I'm Gab, based in Wollongong. We’ve whipped this page up to give you an easy way to learn about — and buy — a turntable.
Below you’ll find our whiz-bang product customiser, and after that, a deep-dive on your selected model.
Let's get stuck in!
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When we select a product at Instant Classic, we need to love it ourselves. But it also helps when industry audio critics agree.
See the professional reviews
"Another budget Pro-Ject turntable, another five-star review – the company simply can’t shake the habit of turning out top-class turntables."
"The Essential III is pitch stable, has a noise floor below that of pretty much any phono stage it is likely to be partnered with and it tracks at a perfectly civilised weight. Beyond the basic statements, the Pro-Ject is the turntable that does the most in its class to bring the benefits of vinyl to the forefront of its performance."
As for our wonderful customers (the most important people!), they've given the Essential III a rating of:
Read their feedback →
The Essential III is when we start getting into the realm of 'serious' turntables. The big change here from the T1 and the Primary E is in isolation - and not that crappy kind from 2020!
MDF construction and decoupled feet are all about putting your deck in a bubble, insulated from outside interference so your record signal stays squeaky clean.
The tonearm is improved - with a full counterweight and anti-skate assembly.
As a tonearm tracks towards the centre of a record, it gradually puts more and more force on one side of the record groove in a phenomenon known as 'inner groove distortion' (all stereo records have etchings into both sides of the groove - so we don't want to put undue pressure on just one side).
The anti-skate weight offsets this pressure to keep things nice and even from the start to finish of a record.
All of our turntables come with a 1.2m long phono cable to connect your turntable to external stereo equipment (whether that be a pair of active speakers, a Bluetooth speaker or a conventional sound system).
The Essential III takes things up a notch by coming standard with a premium version of this cable - the Connect It E, which retails on its own for $99. It has gold-plated connectors and oxygen-free, individually shielded twisted copper wiring. This all makes for a purer audio signal.
Additionally, we get another slight jump up in Ortofon stylus - to the OM 10, giving better 'trackability' (ability to pick up signals without distortion) than those on the Primary E and T1.
More details about the product
Why do we want good isolation, you might ask? Well, turntables are mechanical instruments. When the needle drops into a record groove, it's being vibrated by the microscopic etchings and creating a sound. If you don't have your turntable plugged into anything, you can put your ear up to the stylus and hear the music very very faintly.
Those vibrations are converted into electrical energy by the stylus/cartridge assembly, passed through wires in the tonearm, and then sent out to a preamplifier and amplifier to boost the signal into something that speakers can handle.
This all means the whole assembly is very delicate. Footsteps, finger tapping and reverb from the speakers (if placed on the same surface) can make their way back into the chassis of the deck, getting to the record and into the stylus, creating a feedback loop of interference.
All Pro-Ject decks are good at blocking this stuff out and presenting you with the sweet sound of vinyl which makes us love the format in the first place. But the thicker and denser your chassis materials, the more pure we can get this sound. MDF wood and feet with suspension in the Essential III give us a noticeable improvement here.
What's in the box
- Essential III turntable
- Dust cover
- Australian power cable
- Tonearm counterweight
- Turntable platter
- Instruction manual
- Drive belt
- Anti-skating weight
- Felt turntable mat
Nitty gritty (specs & dimensions)
- Speed: 33, 45 (manual speed change)
- Drive mechanism: Belt drive
- Speed variance: 33: 0.70% 45: 0.60%
- Wow & flutter: 33: 0.21% 45: 0.19%
- Platter: 300 mm MDF & felt mat (0,8kg)
- Main bearing: Stainless steel
- Tonearm: 8.6”, aluminium
- Effective arm length: 218,5 mm
- Effective tonearm mass: 8.0 g
- Overhang: 22.0 mm
- Counterweight for mass: 3 - 5.5 g
- Tracking force range: 0 - 25mn (recommended OM10 18mn)
- Power consumption: 4.5 Watts max
- Dimensions (lid closed): 415 x 112 x 335 mm (W x H x D)
- Dimensions (lid open, 90°): 415 x 365 x 390 mm (W x H x D)
- Dimensions (without lid): 415 x 95 x 330 mm (W x H x D)
- Weight 5.0 kg net
Essential III not quite what you're after? We've got a full range of turntables whose features and sound quality get better as you move up the line.
Any turntable needs to plug into an existing sound system or powered/Bluetooth speakers. If you don't have this gear, we've got a full system with turntable + amp and speakers, all for silly money!
"Instant Classic are a rare example of beautiful, well-curated products, stellar service, and lots of heart."
That's from Rupert, one of our customers in Sydney. It might sound cliched, but we’ll do whatever it takes to make you happy.
I reckon we've got Australia's best returns policy!
If you don't love your product, we'll take it back within the first 50 days - even if it’s been set up and used.
You'll get a full refund (or we’ll exchange it for something else, if that’s your preference) and there won’t be any postage to pay.
What if you could buy audio gear while being nice to the planet?
In an industry-first, the carbon and plastic footprints of the products you order are automatically offset by Instant Classic. We call it Vinyl Neutral, and it doesn’t cost extra.
All orders over $100 ship free, registered and insured across Australia. Most arrive within 2 working days, even during the ol' COVID-19.
Or you can click & collect from one of our partner record stores in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast or Perth.
One of the reasons we started Instant Classic is to do away with bad customer service. We're not some big-ass business who doesn't care.
As an authorised Australian retailer, we'll give you a 2 year warranty. But you also get lifetime love.
Contact our Melbourne team about anything, 7 days a week. No question is too silly!
WhatsApp +61 3 9426 3651 for a fast reply.
Call on (03) 9426 3651.
Or email support@instantclassic.com.au
What's a good record player all about? My test is whether it gives me goosebumps and has me tapping my toes. The challenge is finding one for a good price.
We've got a range of records on hand, from ABBA to Anna Calvi, from BB King to Beastie Boys, from Clairo to Cream. Our Angus has done write-ups on them all.
