Pro-Ject Primary E

Pro-Ject's budget offering makes a great first turntable

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This is the most affordable traditionally designed Pro-Ject turntable, and it has claimed top spot in our best budget record players buying guide for many years now. The brand's similarly priced Elemental deck has a platter that sits over a long and thin, plank-like chassis (imagine a pizza draped over a wooden serving board). And the E is also more or less a twin of the Pro-Ject Primary, another great turntable.

Like most twins, there are a few key differences that set the two apart. The Primary E's power supply is built into the deck rather than the plug; it is available only in black rather than the Primary’s red or white options; and it costs a little less than the original model. So, how does its successor measure up?

Nailing the basics

The Primary E has a familiar look, from the 22cm tonearm and Ortofon moving-magnet cartridge to the effortless setup of the near-plug-and-play design.

As you might expect from a similarly specified machine, the Primary E has an entertainingly musical performance akin to the Primary’s, too.