Pro Ject at High End Munich 2024

Pro-Ject always has a big presence at High End Munich, but this year the company had its biggest display, taking up a large section of Hall 3's center space. The Pro-Ject "booth" (the word hardly suffices) includes Pro-Ject, E.A.T. and Musical Fidelity.

Though there were many new products launched by all 3 companies within the Pro-Ject umbrella, and some were fairly costly, the most significant may well have been the launch of the new T2 entry level turntable available in three different versions.

With competition keen at the entry level, Pro-Ject needed to have available a moderately priced "plastic free" turntable that provides superior sonic and mechanical performance as well as extra cost convenience options like a built-in phono preamplifier and WiFi connectivity. All versions include electronic speed control.

The new made in Europe T2 features a CNC machined plinth free of hollow spaces that diminish sound quality, available in gloss black, white and walnut finishes, a new heavier and thicker glass platter, a new spring controlled anti-skating mechanism, and thanks to the larger plinth, a new one piece 9" arm replacing the previous model's 8.3 inch one. The main bearing is stainless steel and brass. For the American market the T2 includes a Rainier MM cartridge.

A super phono edition includes a built-in high quality MM phono preamplifier that Pro-Ject CEO Heinz Lichtenegger told me was several levels above the single chip cheap ones included in some other brand's "built in" models. There's also a version featuring WiFi-streaming.

The base T2 costs a very competitive $549.00. $649 gets you a T2 with built in switchable phono preamp. Make that $1199 and you get built in phono and WiFi streaming capabilities.

This video features most everything shown at the Pro-Ject display thought it leaves out the T2 and Project's new "order in advance" system modeled after how consumers can order automobiles. With the new system you can go online and choose among the Extension 9 turntable's options and then order. Your turntable will be ready for pickup within a very short time period. Pro-Ject hopes to roll out this convenient ordering system to a wide range of turntable models.

Project's Heinz Lichtenegger guided me through all of these new products and features on-camera but unfortunately, due to a technical glitch, the video was not useable for which were are embarrassed and profoundly sorry. Still most of the new products were ably shown by Project's Sharif Fahim and we thank him for that!