The Signature 12 turntable is Pro-Ject’s statement to the high-end community. This no-compromise approach to vinyl playback commemorates decades worth of industry-leading price-to-performance value. Each ‘table takes 3 months to build – a process overseen by a team of highly-skilled specialists. It employs a sophisticated approach by combining the principles of mass-loading and magnetic decoupling.
The main plinth supports a two-motor belt-driven flywheel system that is decoupled from but drives the high-mass TPE-damped platter. The main plinth also houses the touch-screen that allows control of all operational parameters and ultra-precise speed adjustment. The sub-chassis is made of machined aluminum and sits beneath the platter. It’s responsible for supporting the platter’s magnetic suspension. TPE ‘pillows’ isolate the entire assembly and further reduce unwanted disturbance and vibration. The flywheel belt-drive system employs two motors and ensures vibration and noise-free mechanical operation for all moving parts. The advanced single-pivot 12″ tonearm can accommodate virtually any cartridge due to its wide range of adjustment capabilities and an array of counterweights (included). VTA adjustment is a snap and can be done as you listen!
Inside the Plinth
RPM 9 & 10 Carbon, Xtension 9, 10 & 12 Evolution, and Signature 10 & 12 use plinths that are more than meets the eye. These high-end turntables not only use medium-density fiber (MDF, which absorbs resonance), but inside the plinths are also “central gravity points” filled will steel pellets. Drawing harmful resonance to the central gravity point all but eliminates the potential for plinth and bearing noise to reach the tonearm and cartridge. Pellets are used as opposed to a solid alloy due to their dispersion effect where a solid alloy may resonate. This design heightens the overall mass of these turntables as well, a well-known approach to optimizing sonics.
True Balanced – Get Blown Away
Setting us apart from the competition, all Pro-Ject turntables are configured for balanced operation.* Switching to balanced is no subtle upgrade and promises to redefine ‘reference’ sound quality in your turntable system. What’s needed to get there are a) a moving coil cartridge, b) a turntable with balanced phono outputs, c) a phono preamp with balanced phono inputs and d) a balanced cable carrying the phono signal from turntable to phono preamp. Typically a much more costly endeavor, Pro-Ject has changed that landscape by offering products that make the technology attainable to any serious listener.
Signature 12 comes equipped with a balanced 5-pin DIN phono output and can be run balanced with either DIN > XLR or DIN > mini XLR phono cables and a balanced phono stage. The turntable ships with a DIN > RCA phono cable for maximum compatibility out of the box (unbalanced dual single-ended RCA/ground is by far the most common connection type in phono). Balanced add-ons are sold separately. Browse options for balanced phono preamps & cables in the reel below!
*Excluding turntables with built-in phono preamps.
