Technology

Pro-Ject Audio The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable is the ultimate prog rock record player

Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable on black

Pro-Ject Audio Systems has launched a new turntable in tribute to one of  the greatest rock albums ever recorded. Celebrating 50 years since Pink Floyd unleashed their ground-breaking masterpiece, The Dark Side of the Moon, Pro-Ject has introduced The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable, a limited-edition record deck.

In 1973, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album transcended the boundaries of rock and became a cultural phenomenon. The album’s cover art, designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis and illustrated by George Hardie, is a work of art in its own right. That prism, splitting a beam of white light into its various colours, is an image that has become synonymous with the album itself. 

Now, Pro-Ject’s new turntable allows vinyl enthusiasts to recreate this iconic moment of refraction with the flick of a switch.

In 1973, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon album transcended the boundaries of rock and became a cultural phenomenon…

The most striking feature of The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable is its ingenious LED-backlit rainbow, complete with a dimming function. This visual spectacle reproduces the album cover’s famous prism effect as your vinyl spins. Even the beam of white light is represented, embodied by the turntable’s extended on/off lever. It’s a striking homage to the iconic visuals that made the album cover almost as famous as the music it enclosed.

This artistic theme extends throughout the turntable. The three-cornered platter mirrors the album cover’s triangular prism, while a solid aluminium sub-platter is nestled in bronze bushings, providing support to the 10 mm heavy glass structure.  

Aside from the striking visuals, The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable boasts impressive technical features. It includes an 8.6-inch acrylic and black aluminium low-resonance tonearm, equipped with spring anti-skating, a component that promises precise tracking and minimal distortion. The turntable also comes with a Pick it PRO Special Edition cartridge, tuned for this specific turntable. 

This means that buyers can enjoy peak performance levels right out of the box. A precision belt-drive turntable offers two speeds, 33 and 45 rpm, with electronic speed control. 

For fans of Pink Floyd’s singles like ‘Money’ or ‘Us And Them’, a seven-inch single adapter is thoughtfully included.

The Dark Side of the Moon was released in March, 1973, and it became one of the most successful and enduring albums in rock history. It spent a staggering 937 consecutive weeks (over 17 years) on the Billboard 200 chart, making it one of the longest-charting albums of all time.

A conceptual masterpiece, it explores themes of mental illness, existentialism, time, and the human condition, its songs flowing seamlessly into one another.

The album, which has enjoyed multiple reissues and remasters, was noted for its pioneering use of studio technology. Pink Floyd, along with producer Alan Parsons, experimented with innovative recording techniques, including the use of synthesisers, sound effects, and tape loops, all groundbreaking at the time.

A fusion of iconic artwork and technical excellence, the Pro-Ject Audio Systems ‘The Dark Side of the Moon Turntable’ sells for £1,599 (€1,799). The turntable will be available at UK Pro-Ject dealers this month. 

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About Steve May

Creator of Home Cinema Choice magazine, and Editor of The Luxe Review, Steve muses and reviews for Trusted Reviews, T3, Home Cinema Choice, Games Radar, Good Housekeeping, Louder Sounds, StereoNet and Boat International. He’s also the editor of professional home cinema website Inside CI. He's on Twitter/X, Tiktok and Instagram as @SteveMay_UK