The Pro-Ject Primary E turntable does the basics very well – which is not something you can say about a lot of record players costing this price. Looks-wise, it's a bit on the minimalist side, but if you're after a great-sounding turntable for very little cost, this is a great choice.

Over the years, Pro-Ject has mastered the art of splashing out where it counts and when cutting back on unnecessary frivolities.

When I took delivery of the Primary E for review I will admit to a certain reticence about whether a £150 turntable could deliver enough of what makes vinyl playback what it is. After all, the next most affordable turntable I have reviewed for AVForums is the Numark TT250 USB and I did consciously avoid playing some of my more treasured records on it. The Pro-Ject manages to feel like a more complete device by the decision to limit the upgradeability of the arm. On balance, I think this is the right decision. Like the Planar 1 Plus, the vast majority of Primary Es are never going to have their specification changed from the one that left the box. The result is that for £150, you get something that delivers on the premise of vinyl replay and a new starting price for respectable analogue. Pro-Ject’s twenty year mission to make record players affordable shows no sign of abating and the Primary E is certainly worthy of recommendation.

The difference between most turntable designs of this price point and the Primary is that they don’t focus on sound as a priority: the Primary does. Everything about this deck is designed to maximise the sound quality from your LPs and it does this with a great deal of success. For those looking for a first turntable or if you’re coming back to vinyl and cash is short, then the Primary is a cracking entry point into the glorious and terribly cuddly world of vinyl.

Pro-Ject has revised a budget deck to nail the entry-level market, and has succeeded on every front