We at Pro-Ject aim to bring back a classical analog concept from the eighties, and combine it with our advanced contemporary technologies. After eighteen years of turntable manufacturing for analog lovers on a budget, we’re delighted to announce our first deck not subscribed to budgetary limitations.
Already, the critically acclaimed 6perspeX has proved the fantastic result of using magnets to isolate the subchassis. So consequently, for the Xtension this technology has been re-developed to utilise new magnetic feet, which almost completely decouple the main plinth. With these two magnets located in the feet, the turntable is practically floating. Combine this with the weighty 30 kg total mass of the turntable, and the listener benefits from minimal base resonance. This is a unique combination of ‘mass loaded’ and ‘floating turntable’ design principals.In keeping with these principles, the platter is metal due to its high mass. The old standard adoption of pure metal has been abandoned because of its highly-resonant tendencies. Instead, we’ve found a perfect alloy which we dampened on the inner side with Sorbothane®. Taking this base, we’ve glued recycled Vinyl records to the top (which act as a perfect mat) and bake this ‘sandwich’ before precision balancing it. The final product subsequently benefits from a wonderfully resonance-free, heavy platter. Another consideration was the amount of energy the tonearm base would have to take from arm and cartridge movement. These energies have to be controlled, as do those from the motor and the bearing (they have to be kept away from the tonearm to avoid interference). Consequently, the tonearm base on the Xtension 12 Evolution also benefits from ‘high-mass’ technologies, and is isolated from the main board by a sheet of Sorbothane®. Importantly though, this board is still able to incorporate the adoption of different tonearms. As we originally premised with this turntable, to be in keeping with its ‘classic’ ethos, the Xtension comes with a beautiful dustcover with adjustable hinges.
The Xtension 12 Evolution comes standard with the premium tonearm cable 5pin > RCA cable. For an optimal connection to the Phono Box RS or RS2, the symmetrical premium tonearm cable 5pin > XLR is available separately. Phono Box RS and RS2 offer balanced phono inputs, what guarantees superior results in high-end vinyl reproduction with a balanced signal source.
