Pro-Ject X-Tension 12 Evolution

The X-Tension 12 Evolution is a high-end turntable from Pro-Ject, designed as the culmination of several years of development around analogue turntables at a controlled budget. It marks the brand's entry into a no-compromise category, where every mechanical element aims to reduce the parasitic vibrations that disturb groove tracking.

The chassis is built on a floating sub-chassis principle with magnetic suspension: magnets housed in the aluminium feet almost completely decouple the main chassis from the support, a technology derived from that used on the brand's 6perspeX. Combined with a total mass of 25 kg, this design combines the principles of mass loading and a floating platter to limit base resonance. The chassis itself is a weighted double-sandwich MDF construction, while the feet also incorporate Sorbothane damping.

The platter, made of aluminium alloy, weighs 5.7 kg with a diameter of 300 mm. Its inner face is treated with Sorbothane and then covered with recycled vinyl records bonded and baked into a sandwich, a method intended to produce a bearing surface with no resonance of its own. The whole assembly turns on an inverted ceramic ball bearing with magnetic support, driven by a silicone toric belt connected to a synchronous motor controlled by an integrated Speed Box DS regulator, with a claimed speed variation of ±0.09%. The turntable handles all three speeds, 33, 45 and 78 rpm, with a signal-to-noise ratio of -73 dB. The tonearm, with an effective length of 12 inches, completes the package.

This turntable is aimed at listeners already invested in analogue, with a high-end system and looking for a particularly stable mechanical base to get the best out of a quality cartridge. Its considerable size and weight call for a solid piece of furniture and a dedicated location, in keeping with demanding listening rather than occasional use.