Pro-Ject Audio Systems X2 Turntable Lab Report

Lab Report

Pro-Ject's X2 turntable/arm/MM combination shares the same PSU, motor and bearing as its more affordable X1 cousin [HFN Aug '19], but the platter, arm and plinth have all been beefed-up, contributing an added 3kg to the X2's weight. The deck is supplied with both a round-section and flat rubber belt – so while bloggers can occupy web pages debating which sounds best, I'll urge HFN readers to leave the round-section belt in the box and use the flat version instead. The former causes a measurable deterioration in W&F and rumble and a speed error of +1.3% that some listeners might mistake for extra 'pace'!

Measured directly through the stainless steel/brass/Teflon bearing, the heavier 2kg acrylic platter causes a slight increase in rumble from –66.7dB (X1, DIN-B wtd) to –65.5dB here, a figure that improves to –66.6dB (through groove) with the felt mat in place and –67.0dB with the mat removed. Start-up time is necessarily slightly slower too at 4-5secs while absolute speed is super-accurate with the flat belt at +0.02%. Wow is improved over the X1, which was already very good, down to 0.02% and witnessed by the sharpness of the test signal [Graph 1, below]. However, the 83Hz (motor/rubber band suspension?) resonance is much more obvious in the X2 (just –50dB re. 1kHz/5cm/sec), the ±83Hz sidebands contributing to the higher 0.07% flutter.

The 9in X2 tonearm is based on that fitted to Pro-Ject's 'The Classic' deck [HFN Aug '16], the alloy/carbon tube construction and bearing yoke are identical, as is the 13.5g effective mass. The main tube mode is diffuse at 145Hz, while the harmonic/twisting mode at 280Hz and cluster of resonances at 510Hz and 645-860Hz are of higher Q, but quickly damped. PM

120project.lab1

Wow and flutter re. 3150Hz tone at 5cm/sec (plotted ±150Hz, 5Hz per minor division)

120project.lab2

Cumulative tonearm resonant decay spectrum, illustrating various bearing, pillar and 'tube' vibration modes spanning 100Hz-10kHz over 40msec

Turntable speed error at 33.33rpm 33.34rpm (+0.02%)
Time to audible stabilisation 4sec
Peak Wow/Flutter (Peak wtd) 0.02% / 0.07%
Rumble (silent groove, DIN B wtd) –66.6dB (–67.0dB)
Rumble (through bearing, DIN B wtd) –65.5dB
Hum & Noise (unwtd, rel. to 5cm/sec) –52.5dB
Power Consumption 5W (1W standby)
Dimensions (WHD, with lid) / Weight 460x150x340mm / 10kg
Price £999 (inc. arm and cartridge)
COMPANY INFO
Pro-Ject Audio Systems
Austria
Supplied by: Henley Audio Ltd, UK
01235 511166
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