Review: Pro-Ject Primary Plug & Play Turntable

Guest blog by Trevor.

Listening to music on vinyl may not be for everyone but there can be no doubt that there is a certain warmth and, dare I say it, authenticity lost when listening to digital downloads and streaming. It’s not just the audio that’s better on vinyl, either; an album cover in itself is a work of art. Album sales are now at a 25 year high and show no signs of slowing down. So what better time for me to dust off those old classics and enjoy music at its best, and as the artist intended, with the help of the Pro-Ject Primary turntable.

What’s in the box? It’s all there; the turntable is supplied with a twin RCA lead to connect it up to an existing Hi-Fi system through the dedicated input. You’ll also find that a stylus, Ortofon magnetic cartridge, belt, power supply, instructions and mat are all included.

To set up the unit must be placed on a suitable flat level surface then it’s just a simple case of unwrapping and slipping the drive belt on which is very straightforward, connecting the power supply and plugging in to your Hi-Fi system. The audio system must have a dedicated input marked phono which is common on separate Hi-Fi amps. Simply push in the two colour-coded RCA plugs and attach the ground lead. Nearly all AV amps and modern audio systems only have AUX inputs so the Primary USB with built in pre-amp will be needed to optimise audio quality.

The Pro-Ject Primary turntable is a fully manual turntable which all adds to the charm of playing vinyl. The tone arm has a lever for gently lowering off and on the record but you’ll need to remember to return it once the record has finished as there is no auto return. The turntable can play both 33 and 45RPM records. To change the speed the belt needs to be lifted from one position to the next which is actually very easy to do.

Like with all quality turntables there are many variables to the end sound quality. The type of environment, quality of record and of course the capabilities of the audio system to which it is connected. Put simply, however, the Pro-Ject Primary does an amazing job. Even with your ear right next to it you have to listen very carefully indeed to hear the motor. Many turntables can suffer badly from magnetic feedback resulting in a humming sound when played at higher volumes or positioned to close to speakers; this is absolutely not a problem with the Pro-Ject. With all genres of music this turntable delivers a very crisp treble, deep bass and excellent stereo separation. You can spend less on a turntable and indeed a lot more but, for the money, the Pro-Ject Primary turntable proves hard to beat.

Ditch off the digital and embrace music as it should be with a Pro-Ject Primary today; using our Click & Collect service means you can pick one up in as little as one hour! You can also buy online & enjoy free delivery or pop to your local store (with your 45’s) and ask about a demo!