The black version of the Essential II vinyl turntable with the OM 5e cartridge was replaced by the Essential II Référence vinyl turntable that comes as standard with an OM10 cartridge.
The Pro-Ject Essential vinyl turntable has served as the Austrian brand’s entry-level model for the past five years. With its musical and design qualities, it is very popular among music lovers and enthusiasts on a low budget. This vinyl turntable also provides a great high-quality alternative to competing models in its price range, which are often entirely made out of plastic.
But now the company has released the Essential MKII, complete with several upgrades. Actually, you will realise that it has little in common with its older sister. It has the same base and feet, platter and spindle/bearing. The AC synchronous motor has been replaced by a DC power supply. The platter is driven directly around the platter by a round silicone belt, without a sub-platter. The small unipivot arm has been replaced by a more traditional version. Fans will consider this tonearm as a tried and tested best buy. In fact, this 8.6" aluminium tonearm is none other than the one that was fitted to Pro-Ject's now discontinued Pro-Ject Debut III vinyl turntable. The cartridge is an Ortofon OM5e cartridge, a safe bet for this range. It can however be upgraded over time. The cables are captive and specifically designed for Phono systems. These are not the basic low cost interconnect cables that often come with competitor products. It also comes with a dust cover.
The listening experience has noticeably improved in terms of precision and consistency. The frequency response also seems wider than with the old Pro-Ject Essential vinyl turntable. And it would seem that the tonearm has something to do with it. We compared it to a Debut III and they have a similar sound quality. Maybe the Essential II vinyl turntable is a bit more physical?!
Yet another great product from the Austrian manufacturer at a low price that leaves little hope for potential competitors. Highly recommended
AWARDS:
What Hi-Fi? 2013 & 2015 - Best turntable up to £400
"The Essential II is a frill-free entry-level product that gets all the basics spot-on."
FranckSpeeds: 33⅓, 45 RPM (manual change)
Drive principle: Silicone belt
Rotation accuracy: 33t/ 0.14%, 45t/0.25%
Wow & Flutter: 0.12%
Platter: MDF 300mm
Platter mat: black felt
Bearing: Stainless steel
Tonearm: 8.6"
Cartridge: Ortofon OM 5e
Effective tonearm weight: 8g
Counterweight: for 3.g-5.5g cartridges
Built-in RIAA preamplifier: NO
Outputs: RCA + ground
Power supply: DC
Dust cover: YES
Consumption: 4.5 watts
Dimensions: 420x112x330mm
Weight: 4kg
How do I choose a turntable ? Discover
How do I choose a Hi-Fi cartridge ? Discover
How do I upgrade my turntable ? Discover
How to choose your phono preamplifier ? Discover
How do I take care of my records ? Discover
What difference between phono cable and interconnect cable? Discover
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Customer reviews
super platine debut
Une super petite platine de début de gamme dirais je...
Je veisn d une technics sl 1200 MKII donc il manque forcement des " choses" ( bas pas assez tendu selon moi, ni assez profond et manque de precision dans le haut ), mais ce n est pas la même gamme. Et structure un peu légere. Mais rapport qualité prix trés bon.
Par contre j ai une piece en metal de 2 cm avec 2 petits trous et je ne sais pas a quoi elle sert ??? Si quelqu' un sait ....
maPlatine.com response
Bonjour,
Merci de votre commentaire. Je pense que la pièce dont vous parlez est la petite masselotte. Elle est à intercaler entre le bras de la platine vinyle et la cellule dans le cas où vous changeriez la cellule d'origine livrée avec la platine par une nouvelle cellule plus légère. N'hésitez pas à nous contacter directement par email en cas de doute.
Cordialement,
L'équipe maPlatine.
Excellent!
Pour un produit entrée de gamme, la qualité sonore du produit est excellente. La finition est également de bonne facture. Je tiens à faire remarquer le bon réglage effectué par maplatine.com et l'emballage soigné du colis. Je l'ai branché avec l'ampli AM10 de Cambridge Audio et les enceintes 2020i d'Acoustics. Je recommande ces produits, surtout si vous débutez (ou re-débutez!), vous ne serez pas déçu :-)
Parfait
Le rendu sonore est très clair, précis et dynamique (branché avec ampli Marantz PM4400 et Klpsch RF52).
L'ensemble est très bien fini sauf l'aspect du socle qui fait bon marché.
Livraison rapide est colis très bien protégé. Service parfait (mail et téléphone). Merci.