Project Acryl It E - Acrylic turntable - Pro-Ject

The turntable is the acoustic basis of every record playback - and at the same time the most underestimated component of an entry-level turntable. What it does is not trivial: it keeps the record rotating evenly during playback, dissipates the micro-vibrations generated by the cartridge and determines how acoustic energy is transferred between the vinyl and the platter through its material. The standard MDF platter of the Pro-Ject Elemental and Essential performs this task solidly - but the significantly more solid and acoustically optimized Acryl it E makes a good turntable noticeably more.

The exchange is done in minutes: remove the standard platter, put on the Acryl it E, place the platter on top - done. No tools, no adjustment, no compromises. The result is a sound that Pro-Ject itself sums up in three words: livelier, more open, more dynamic.

When the needle scans the groove, it causes the record to vibrate microscopically. This energy travels from the vinyl to the turntable. Reflections occur at every transition between materials with different acoustic properties - density, elasticity, sound propagation speed: Some of the vibrational energy is thrown back into the record and picked up by the pickup as a false signal. Acrylic has almost the same acoustic impedance as vinyl - the transition between record and platter is therefore as harmonious as possible. The vibration energy flows unchecked from the vinyl into the platter, where it is absorbed and held securely by the mass of the acrylic platter.

MDF - the material of the standard platter - works on a different principle: it damps well, but has a significantly different acoustic impedance than vinyl. A felt mat is therefore necessary to act as a buffer between the dissimilar materials. This works, but at the cost of directness: the felt mat acts like a soft carpet pad that slightly absorbs fine impulses, transients and bass attacks before they reach the bearing. With the Acryl it E, there is no felt mat at all - the record lies directly on the acrylic. This is not an artifice, but a physical consequence: the direct contact of two materials with virtually the same acoustic impedance provides a better vibration transfer than any intermediate damping layer.

At 1.2 kg, the Acryl it E weighs significantly more on the bearing axle than the standard MDF platter. This increased flywheel mass acts as a rotating buffer: the slightest fluctuations in speed - caused by belt irregularities, load changes during scanning or minimal motor pulses - are compensated for by the higher inertia of the platter. The result is a smoother, more even rotation. In terms of sound, this manifests itself as a deeper sound black level: the quiet level between notes becomes quieter, instruments emerge more clearly from the background and low bass lines gain contour and control. Users report the almost complete disappearance of the slight rumble that the MDF platter still makes audible.

The Acryl it E is compatible with the Pro-Ject Clamp it - the record weight that presses the record onto the platter with light pressure. Both upgrades work according to the same principle: more mechanical coupling between record and platter, less natural resonance, better signal transmission. According to Pro-Ject and independent tests, they work best in combination: significantly improved fine details and clarity, even with perfectly flat records. If you want to take the Elemental or Essential to the next level, Acryl it E and Clamp it are the most effective upgrade pair for your turntable.