewers are from the UK). Any time you can pick up one of these on E.bay in Europe (under the DUAL, UHER and perhaps some other brand names) for a very small amount of money. And some of the models come with real wood veneer, a better platter and a fully adjustable tone arm. But even that is still a far cry from some earlier automatic models that made Dual so famous and loved.
While this is better built and better looking than the AT-LP3, I don't think the price justifies it. Also, the fact that you cannot select record size is another let down for me. If you have 12" records that spin at 45 rpm, you'd have to play them manually.
Finally, a new turntable that is truly automatic! While I might not buy it for myself, but I might very well gift it. If I could upgrade the tone arm, I would consider purchasing it for myself. Great review, well-paced with rhythm and timing. 🙂
Not worth the money. There are plenty of better quality auto vintage turntables about. Some of the projects are decent turntables and some of them are overpriced junk.
The last thing you would want for the target audience is an accessible phono/line out switch (as long as it comes set to phono). The newbie probably would have no idea of the difference and certainly wouldn’t be looking to adding an external amp. Also, the natural orientation for light switch, well, on is up. And why on earth would there be a “natural” orientation for 33/45? But you always give us great content. Thanks.
If the unit doesn’t mute during the automatic cycle, it’s a huge minus. I rocked a Technics SL-QD33 for nearly 30 years and could no longer stand the horrible noises that it made when the tonearm landed on and lifted up from the record, as my parents had a Dual 1229 during my formative years. I finally settled on a Sony PS-X55 because the Biotracer series was always much more that I wanted to spend. Anything but quartz-locked direct drive was out of the question. In addition to doing everything that I wanted and sounding great, I loved it so much that I wound up buying TWO of ’em! What’s also really cool about this unit is that it defaults in the raised position so that it has one less step in the cycle, which probably lengthens the lifetime of the mechanical parts! Peace.
I appreciate this review, and I even appreciate that Pro-Ject made them. But why would you buy a new automatic turntable when there are stunning and easily found automatic and semi automatic turntables, many of which have been lovingly restored by fellow audiophiles?
Interesting video which has given me things to think about as I intend to buy my eldest son a turntable for his new house. I had been considering the Rega P1 or Technics 60 or 120. I did have my Dual CS 505 mk3 which he liked but one of my other children have claimed that so I need to think again.
@@smokeymcpot69 Was haben wir Glück, in einer freien Welt zu sein! Jeder darf seine Meinungen und Ansichten haben und teilen! Ich respektiere deine voll und ganz!
Sure. But AT95EN/SH would be a better sounding option imho. You could compensate 6.1-5.5g. It’s lack of technical info from Pro-Ject (because they make this model as well as the most of the others for students, managers, and house wives). But at the first glance this seems to be possible.
Ich besitze einen 1977er (!) WEGA P 550 Direktantriebs-Vollautomatik-Plattenspieler mit einem Goldring E III Blue Tonabnehmer an einem Magnat MR 780 High End Stereo Hybrid-Röhren-Receiver an Quadral 4-Wege-Standboxen und bin vollauf zufrieden! Deine Video's sind immer sehr interessant, informativ und unterhaltsam! Danke dafür!
So how do you change the belt if you can’t take the platter off? Iv got a direct drive pioneer pl518 from 1978 with auto return only and it’s the best sounding table iv owned blows my rega p2 out the water. Speed stability, weight and heft are more important to me.
Hi Paul the cables attached have a look of quality to them. Roy Gandy of Rega Research should take note and upgrade the rubbish cables on the Rega Planar 1 & 2.
just saw this vid you do a great job on reviewing your items ,I have seen a lot of your vids thought i was subscribed to your channel found out i am not ,but before i do i need one quest answered when u say that the automatic feature of this TT is discconected when it is playing what do you mean ,i have 5 turntables of various models of the late 70's all are auto matic ,when they are playing the mechanics that make these turntables work are they not disconnected ???? ,some can be used as a manual player if you wanted ,once it is playing a record you can basically move the tone arm anywhere u want stop it without engaging the automatic functions ,you are the second person who said this ,all of my TT's are idler drive .i have worked on a lot of these TT's to get them to work right I have seen how they operate ,all of the cam wheels and everything that helps it to work are not engaged when they are playing records that to me is saying the mechanics are not interfering with function of TT ,I wish somebody could explain how this works so that i can see ,and on the Fluance TT you cannot really compare this to the A-1 the A-1 has a solid base compared to the fluance which is not a solid base but hollow inside if you open it up you will see the small motor the board some wiring but a lot of emptiness ,this is a good looking TT and its very nice looking but I consider this a manual cause it may stop at end of record but it leaves the stylus at end of record you have to load it at beginning of record and remove it at end of record ,it does not return to its rest where it will prevent any mishaps ,there some dual models from early 80.s that would lift tonearm at least but not return them ,my Dual 1009sk can work as a manual so can the Dual 1237,my Garrard AT-60 and BSR 610 i can remove stacking spindle and place a smaller spindle and there it is a manual but better cause at least at end of record it will go back to its rest ,note I am saying this with most respect to you I have seen your other reviews you really know your stuff ,if you or some one can take apart the A-1 and see how it works maybe i can understand what you are saying thanks I am not expecting a answer but I had to try JRo
Hi - if you look at my Fluance review I think I describe that as a quarter automatic. It's not even semi really , because it dumps the stylus at the end of the record for you to pick up. That said, the mechanism for that does interfere with the sound - if engaged or not, it produces vibration. It can be disabled. The automatic mechanism of the A1 also produces vibration. Hence, because of the current popularity of the 'quarter automatic' system (several turntable brands use it) a comparison is more than necessary, in my book. Pro-Ject makes a point of saying that the auto mech is disengaged during normal play to head off any criticism that the mech might be engaged and interfering with sound during play. Even so, the fact that it exists at all within the plinth creates that vibration I mentioned that degrades the sound. But hey, 'twas ever thus with automatic designs. For an automatic, per se, the A1 performs very well indeed.
well I have never heard any difference in sound maybe if turntable is between speakers but my 6 turntables are above my speakers I have 2 manual TT's one is the pto-ject debut 3 and audio technica atlp 120 usb I have compared both of these to my other both using the ortophon cart ome5 on the pro-ject TT you can hear the motor as it spins slightlyt but the audiotechnica is quiet compared them to my Dual1009sk , Dual1237 and a garrard AT-60 lab series and the infamos BSR 610 I heard no difference the noise I heard was from the dual 1237it was a very slight hum but it is the cables which I have to change but I keep forgetting @@TheAudiophileMan
Hi, I have a Garrard B200 semi automatic turntable fitted with a Goldring E3 cartridge. Will I hear any difference in sound quality if I replace it with the Pro-Ject A1 when connected through a Cambridge audio Azur 340A amp and wharfdale diamond 9 speakers? I've had the B200 turntable from 1986 so it has sentimental value but I'm happy to swap for another modern turntable
I don't know because I've never heard a B200, I'm afraid. It looks very early Technics doesn't it? Looking at images and specs, etc. I would suggest/guess that you would hear an improvement via the A1. Things have moved on since the 80s when this one was around and I would like to think that there are more foundational improvements via the A1. I would grab one and then - if you hate it - return it within 14 days for a full refund (I'm pretty sure that's the law on these things) but I think you might hang on it: www.gov.uk/accepting-returns-and-giving-refunds
@@TheAudiophileMan Many thanks for the reply. I'm sure it's not an uncommon dilemma. Your comparisons between the latest turntables is great to watch and very informative for new equipment on the market. As you say the only way to know is to buy a shiny new one and do a test which I'll do and give you some feedback. I forgot to say that the Garrard B200 is fed through a Cambridge Audio Azure preamp. I changed the belt recently and that made a big difference to the sound quality, I wonder if that means that a direct drive gives consistent better sound quality compared to a belt drive. Cheers Matt
I wouldn't generalise on direct drive vs belt drive performance. Some do, sure but I see variations in both. It depends on the design and the designers. But you did the right thing in upgrading the belt and the cart upgrade was nice (wouldn't go any higher though, the arm is your bottleneck now). Maybe a new quality headshell? Also isolate the turntable to lower vibration and grab some isolation feet to put under it. Sorbothane, for example - eBay sellers sell these things cheap. The default feet are...ok, only. Check out the Soundeck Mk.II Minis video here too.
Just bought this exact turntable a couple of days ago, after watching this and many other reviews, but i gotta say, i'm SUPER happy with my purchase, it's so easy to use, no hassle, no fuss, just lots of music Sure might not be the best out there, but it's ease of use is just so nice
TDK Ds were the cheapest offering in the UK from TDK in the 80s. I used to push the boat out and buy the ADs to ensure my sounds were available in my trusty Chevette made from my latest records. I'm amazed that tapes and LPs are in such demand, I'm so over all that fuss and bother of 40 years ago. Give me a nice clean 24/44.1 stream over all that hiss and crackle any day!
The design is indeed based on the Duals(the bad 80’s ones). The A1 is… sry for this… a really bad example. Clunky mechanism, imprecise, the platter wobbles and the fact that it just sits and rubs against the spindle(hence the noise you described, static like) is…a big no no. Ps: almost all automatics disengage after the stylus is in position for playback(At-lp3, 60 you name it). A good idea, poor execution
I had one of the bad ones, a CS530. Everything that could be plastic was, and the lurching mechanism depended on a pencil-eraser size rubber nub called a steuerpimpel, which inevitably deteriorated. Technics and JVC, for example, had a much more robust mechanism, and I don’t see how they would negatively affect the sound quality at all. Non adjustability makes this an absolute non-starter for me.
Great reviews. I see you compare quite a few turntables with the Fluance RT81. Would you say the RT81 is the standard in this range of turntable? I’ve looked at the Audio-Technica at-LP120XUSB, Rega RP1 and the Pro-Ject A1. Fully automatic is not a need for me. Though the RT81 is belt driven I see you still compare it/ put it up against direct driven turntables. Need a Rega RP1 vs Fluance RT81.. hint hint... My analysis paralysis is killin' me :-)
Hi Hurtis, not the standard no. It’s popular. What’s your budget? Also depends if sound quality is the priority or if other concerns are equally important, etc.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks for the reply. Watched more of your videos and reviews. The Rega Planar One sets the standard for "budget" turntables. My budget is $600US for the phongraph, but its not a hard cap. Don't need lifestyle features, want the audiophile sound quality. I already have a pair of new Edifier RT1700-BT speakers ready to use. Obviously I need a preamp also so that's an additional $90US for the Pro-Ject Phono Box MM DC, which I can do. Was ready to step up to the Fluance RT83 over the RT81 but the Rega seems to be the way to go if sound is what is most important. Thoughts and how do you feel about the Edifier RT1700-BT speakers?
