On June 1st Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band turns fifty years old. To mark the occasion, The Beatles have released three Anniversary Editions of the album. Newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell in both stereo and 5.1 surround audio, amongst the anniversary releases is a double LP deluxe vinyl edition that deserves to only be played on the best turntables available. Pro-Ject Audio Systems have announced two turntables. Fully authorised and released in cooperation with The Beatles, the Essential III: Sgt. Pepper‘s Drum (£429) and 2 Xperience SB: Sgt. Pepper Limited Edition (£1,235).
Built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, this special edition of the 2 Xperience SB is supplied in an elegant walnut finish, accented by a striking print finish on top. In all other areas, the turntable is the same as the original, 2 Xperience SB. The heavy plinth, sandwich platter and precision- engineered motor with integrated speed control (for automatic switching between 33 and 45 RPM) is supplied with the 9CC Evolution carbon fibre tonearm, and finished with an Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge. Limited to 1,000 pieces worldwide, the 2 Xperience SB: Sgt. Pepper Limited Edition is “the ultimate piece of memorabilia; combining a heady mix of technology, style and sound”.
The Essential III: Sgt. Pepper’s Drum is a non-limited, special edition release, designed to give more Beatles fans access to high-quality audio equipment emblazoned with the iconic group’s imagery. The striking blue MDF plinth boasts a vintage print to the top-panel, allowing the turntable to stand out from the crowd. Then, in glorious multi-colour, the iconic Sgt. Pepper’s drum kit logo is printed in the middle of the plinth. Adding an understated subtlety to the overall appearance, the frosted matte acrylic platter helps reveal the drum skin print underneath. Aside from the cosmetic differences and the inclusion of an acrylic platter, all other characteristics of the turntable match the Essential III design. From the MDF plinth with its precision-engineered main bearing, through the high-grade motor with aluminium pulley and onto the 8.6” aluminium tonearm with Ortofon OM 10 cartridge. Both models will be available in late May 2017.