Pro-Ject Automat A1.2 Fully Automatic Turntable with Pick it MM E Cartridge

Pro-Ject Automat A1.2 Fully Automatic Turntable with Pick it MM E Cartridge

The Pro-Ject Automat A1.2 is a fully automatic belt-drive turntable designed for listeners who want vinyl playback to be simple without reducing the turntable to a lightweight lifestyle product. It combines one-button automatic start and return with a new die-cast aluminium platter, an 8.3-inch ultra-light-mass aluminium tonearm, a factory-fitted Pick it MM E cartridge and a switchable built-in phono stage.

The important part is how Pro-Ject handles the automatic mechanism. The mechanical automation moves the tonearm into position at the start of a record and returns it at the end, then disengages during playback. That keeps the convenience of a fully automatic deck while leaving the platter, arm and cartridge to do the listening work once the record is playing.

Fully Automatic Start and Stop

Press start, play the record, let the turntable return the arm

The A1.2 is designed for genuinely easy day-to-day use. Press start and the mechanism moves the tonearm to the lead-in groove and lowers it onto the record. At the end of the side, the arm lifts and returns automatically.

That makes it particularly useful for people who want the convenience of automatic operation, or for systems where several people in the household use the turntable and not everyone wants to handle the tonearm manually.

Updated Die-Cast Aluminium Platter

More mass and stability than the original A1 design

The A1.2 updates the earlier A1 with a precision-balanced die-cast aluminium platter. The platter is CNC-finished after casting to improve rotational consistency and provides a more substantial platform for the record than a lightweight plastic platter.

Playback speeds are electronically selected between 33 and 45 rpm, so there is no need to move the belt when changing between LPs and singles.

8.3-inch Ultra-Light-Mass Aluminium Tonearm

Factory-set for quick, predictable setup

The 8.3-inch aluminium tonearm follows an ultra-light-mass design and uses a carbon-fibre-reinforced anti-magnetic headshell. Tracking force and anti-skating are factory adjusted, so the turntable arrives much closer to plug-and-play than a conventional manually set up turntable.

That is a sensible match for the supplied Pick it MM E cartridge because the complete arm and cartridge package has already been configured as a system rather than asking the owner to set alignment and tracking force from scratch.

Pick it MM E Cartridge Included

A factory-fitted moving-magnet cartridge

The Australian A1.2 package is supplied with Pro-Ject's Pick it MM E moving-magnet cartridge pre-installed. That keeps the setup straightforward and makes the turntable compatible with the built-in MM phono stage as well as conventional external MM phono inputs.

If you later want to experiment with a different phono stage, the internal preamp can be switched out of circuit.

Built-In Switchable Phono Stage

Connect to a standard line-level input or use an external phono preamp

The internal phono stage means the A1.2 can connect directly to an amplifier, powered speaker or other system with a standard analogue line input. If your amplifier already has a phono input, or you want to use a dedicated external phono stage, the built-in stage can be bypassed.

This makes the A1.2 flexible enough to start in a simple system and stay useful if the rest of the system is upgraded later.

Resonance-Damped Chassis and Feet

A solid mechanical platform for everyday use

The turntable uses a resonance-damped wooden chassis and silicon-damped feet to reduce the amount of vibration reaching the platter and tonearm. Placement still matters, especially in rooms with springy floors or speakers positioned close to the turntable, so a stable furniture surface remains important.

Connect it E RCA Cable and Dust Cover Included

Everything required for a normal installation is in the box

Pro-Ject includes its semi-balanced, low-capacitance Connect it E phono RCA cable, a dust cover, felt mat, 7-inch single adapter and power supply. That means the A1.2 can be connected and playing without needing to add basic accessories immediately.

Key Features

• Fully automatic belt-drive turntable
• Automatic tonearm start, lift and return
• Mechanical automatic system disengages during playback
• 33 and 45 rpm electronic speed selection
• New precision-balanced die-cast aluminium platter
• 8.3-inch ultra-light-mass aluminium tonearm
• Carbon-fibre-reinforced anti-magnetic headshell
• Factory-pre-adjusted tracking force and anti-skating
• Pre-fitted Pro-Ject Pick it MM E cartridge
• Built-in switchable MM phono preamplifier
• Resonance-damped wooden chassis
• Silicon-damped feet
• Connect it E semi-balanced RCA cable included
• Dust cover included
• Handmade in Europe

Specifications

Detailed Technical Specifications

For those who like to drag out all the useful bits

Important Notes

• The current Australian Pick it MM E package is listed in Black.
• The A1.2 is a different generation from the earlier Pro-Ject A1 and should not be confused with the older model.
• The built-in phono stage can be used with a normal line-level input or bypassed for an external MM phono stage.
• Place the turntable on a stable, level surface away from direct speaker vibration where practical.

The Audio Experts Take

The A1.2 makes sense for someone who genuinely wants automatic operation but still wants a turntable that behaves like proper hi-fi equipment. The big advantage is not simply that the arm moves itself; it is that Pro-Ject has kept the automatic mechanism mechanically out of the way during playback and improved the platter at the same time.

The built-in phono stage and factory-set cartridge make it easy to get running, but the ability to bypass that phono stage also gives the system somewhere to go later. That matters because a turntable at this level should not become disposable the moment the amplifier or phono stage is upgraded.

For a first serious vinyl setup, or for an experienced listener who values convenience, the A1.2 is one of the more practical ways to get full automatic operation without giving up the upgrade path of a conventional hi-fi system.