Pro-Ject Audio has announced the latest in its ongoing series of band-branded turntables, the Artist Series. Following on from the striking Metallica Edition turntable, the latest act to take the idea for a spin is none other than Pink Floyd.
The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable
2023 is the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s epochal and huge-selling selling album The Dark Side of the Moon, a fact garlanded with box sets and retrospectives. Pro-Ject’s homage is designed for vinyl lovers of all stripes, not just Pink Floyd fans.
This limited-edition turntable incorporates an LED-backlit rainbow that makes a direct reference to Storm Thorgerson’s famous album sleeve, topped off with George Hardie’s celebrated prism image. The dimmable rainbow backlight can be switched on and off at will and adds a shimmer of 1970s glamour that’s visible beneath the 10mm glass platter. The effect is completed by the triangular case and the deck’s extended on/off lever, which doubles up as the white beam of light in the original illustration.
True, The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable is not quite as sophisticated as Brian Eno’s recent foray into turntable design, but it makes a welcome change from a conventional device and successfully recaptures some of the decade’s psychedelic, experimental spirit.
Pro-Ject’s armoury of technical sophistication is fully deployed, including an acrylic and black aluminium low resonance tonearm and a specially turned Pick it PRO Special Edition cartridge. The turntable can run at both 33 and 45 rpm and stays nicely balanced thanks to its 6kg weight.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems’ Artist Series has become somewhat more involved over the years; what started as a simple application of artwork to a conventionally shaped player is now using more geometric and elaborate applications. As a result, the Austrian company has a potentially unlimited array of albums to honour in the years to come.
The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable by Pro-Ject Audio Systems, £1,599.00, available via Henley Audio, HenleyAudio.co.uk, Pro-Ject Audio Systems, Project-Audio.com
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