It was around the fall of the Berlin Wall when Heinz Lichtenegger first bought a near-closing turntable factory in the Czech Republic. Retaining the factory's experienced staff, he did what no one else expected, or even thought possible: resumed production.

Beginning in the 90s, Pro-Ject has always sought to bring proper high end vinyl sound to the low end and midrange market. It was our vision, our project, to bring back this great sound that everyone knew and loved. Today, still manufacturing from that same little factory in the Czech town of Litovel, Pro-Ject is one of the biggest names in true fidelity, reasonably priced turntables.

Sometimes, you don't need frills. You don't need all the bells and whistles. It's not about flashy designs, unnecessary innovations or reinventing the wheel. Sometimes, you just need the essentials, done right.

Our first Essential turntable was released just for this purpose. It was the 'everything you need, nothing you don't' turntable. And now we've updated it for even easier use and better performance with the Pro-Ject Essential II Phono USB.

It utilises a quiet-running synchronous motor with a silicone belt to drive its low-resonance MDF platter. Upgraded from its predecessor, the Essential II Phono USB features a DC power supply that effectively minimises vibration and an upgraded pivot design for better balance. The main platter bearing consists of a stainless steel spindle and bronze brushing, with a Teflon bottom to secure low friction.

And with the in-built phono preamplifier, you can use it with virtually any amplifier or powered speaker as well as connect it to your computer to record your vinyl.

As we've said, the Essential II doesn't aim to reinvent the wheel, but it does provide what is necessary to enjoy your vinyl at an excellent quality, with ease, for a reasonable price. With a long list of features, great build quality and high fidelity sound, it's the best budget turntable for any listener.

• Main platter made from stiff, lightweight particle board
• Belt drive with silicone belt  
• Low vibration synchronous motor  
• Integrated motor control with DC power supply for silent running  
• Main platter bearing made from stainless steel with Teflon bottom  
• 8.6” aluminium tonearm with sapphire bearings  
• Pre-mounted gold-plated RCA interconnect cable  
• Upgraded feet for effective decoupling
• Built-in moving magnet phono stage
• Connections: line-level RCA to amp & USB to PC/Mac (simultaneously) 

Speed: 33, 45 (manual speed change)

Principle: belt drive

Speed variance: 33: 0.14% 45: 0.25%

Wow & flutter: 0.12%

Platter: 300mm MDF with felt mat (0.8kg)

Main bearing: stainless steel

Tonearm: 8.6” aluminium

Effective arm length: 218.5 mm

Overhang: 22.0mm

Effective tonearm mass: 8.0gr

Counterweight for mass: 3 - 5.5g (included)

Tracking force range: 0 - 25mn (OM5 18mn recommended)

Included accessories: power supply, dust cover

Power consumption: 4.5 watts

Dimensions: 420 x 112 x 330mm (WxHxD)

Weight: 4.0 kg net