Are We Hitting Peak Turntable? Pro-Ject E1.2 Aims for Audiophile Sound Quality For Under $350

How many entry-level turntables does the world really need?

It’s a fair question — one the audio industry doesn’t seem particularly interested in answering. In 2025, consumers are drowning in budget-friendly vinyl spinners from every conceivable corner of the market: Pro-Ject, U-Turn, Fluance, Audio-Technica, Sony, Orange, Andover, Rega, Denon… and probably Aunt Mildred from Toledo, who just launched a Kickstarter for a belt-drive deck built from recycled hummus tubs.

We’ve reached saturation point — or at least Saturation Hour — in the affordable turntable category. The options are plentiful, but are they all necessary? That’s the needle Pro-Ject is trying to thread with the new E1.2: a sleek, stripped-down model promising real audiophile performance at a price that won’t trigger your credit card fraud alerts.

So does the E1.2 earn its place on your rack, or is it just another pretender in a category flooded with some questionable options? Let’s dig in…but only after you think about this first.

If you’re shopping for your first turntable or just trying to escape the plastic plague of Crosley-grade clunkers, you need to ask yourself a basic question: What kind of vinyl listener are you?

Are you looking for a plug-and-play solution with all the modern conveniences baked in — built-in phono stage, Bluetooth, decent moving magnet cartridge, and a tonearm that won’t make you regret every LP purchase after three spins? Or do you want something simpler and more honest — no gimmicks, no internal DACs or wireless modules — just solid engineering, good parts, and the freedom to upgrade as you go?

Pro-Ject’s new E1.2 isn’t trying to be your Swiss Army turntable. It’s not here to connect to your AirPods or impress your barista with a spec sheet full of fluff. What it does offer is a refreshingly stripped-down, audiophile-first experience at a price that’s still within reach for someone who just dropped $40 on a new Blue Note reissue and needs to hear it without warps, wow, or wobble.

It gives you the essentials — a properly built tonearm, solid bearing, good MM cartridge, an upgraded platter, and actual room to grow. And for a lot of listeners? That’s the smarter way in.

Pro-Ject E1.2: A No-Frills Turntable for Modern Vinyl Purists That Goes Back to the Future

You’re right to feel a bit of déjà vu with the new Pro-Ject E1.2. It may look like a throwback, but this isn’t just a lazy retread of the 1991 original. In the 30+ years since launching the Pro-Ject 1, the Austrian manufacturer has sold more than a million turntables, built one of the most advanced turntable factories on the planet, and figured out how to design nearly every part in-house.

That kind of scale and institutional memory gives Pro-Ject a serious edge in the entry-level category — and it shows. The E1.2 might be minimalist in spirit and appearance, but under the hood it’s a distillation of decades of know-how. Other brands in this price range are still figuring out how to build decent bearings; Pro-Ject’s already moved on to refining motor decoupling and making isolation matter at $300.

What’s New with the Pro-Ject E1.2? Upgraded Features for Serious Starters

Pro-Ject is making some noise about the upgrades baked into the E1.2—and for good reason. Compared to the 2022 E1, this isn’t just a cosmetic refresh or a parts-bin shuffle. The main platter now sports an aluminum die-cast design with a built-in TPE damping ring, which should do a better job taming unwanted vibrations and keeping playback tighter and cleaner. That’s not lip service—it’s a solid engineering move borrowed from the company’s more expensive tables.

Even better, the E1.2 steals the sub-platter from Pro-Ject’s popular Debut line—specifically a glass-fiber-reinforced ABS design that offers improved speed stability and durability. That’s trickle-down tech that actually matters.

Also gone is the generic Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge from the previous model. In its place? Pro-Ject’s own Pick it MM E cartridge, which promises better tracking, smoother tonal balance, and lower distortion. No, it’s not some $400 moving coil stunner, but for the price, it’s more than respectable—and it looks the part too.

Available in high-gloss black, satin white, or walnut, the E1.2 looks sleek without shouting, “I bought this at Urban Outfitters.” This is still an audiophile company with both feet planted in the high-end world, and they haven’t forgotten how to dress an affordable turntable properly.

Pro-Ject E1.2 Technical Specifications

• Speeds: 33 ⅓ RPM, 45 RPM (electronic speed control)
• Drive Principle: Belt drive with electronic speed regulation
• Platter Bearing: Stainless steel axle in bronze bushing
• Wow & Flutter: 33 RPM: ±0.23% / 45 RPM: ±0.21%
• Speed Drift: 33 RPM: ±0.7% / 45 RPM: ±0.6%
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 65 dB
• Tonearm:
  • Effective Length: 218.5 mm
  • Effective Mass: 7.0 g
  • Overhang: 22 mm
• Included Accessories:
  • 15V DC / 0.8A power supply
  • Dust cover
  • 7″ single adapter
• Power Consumption: 4.5 W
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 420 x 112 x 330 mm
• Weight: 3.6 kg (net)

Pro-Ject Pick it MM E Cartridge

• Type: Moving Magnet (MM)
• Output Voltage: 3.8 mV @ 1 kHz
• Frequency Response: 10–20,000 Hz (±2 dB)
• Stylus: Conical
• Tracking Force: 1.8–2.2 g (recommended: 2.0 g)
• Tracking Ability (315Hz): 70 μm
• Dynamic Compliance: 14 μm/mN
• Tracking Angle: 23°
• Load Resistance: 47 kΩ
• Height (Stylus Tip to Mount): 18.2 mm
• Cartridge Weight: 5.5 g

The Bottom Line

The Pro-Ject E1.2 isn’t trying to reinvent the turntable—thankfully. What it does do is offer a genuinely well-built, entry-level deck that doesn’t feel like a cheap toy or a branding exercise slapped together for the streaming generation. You’re getting real engineering here: a heavier, damped platter, upgraded sub-platter tech lifted from the Debut line, and a capable cartridge that’s been properly matched to the arm. It’s fully manual, solidly built, and styled with just enough class to fit in anywhere without screaming “budget hi-fi.”

And Pro-Ject’s real flex? That after 30+ years and over a million turntables sold, they still give a damn about the budget buyer. That matters. They could’ve phoned this one in—they didn’t.

Back to the original question: Do we need another entry-level turntable? No. But do we need better ones that aren’t just plastic cash grabs? Absolutely. If you’re looking to start your vinyl journey with a deck that prioritizes sound quality, upgradeability, and build over gimmicks, the E1.2 might be the smartest move you can make without getting fleeced.

For more information: project-audio.com

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