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Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced)

Turntable

Relative price

below typical

Among the 40 turntables in the catalogue, this one is below typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

"True Balanced Connection" concept — three wires per channel (ground/positive/negative) for noise cancellation.

Designed to pair with Pro-Ject Phono Box S3 B for full balanced phono chain.

Competition record

Assessed against 7 rivals across the sixty systems: it takes the slot in none of its 55 head-to-heads.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • mechanical hush ×44
  • speed stability ×4
  • unattended calm ×2

Who it comes up against

Vertere DG-X Sabre Lite Pack

17 lost · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path

Against the Anchored brief, the Vertere DG-X Sabre Lite Pack keeps the slot decisively.

With the Vertere Groove Runner X, the pairing gives up most on mechanical hush.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the record deck position.

good timing/expressionPROXY: Pro-Ject Debut/X-line

Technics SL-1200G

17 lost · Anchored, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path, Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Technics SL-1200G keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the record deck position.

good timing/expressionPROXY: Pro-Ject Debut/X-line

Pro-Ject Debut Pro (with cart)

10 lost · Anchored, Artisan, BBC Sound, Cavity-Native, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Vocals-First

Against the Anchored brief, the Pro-Ject Debut Pro (with cart) keeps the slot clearly.

With the ProJect Tonearm 8.6 Carbon (Debut PRO), the pairing gives up most on mechanical hush.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

good timing/expressionPROXY: Pro-Ject Debut/X-line

Michell Gyro 2025

7 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Cavity-Native, PRaT, Reference, Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Michell Gyro 2025 keeps the slot by a whisker.

With the Michell TecnoArm 2, the pairing gives up most on mechanical hush.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the record deck position.

Technics SL-1500CS (with cart)

2 lost · Silent Path, Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Technics SL-1500CS (with cart) keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

AVID Volvere SP (no arm)

1 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the AVID Volvere SP (no arm) keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the record deck position.

Origin Live Sovereign Mk5 (no arm)

1 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Origin Live Sovereign Mk5 (no arm) keeps the slot by a whisker.

With the Origin Live Encounter Mk5, the pairing gives up most on mechanical hush.

On its own merits the Pro-Ject X2 B (with cart, balanced) is the weaker record deck for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the record deck position.

What the reviewers said

balanced output X2 with Pick It Pro Balanced Pro-Ject X2 B + What HiFi positioning· Tonal body
good timing/expression PROXY: Pro-Ject Debut/X-line· Timing precision
spacious PROXY: Pro-Ject X-line· Spatial naturalness

How it scores

Clarity

  • Mechanical noise floor 70 from listening evidence

Voice

  • Spatial naturalness 72 from listening evidence

Rhythm

  • Timing precision 72 from listening evidence

Specifications

drive typebelt
speeds rpm33.33/45/78
speed changeelectronic auto
platter materialAcrylic non-resonant heavy
plinth materialCNC-machined MDF, large mass
suspension typethree TPE-isolated feet
supplied tonearmProJect-Tonearm-9CC
supplied cartridgeOrtofon Quintet Red MC
weight kg10.0
notes