MARCH 2022 T3 3Gadgets that showcase the
very best that design and
technology have to offer
SHOWSTOPPER
Pro-Ject’s turntables regularly top our lists of the best record players for good reason: their great
features, quality sound and super affordable pricing make them very hard to beat. So when the brand
announced it was launching its first ever automatic turntables, the Automat series, it was a safe bet
we would be more inquisitive than a mob of hipster meerkats. Its debut entry, the A1, has definitely
earned our curiosity. The fully automatic belt-drive system allows you to pop a record on by just
setting the speed and hitting play – the turntable does everything else. Even better, the mechanism is
entirely mechanical and physically disengages while the record is playing, which means there’s no
horrible hum of electronics here. Meanwhile, the A1’s four silicon-damped feet, damped metal platter
and reinforced headshell all cut resonance to an absolute minimum. Not bad for such a bargain price.
£369, project-audio.com
PRO -J E C T A 1
SET THE STAGE
Thanks to its built-in moving
magnet phono stage, there’s no
need to add a pre-amp. Want
to upgrade to one anyway?
The phono stage can easily be
switched out