Project 1 Xpression III

By Michael Wong

February 2008

Project 1 Xpression III turntable, $899 with Ortofon 2M Red cartridge

Project 1 Xpression III (click for larger image)

An Ortofon 2M cartridge is supplied with the Xpression

Eighteen years ago Project Audio started with a neglected manual turntable in an old Czech factory, recently liberated from the Eastern Bloc. From these humble beginnings Project earned an enviable reputation for fine value-for-money. Today project is the world’s largest producer of quality turntables with annual production in excess of 40,000 units.

Much of Project’s success stems from their entry level plug and play packages of basic turntable with matching cartridge. With excellent setup from the factory, little effort is required on the part of the buyer to get good vinyl playback.

Expressing evolution

The 1 Xpression III is the third version of Project’s middle-of-the range, conventional (with full plinth and dustcover) turntables. It sits above the entry level Debut models and below the more expensive Xperience and Perspective models.

I reviewed the original 1 Xpression back in October 2004. The II introduced a few refinements to the versatile carbon fibre tonearm and replaced the fixed arm cable with plinth mounted RCA jacks, allowing user selection of the turntable to preamp cable. The second major change replaced the prosaic plastic support feet with a more effective damped, aluminium cone combination.

This brings us to the III.

In addition to the II enhancements, the III employs a new motor, reducing the reliance on the old heavy aluminium platter. The rings-like-a bell metal platter and felt mat depart, making way for a swish, mat less acrylic platter. The plinth also comes in for a major revamp. As before it is constructed from MDF, gaining a new luxurious glossy lacquered dark grey finish. Completing the package is Ortofon’s new 2M Red high output moving magnet cartridge worth $180.00 and a real improvement over past OM5/10 cartridges.

Setup is easy accomplished with the well written and illustrated instruction manual. The trickiest part is not to lose the small transit screws when undoing them. After placing it on a dedicated table, it’s simply a matter of checking all is level, fitting the arm counter-weight, balancing the tonearm, setting the vertical tracking force and away you go. As before the carbon fibre tonearm is extremely versatile, capable of carrying a much better cartridge than the supplied Ortofon. A quick check showed that the cartridge alignment was spot-on.

Seeking the music

Place the record on the naked acrylic platter, seek out the on/off switch under the left side of the plinth, gently lower the stylus onto the lead-in groove and…

Music flows from a nice, quiet, grunge-free background. Compared to the previously reviewed I, the III has reduced background noise and improved physical isolation. The sound is energetic, full of rhythm and dynamic drive. Nicely rounded, three dimensional performers populate a well lit soundstage, reproduced with a good sense of scale and projection. Tonally there are the usual budget trademarks: an essentially smooth and detailed midrange, where most of the music lies, top and tailed with slightly less accomplished highs and bass. With the Ortofon the highs can get a little ragged and bright, the lows a little bloated and sluggish; conditions that may not present in systems with a more restricted bandwidth and ameliorated by replacing the supplied interconnect with a better quality item.

Like it’s predecessor, the 1 Xpression III gets to the heart of music, with a level of performance that exceeds the earlier model with the optional Speedbox. It’s not a superficially impressive hi-fi extravaganza but a natural, inviting presentation. A Speedbox II – an electronically regulated speed change – can be added for an additional $199. Based on previous experience with the effects of a Speedbox on Project turntable performances, this is a worthwhile upgrade.

Of course the III isn’t perfect but the few flaws are relatively minor in the context of a sub-$1000 turntable. The supplied armcable is no better than the usual freebies and should be replaced when funds allow. To make the best of the acrylic platter Project should really supply a clamp to suppress unwanted resonance in the record. The platter itself could do with a little trim, at present it’s exactly the same diameter as an LP, making removal of records tricky.

True test

The true test of an audio bargain is whether the component actually performs beyond the expectations of it’s price band. The 1 Xpression III easily meets this requirement. The buyer gets honest performance, with the good aesthetics, build quality and flexibility normally associated with higher priced turntables, making the 1 Xpression III excellent value. For less than $1000 the only real competition comes from other Project turntables.

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