Pro-Ject Signature 10 Turntable

The Signature 10 is a turntable and tonearm combination from Project, and it’s a real tour de force of their technical capabilities. Weighing in at over 22kg, and arriving in an impressive wooden crate, it is actually a remarkably straightforward deck to setup once its been heaved into position. This deck does not have conventional suspension, instead is uses multiple levels of magnetic decoupling - in the feet, chassis and platter, so there are no springs to adjust - it’s almost plonk and play. Basic setup is limited to undoing transit bolts, levelling the feet and fitting the tonearm (which I’ll come back to in a couple of paragraphs).

The plinth is available in three different high gloss finishes, Olive (as pictured above), Mahogany and black, underneath it’s made from wood and is mass loaded with metal inserts. The massive platter weighs just over 10kg, is internally damped with a thermoplastic elastomer and is topped with an integral vinyl mat. It sits on a ceramic topped inverted bearing, and the magnetic repulsion system reduces wear. A substantial record weight is also supplied and it’s clear that the deck has been designed around it, as it is beneficial to the sound, and thankfully it’s a joy to use and can be added whilst the platter is spinning. Electronic speed switching of 33.3 and 45rpm is controlled by buttons on the top of the plinth.

Apart from the massive platter, the thing that grabs you on first glance is the tonearm. It’s a thing of real beauty, and it’s a wonder how Project can produce it for the price. Based around a unipivot design, but with the stability of a conventional tonearm, this 10” long arm is one of the nicest to set up I’ve ever experienced - with alignment adjustable without tools, and the vta done via a thumb screw (albeit it locked off with an allen key). The headshell is removable, so swapping between different cartridges within the space of just a couple of minutes becomes a real possibility if you buy additional headshells - great for those people that also want to run a mono cartridge option or simply like experimenting.

All of this technical prowess is for nothing if it doesn’t sound special, but thankfully it does. Most obviously the sound is big, smooth and powerful. Surface noise is exceptionally low, and the music appears out of an extremely black background - a sign of a very well damped design. The sense of scale, purpose and composure it brings to large scale recordings is unfailingly impressive, as is the even tonality and delicate touch that it brings to quieter pieces. All of this performance and finish is available at a price that I’d have never guessed was possible, and I think it makes the Signature 10 something of a steal.

Technical Specifications:

Drive Principle: Perimeter Belt Drive
Speeds: 33 & 45 RPM
Speed Variance (33 RPM): 0.1 %
Speed Variance (45 RPM): 0.09 %
Wow and Flutter (33 RPM): 0.01 %
Wow and Flutter (45 RPM): 0.01 %
Motor: 9V AC
Turntable Signal to Noise Ratio: 73 dB
Main Bearing: Inverted Ceramic Ball
Main Platter Material: Vinyl-Topped Aluminium with TPE Lining
Main Platter Weight: 10.4 kg
Plinth Material: Metal-Packed MDF
Tonearm Type: Adjustable
Tonearm Material: Aluminium
Effective Tonearm Length: 254.8 mm
Overhang: 16 mm
Effective Tonearm Mass: 15.5 g
VTA Adjustment: Yes
Output Connection: 5-Pin Connector
Output Level: Phono Level
External Power Supply Rating: 15V-1600mA DC
Maximum Power Consumption: 13 W
Dimensions (W x H x D): 475 x 195 x 354 mm
Weight: 23 kg