The E1.2 BT is the Bluetooth version of the Pro-Ject E1.2, the next generation of the E-Line range that sits at the entry point of the Austrian brand's turntable line-up. It carries the same 730g die-cast aluminium platter, 8.6 inch tonearm and factory-fitted Pick it MM E cartridge as the standard E1.2, and adds a Bluetooth 5.4 transmitter alongside a built-in moving magnet phono preamplifier. That combination lets it feed a Bluetooth speaker, a pair of wireless headphones, a line input or a dedicated phono stage, so it will slot into almost any system without further boxes. Like the rest of the range it is handmade in Europe and arrives factory-adjusted, ready to play.
Wireless and wired outputs
The Bluetooth transmitter runs version 5.4 and works as an A2DP source, supporting the SBC, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive codecs for a stable, high quality wireless link. It has its own on/off switch, a pairing button and a status LED, so wireless playback can be enabled or shut off without disturbing the wired connections. Two wired outputs are provided: a Line output fed by the internal MM phono preamplifier, for amplifiers and active speakers with a standard line-level input, and a Phono output for use with an external phono stage. The built-in preamplifier offers 34dB of gain, a 47kOhm / 100pF input and RIAA equalisation accurate to within 0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz.
Platter and drive
The ABS polymer platter of the original E1 has been replaced by a 730g die-cast aluminium main platter, reworked and precision-balanced in an extra production step to obtain an evenly spinning platter. The additional mass improves rotational stability and gives the stylus a more solid, anti-resonant foundation to track. It sits on a glass fibre reinforced ABS sub platter machined to a 0.001% tolerance, turning on a stainless steel axle in a bronze bushing. Drive comes from a damped DC motor by belt, with a built-in AC generator supplying clean power to the motor, and speed changes between 33 and 45 RPM are made electronically at the push of a single button.
Tonearm and cartridge
The 8.6 inch tonearm uses an aluminium tube and a heavy mass gimbal design with a precision bearing system that has zero play. A carbon-reinforced, super-stiff headshell reduces vibration, and the oversized counterweight is positioned close to the moving parts to improve balance and tracking. Effective length is 218.5mm, effective mass is 7g and overhang is 22.0mm. Pro-Ject's own Pick it MM E moving magnet cartridge is fitted and aligned at the factory: it uses a miniature neodymium generator magnet for low moving mass and better tracking accuracy, a conical diamond stylus, and a heavily damped ABS body to suppress vibration-induced colouration. Tracking force and anti-skating are pre-set, with 20mN (2.0g) the recommended figure.
Chassis and finish
This Satin Steel Blue version belongs to the E1.2 BT Colour series, the upper of the two versions Pro-Ject offers. In place of the standard foil-finished plinth it uses a denser, heavier MDF chassis, which Pro-Ject says further reduces unwanted resonances for more stable, open and unhindered vinyl playback. The satin colour is hand-painted and is designed to sit alongside the rest of Pro-Ject's Colourful Audio line and the matching Speaker Box finishes. Isolating non-slip feet decouple the deck from the surface below it, and an acrylic dust cover is included that holds in every opening position and can be removed easily when it is not wanted. Pro-Ject guarantees spare parts availability for 25 years, and the E1.2 BT is eligible for the EVO tonearm upgrade scheme.
