The Pro-Ject Scorpions Turntable looks awesome, but boy is it a commitment
The latest Artist Collection turntable model from Pro-Ject celebrates a band that rocked us like a hurricane. Scorpions.
I enjoy the band Scorpions. Very much. Do I enjoy them enough to theme my entire turntable set up around the famed 1980s hair rockers? Hmmm. Judging by this new design from Pro-Ject I think so.
The audio company has unveiled the new Pro-Ject Scorpions Turntable featuring the artwork from their seminal 1982 debut album Blackout. The one headlined by the breakout hit No One Like You, you ask? Yes, the very same.
Well, the album ranked 73rd on Rolling Stones on the list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time, now has its very own turntable built for aficionados of the German rockers. But what about the story behind the striking artwork?
“The artwork wasn’t created for the album; it dates from around 1981–82. Band members Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine reportedly discovered the image in Stern magazine and sought Helnwein’s permission to use it,” a media release explains.
“For the cover, Helnwein made only minor adjustments to colours and background to suit the LP format, leaving the central image intact.”
Very cool.
This is the latest model from the Pro-Ject Artist Collection, designed to celebrate icons from music and culture. Other artists to be commemorated include Pink Floyd, Metallica and AC/DC.
This model is based on the company’s T2 turntable platform. It offers a belt-drive design with a CNC-machined plinth has been enlarged, with Pro-Ject saying this aids stability. There’s a 9-inch aluminium tonearm with low-friction bearings, promising accurate tracking, and there’s an integrated headshell to reduce vibration. The cartridge is a pre-adjusted Pick It 25A Moving Magnet cartridge.
You can by the turntable in the UK from Henley Audio exclusively (they’re made to order) from £629.
Chris Smith
