Project X1

The ProJect X1 is an excellent and award-winning Turntable in the mid-range price range. Possessing a similar appearance to Project Debut Carbon, but the inside is far different. That is a suitable Turntable for those who are just starting to play vinyl. Or this will be the launching pad for future needle and phono stage hits.

If you’re new to vinyl, you probably won’t notice it much, or maybe you haven’t realized it yet. Here are the outstanding features of Pro-Ject X1.

amazon Project X1 reviews

1. Beautiful design, sure

The X1 Turntable has a piano gloss black color, which is quite beautiful. In general, my little brother X1 in a black piano is very beautiful.

The platter is also big and thick, weighing 1.5kg, made of non-magnetic acrylic. When listening, put the included black felt mat on it. This piece is quite thin, mainly to not scratch the bottom plate when cleaning the top.

Plinth made of thick MDF, the entire body, is placed on three large and heavy anti-vibrations. Unlike the three small legs of Debut Carbon, the wheel comes with a dust cover. The spindle bearing area for the platter and the catch area need to be precisely CNC turned.

2. Tonearm is pretty excellent

The tonearm is one of the absolute key points of a vinyl tray in this price range. With the X1, Project has come up with an excellent tonearm solution. This lever has the same features as the 9cc tonearm on Project’s double-priced wheels, like the Xtension 9 Evolution and RPM5. The carbon rod is light, making it a great partner for future Ortofon or Audio Technica needles.

TPE behind the anti-vibration tail damps the tonearm counterweight. The rod bearing area is also equipped with a large and strong aluminum frame. Increased weight is needed to suppress vibrations and low-frequency resonances. Tonearm allows you to raise and lower the VTA angle (in other words, change the height of the lever) to attach different needles easily.

For example, you need to lower the Audio Technica needles so that the belly needs to be parallel to the plate. In addition, the lever also allows you to adjust the Azimuth to keep the stylus tip always between the two-disc tracks so that the sound will be more durable and less disc waste.

3. Traditional Belt-Drive Design

ProJect X1 rims retain the traditional belt-drive design. The motor is hung on a high elastic band to suppress its vibration. X1 can play three speeds of 33, 45, and 78; the electronic balance circuit will help keep the speed accurate and stable.

where can you get a Project X1 online

Pro-Ject – X1 Turntable (Walnut): Buy it now

4. Pick-it Cartridge S2 MM

It comes with the latest Pro-Ject Pick-it S2 MM cartridge. Most Project products won’t need any tweaking. However, to be sure, you should check again.

The kit, after purchase, will need to be reassembled before it can be used, but in general, nothing too complicated. Even first-time turntable beginners can easily do it with the help of the instruction sheet.

5. Sound quality is quite static

The sound quality of the Project X1 tray is static; compared to the Sota Moonbeam 3, the X1 breaks down to the negative background. Compared to the Denon DP80 wheel, it is 8/10. Overall fast and rich in detail in the entire bass range and the entire midrange, not too sweet and wide-open space. When playing with a mid-range phono stage iFi iPhono, the upper-bass is dominant, and the sub-bass is not too hard compared to turntable models in the price range. Some modern electronic pop songs like Random Access Memories on the X1 performed quite well. However, the hi-hat sound has not been finely separated and revealed all details.

If you listen to pop and rock, ballad, and gentle classical, the Project X1 tray performs great. Donald Fagen’s album The Nightfly is extremely rich in energy and excellent dynamics. That is one of the Carbon lever’s strengths, not only in X1 but also in Debut Carbon.

Conclude

For Project X1 wheels, you can also replace Ortofon Cadenza Blue if you have enough money. Otherwise, can try MC High output needle; suggested is Hana EL. Hana EL is a tonearm that attaches most MC/MM needles of Audio-Technica, Ortofon, and Nagaoka, Hana. Given the price of Project X1, the design highlights, and the good sound quality, this is an option that is hard to ignore.