{"id":147356,"date":"2022-08-02T07:58:53","date_gmt":"2022-08-02T06:58:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.techweekmag.com\/?p=147356"},"modified":"2022-08-02T07:58:53","modified_gmt":"2022-08-02T06:58:53","slug":"pro-ject-x1b-and-x2b-turntables-join-the-true-balanced-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/hi-fi\/pro-ject-x1b-and-x2b-turntables-join-the-true-balanced-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-Ject X1B and X2B turntables join the true balanced family"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Pro-Ject X1B and X2B turntables follow the company&#8217;s true balanced concept from cartridge to phono output.<\/p>\n<p>In the balanced version, the weak and, therefore, easily vulnerable signal from the phono cartridge is much better protected from any interference.\u00a0Therefore, the Pro-Ject true balanced product family uses a special mini XLR connector (in addition to the usual RCA connectors &#8211; they are also provided).\u00a0This symmetrical connection allows the use of fully balanced phono stages, such as the brand new true balanced Phono Box S3 B or Phono Box DS3 B.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8524 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/60_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/60_techweek.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/65_techweek.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/66_techweek.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Pro-Ject X1B and X2B turntables are similar in appearance, although the first one is one and a half times cheaper than the second.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8525 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/61_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/61_techweek.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/67_techweek.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/68_techweek.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"393\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s all about the tonearms and the cartridges pre-installed on them.\u00a0The X1B cartridge is Ortofon Pick it S2 MM.\u00a0X2B has a more advanced Ortofon Quintet Red.\u00a0Both are made in a balanced ideology.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8526 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/62_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/62_techweek.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/69_techweek.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/70_techweek.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"389\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, the tonearms are different &#8211; the X1B is 8.6, and the X2B is a 9-inch carbon-aluminum &#8220;arm&#8221; with improved internal damping, equipped with a 4-point bearing gimbal with ultra-low friction, full azimuth and VTA adjustment is available.\u00a0Both tonearms received dampened TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) counterweights.<\/p>\n<p>Acrylic disk X1B weighs one and a half, X2B &#8211; two kilograms.\u00a0In the first case, its stainless steel axle rotates in a brass, in the second &#8211; in a bronze bearing, both use Teflon inserts.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8527 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/63_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/63_techweek.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/71_techweek.jpg 364w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/72_techweek.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, both new items are similar to each other.\u00a0Speeds of 33 and 1\/3 and 45 rpm are switched and controlled electronically.\u00a0Power is traditional for Pro-Ject, from an external source of 15 V. The drive is a classic belt, coming from an engine carefully vibration-insulated with the same thermoplastic elastomer.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-8528 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/64_techweek.jpg\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/64_techweek.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/73_techweek.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/74_techweek.jpg 768w\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"458\" \/><\/p>\n<p>All this is housed in a massive CNC-milled MDF chassis.\u00a0Surfaces &#8211; natural veneer or varnish in 8 layers.\u00a0The enclosures rest on height-adjustable aluminum legs.\u00a0Both kits use low capacitance shielded semi-balanced cables.\u00a0According to Pro-Ject, the X1B and X2B turntables are handmade in Europe.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Pro-Ject X1B and X2B turntables follow the company&#8217;s true balanced concept from cartridge to phono output. In the balanced version, the weak and, therefore, easily vulnerable signal from the phono cartridge is much better protected from any interference.\u00a0Therefore, the Pro-Ject true balanced product family uses a special mini XLR connector (in addition to the [&hellip;] <a class=\"g1-link g1-link-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/hi-fi\/pro-ject-x1b-and-x2b-turntables-join-the-true-balanced-family\/\">More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10404,"featured_media":147357,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[642],"tags":[779],"class_list":["post-147356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hi-fi","tag-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10404"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stereoreviewer.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}