Overview and Company History

Pro-Ject Audio launched its first product in 1991, the Pro-Ject One. This was a very well-designed turntable made to offer outstanding sound for the money with no frills. It was a huge success, which led to their Debut series of turntables being introduced in the late ’90s. Anyone who is into great turntables has heard of the name Pro-Ject as they have become the best-selling audiophile turntable brand in the world. 

And, what is even more interesting, in this day and age of globalization, Pro-Ject turntables are all completely assembled in their factories in Europe with Pro-Ject even sourcing raw materials from local suppliers. 

Design & Build Quality

The Automat A1 is certainly a unique turntable for Pro-Ject to introduce. Most audiophiles cringe when they hear the word “fully Automatic turntable”. We have to admit, we thought, “what the heck” when we first heard about this new turntable, but after learning from Pro-Ject as to why they wanted to come out with it and then finding out how they implemented the Automatic system, we got it.

Pro-Ject’s goal as a company is to introduce people to the joys of listening to music on a system that sounds great. Like our team at Audio Advice, they are all into vinyl and the fun it can bring and want as many people as possible to experience it. They felt like there was a large group of people who wanted to enjoy vinyl but were just scared of damaging either the fragile stylus or their records. While we feel like it is really not that hard at all to use a manual turntable, we understand how some people could feel that way.

For those of you just jumping into turntables, we should explain what we mean. If a turntable is manual, this means you must push the power button, then move the tonearm over the record lead in the groove and gently lower the arm onto the record surface using the cue lever. When the record ends, you must use the cue lever to lift up the arm. Fully Automatic turntables are just the opposite. You push one button and the arm moves over to the right spot all by itself, then when the record ends, the arm Automatically lifts up and returns to its rest. These have a big advantage too — if you decide to move to another room and just let the record play, you don’t have to worry about rushing back to lift up the stylus at the end.

Check out our full article detailing the pros & cons of Manual vs Automatic Turntables.

The problem in the world of fully Automatic turntables, up until now, is all of them had mechanical systems that would interfere with the turntables’ tonearm being friction-free and reducing sound quality. 

The new Automat A1 is Pro-Ject’s first turntable using an Automatic system that has zero detrimental effect on the sound. 

One of the most impressive parts about this turntable is the fact it is 100% assembled in Germany with 99% of the components used either made in their factory or sourced from local companies, with the exception of the Denmark-made Ortofon phono cartridge. While the Automat A1 does not have the same fine watch-like fit and finish as Pro-Ject’s higher-end turntables, it is extremely well put together for its cost with some components you typically only see on more expensive turntables. 

Features & Technology

The big feature of the Automat A1 is of course the fact that it is fully Automatic. The technology Pro-Ject pulled from their vast knowledge of turntables, along with the zero interference Automat system, is what makes it really impressive. 

We like to start with the bottom and work up, so here we go.

Pro-Ject developed some tech for better damping feet for their new Evo turntables in 2021. Damping feet help keep external vibrations out of the turntable which can degrade the sound, especially when you crank up the volume. The version of the feet for the Automat A1 uses a silicone layer to decouple the turntable from the surface it is sitting on.

Moving on to the tonearm, it is an 8.3” low mass aluminum design. The headshell is made from a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Pro-Ject chose the Ortofon OM10 moving magnet phono cartridge, which is a very good value cartridge. We also like the fact you could upgrade it later when you go to replace the stylus by going with the stylus for the OM20 cartridge. This particular series of cartridges were designed for low-mass arms like we have on the A1.

Now here is the part where Pro-Ject leaned towards ease of use over future upgradeability. Everything on the arm is fixed, there is no way to adjust tracking force, tonearm height, or anti-skate. The big plus of this is that the A1 is totally plug and play, with no adjustments needed for setup. The con of course is you have to stick with the OM cartridges. In our minds, this was the right choice for an entry-level turntable like this as it makes it just so simple to install.

We were super impressed when we looked at the back and saw Pro-Ject chose their Connect It E cables for the leads. We expected a basic set of cables here, but these are purpose-made cables just for turntables that cost about $60 separately and are great cables. 

The Automat A1 also has a built-in phono preamp you can turn on with a switch located under the platter. It comes with this engaged, which means you can connect the A1 up to powered speakers, or an amp that does not have a phono preamp. We think the A1 will be very popular with some of our great powered speakers as a simple, easy-to-use vinyl rig. 

To operate the A1, you simply choose 33 or 45 and push start. The platter will start spinning, the Automat mechanism will engage to move the tonearm over the record, then lower it. The great part is, right after the arm drops, the Automat system is completely disengaged. When the record ends, the Automat system kicks back in and safely returns the arm to its rest. Should you wish to raise or lower the arm manually, there is a cue lever and there also is a stop lever that will bring the arm back and shut things down. All and all a great system that makes playing vinyl a piece of cake!

Performance

Unpacking and setting up the Automat A1 was just as easy as Pro-Ject told us it would be. All you have to do is remove a protective piece or two, connect it to power and your powered speakers or receiver, take off the stylus guard, and push play. 

We also discovered the A1 can be used as a semi-Automatic turntable. When you move the tonearm over, the platter Automatically starts spinning and will still lift up and shut off at the end of the record. 

Being the critical audiophiles that we are, we had to play around with the tonearm and see how well damped the platter was, but that is really not what the Automat A1 is all about. From the first record we played, we could instantly tell, the A1 is a real turntable capable of pulling out the sound from vinyl we know and love. 

The first thing that struck us was how right it got rhythm and pacing. We were literally tapping our toes to an Automatic turntable, a definite first! To see how well it was isolated from acoustic feedback, we cranked things up using some large full range speakers and never had a trace of feedback. Pretty darn impressive.

We have always felt Ortofon cartridges were very good performers for the money and it’s no surprise Pro-Ject chose the OM10 for this model. It tracks really well and is able to pull those tiny little musical details out of the record grooves. We played some complex vocal tracks and the A1 was able to reveal the subtle harmonies we knew were there. 

We suspect some people will be compelled to compare the Automat A1 to Pro-Jects other turntables in roughly the same price category, the Debut EVO. In our minds, there is no comparison, the EVO is hands down a better turntable in all aspects, but if you want an Automatic turntable to take all the worries away, the EVO will never be that turntable. 

In the end, our assessment was, the Automat A1 just does not do anything wrong. It lets the music flow through with that ease you expect from a good turntable while being fun to listen to and a pleasure to use. 

Overall Recommendation

We are 100% convinced Pro-ject accomplished exactly what they set out to do with the A1, getting more people to experience the joy of vinyl. If you have been thinking about jumping into vinyl but have been worried about not having the skill to set up or use a manual turntable, the Automat A1 is the answer you have been looking for. You will be able to hear what draws people to the sound of vinyl while starting to grow your record collection. 

However, Pro-Ject and other good turntable companies make manual turntables that are better performers. If you are not worried about your skills, please stick with a manual turntable choice. 

We have a feeling many people who start out with the A1 will realize, a turntable is nothing to be scared of and will eventually get a better manual turntable. But for anyone who is scared of a turntable, the Automat A1 will make you fearless!

Audio Advice is an authorized dealer of high-performance audio products from great brands around the world. If you have questions or need audio advice, you can chat with an expert at AudioAdvice.com, call us or visit one of our world-class showrooms.