I really like Pro-Ject’s turntables – I’ve tested some of the more affordable options, and I love the way they sound – so if the company announced its new Configurator, which lets you build the ultimate turntable by specifying everything from the power supply to the baseboard, didn’t need to be told twice. I have now specified the turntable of my dreams, and all I have to do now is sell my house so I can afford it. Or at least my car.
It’s fair to say that you won’t be using the Configurator if you’re looking for the more budget options among the best turntables; my configuration came in at just under $10,000. But what a turntable it would be.
How to create the perfect turntable with the Pro-Ject Configurator
The configurator has been created in such a way that you can customize the Xtension 9 turntable, which has been around for several years and belongs to the top of the Pro-Ject range.
First of all, you select the skirting board, with options such as the brand’s signature glossy black and some warm wood types, including a very beautiful walnut. Then we move on to the main event: the turntable components.
First off, there are eight tonearm options, including a stainless steel bearing block with high-purity silver wiring. Then there are three magnetic coil cartridges, six phono preamps, four phono cables and two power supplies. You can then download the setup while you decide which of your children to sell to finance it. Project says the option you select will then be built by hand.
Even before you start customizing it, the Xtension 9 is an incredible feat of engineering. The award-winning turntable features a heavy aluminum platter on an inverted main bearing assembly with a ceramic ball and magnetic support for frictionless rotation. The result is a resonance-free turntable that is easy to use and sensational to listen to. And now you can make it even better – or at least more personal to yourself.
If you’re wondering what I would have gone for, I opted for the high gloss Walnut Burl, the EVO 9 AS premium tonearm in black, the upper MC9 cartridge and black versions of the phono box and PSU. Since I had already spent over 9,000 euros, I also opted for the most expensive cables, the Phono RS, in their RCA versions. That brought the total price to €9,347, which is about $10,000. Now all I have to do is choose an amplifier and speakers that can actually do this justice, after my lottery numbers are in.