Posted on Wed, 10 May, 2017
Posted by Bob

Have you ever wished you could show your appreciation of The Beatles’ classic album ‘Sgt Peppers’ via the medium of a Pro-Ject turntable? Well, With A Little Help From My Friends at Pro-Ject, these new turntables are Fixing A Hole in your combined appreciation of the Fab Four’s Finest Album and a love of Audiophile Vinyl.

Pro-Ject recently created a George Harrison special edition of their popular Essential III turntable. Now, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of The Beatles most famous and groundbreaking album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pro-Ject have designed two, very special editions of the Essential III and 2Xperience SB Turntables.

Let’s examine A Day in The Life of these great turntables – (enough of the puns now please Bob, OK?)

Pro-Ject Essential III Sgt Pepper’s Edition

The Pro-Ject Essential III Sgt Pepper’s Edition is an update to Pro-Ject’s acclaimed and multi-award winning Essential II turntable. The
Essential range represents Pro-Ject’s ‘bare bones’ audiophile model; offering everything a discerning vinyl listener could want, at an affordable price.

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The Pro-Ject Essential III features a frosted acrylic platter which Pro-Ject refer to as the Acryl-IT E platter. Acrylic is a dense material which is excellent at resisting unwanted resonances. The Acryl-IT E platter uses a stainless-steel bearing in a bronze bushing with a Teflon lined bottom, giving what Pro-Ject refer to as “liquid smooth” rotation.

Take a look through that frosted acrylic platter, however, and one will be greeted by one of the most iconic pieces of album artwork in pop history. Printed on the plinth, is the famous ‘Sgt Pepper’s drumhead’ logo, which appears strikingly and prominently through the frosted acrylic platter.

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‘Dropping The Needle’ onto record won’t be a disappointing process, especially as that ‘needle’ happens to come courtesy of an Ortofon OM10 cartridge with elliptical stylus. The OM10 is hung onto the end of an 8.6″, lightweight, rigid, aluminium tonearm which utilises a gimbal bearing assembly with sapphire bearings for ultra-smooth tracking.

Pro-Ject 2Xperience SB: Sgt Pepper’s Edition

The second in the range of Sgt Pepper special editions is the very special and strictly limited 2Xperience SB:Sgt Pepper’s Edition. Limited to just 1000 pieces, worldwide, there can be no doubting this is a very special piece of memorabilia indeed.

Pro-Ject 2Xperience Sgt Peppers

The Pro-Ject 2Xperience SB:Sgt Pepper’s Edition features a more restrained design than that of the Essential III Sgt Pepper’s Edition; perhaps in-keeping with the more serious, high-end audiophile aspirations of this turntable.

The 2Xperience SB’s heavy, non-resonant plinth is finished in a beautiful walnut veneer, adorned with an elegant outer printed border. The famous Beatles logo can again be found above the speed controls, whilst in the bottom right-hand corner of the plinth, the Sgt Pepper’s ‘Drumhead’ logo can be found.

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Audiophiles will not be disappointed by the performance of the Pro-Ject 2Xperience SB:Sgt Pepper’s Edition. The Heavy plinth coupled with Pro-Ject’s sandwich platter provide a solid, non-resonant foundation for vinyl playback. A precision motor is coupled to an integrated speed controller, allowing for push-button speed change between 33/45 RPM settings.

Pro-Ject have equipped the 2Xperience SB:Sgt Pepper’s Edition with their excellent 9cc Evolution Carbon tonearm. This is accompanied by the superb Ortofon 2M silver, a ‘hot-rodded’ version of the popular 2M red, but instead using solid silver windings.

Collectible and Authentically Audiophile

Don’t let the aesthetics lead you into thinking these are ‘crackerjack’ players masquerading under the umbrella of being ‘collectible’. These are credible, authentic audiophile decks coupled to a unique tie-in with arguably the world’s most famous band and their most famous album.

Beatles Fan? Vinyl Fan? Audiophile? Look no further.

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