Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design - The new model of the Pro-Ject Artist Collection Turntable Series

It is a very special turntable that Pro-Ject Audio Systems presented for the first time at the High End 2023 in Munich in the form of the Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design, the latest addition to the Pro-Ject Artist Collection, which for a long time was also known as the Pro-Ject Artist Collaboration Series and which has already produced many an exciting solution.

One look is enough to know which legendary album Pro-Ject Audio Systems is alluding to with this new turntable, because hardly any cover features such striking elements as “Dark side of the moon” by Pink Floyd.

A prism and its play of colours

Black background, a prism and its play of colours, that’s all there is to the album “Dark Side of the moon” cover artwork. And that is obviously all that is needed to be considered an outstanding work of art, one of the best of its kind. Everyone knows immediately which album it is, there are countless variations and allusions to this unique cover artwork. But there was one thing that didn’t exist yet – at least as far as we know – and that is a record player that takes up this special motif.

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

The Pro-Ject Artist Collection

Pro-Ject Audio Systems has always been in close contact with artists and therefore decided many years ago to create special record players with them, which are characterised by an extraordinary design that either directly reminds of this artist or is even designed by him.

It all started with the cooperation between Pro-Ject Audio Systems and the artist Barbara Mungenast, whereby the Pro-Ject ART 1 by Barbara Mungenast and with it the first turntable of the Pro-Ject Artist Collection was created. This was followed by turntables that had a direct connection to music, in the form of the collaboration with Parov Stelar, which saw turntables such as the Pro-Ject Parov Stelar Frida, Pro-Ject Parov Stelar Wave, as well as the Pro-Ject Essential II Demon by Parov Stelar. Thus the Pro-Ject Artist Collaboration Series was born.

It became international with the drives dedicated to The Beatles, such as the Pro-Ject The Beatles 1964 Record Player, the Pro-Ject Essential III Sgt. Pepper’s Drum, the Pro-Ject 2Xperience SB Sgt. Pepper Limited Edition, as well as the Pro-Ject George Harrison Record Player. As a kind of “contrast”, the Pro-Ject Rolling Stones Record Player was added to the Pro-Ject Artist Collection, and the Pro-Ject Hard Rock Cafe Turntable is also available here.

The Pro-Ject Artist Collection also includes the Pro-Ject Primary DelaDap Wave, the Pro-Ject Hans Theessink Blues Recordplayer and most recently, Pro-Ject Audio Systems succeeded in creating a very special highlight in the form of a truly outstanding turntable with the Pro-Ject Metallica Limited Edition Turntable.

Pro-Ject Audio Systems could now achieve just such a highlight with the new record player, which is dedicated to the Pink Floyd formation and their most outstanding album and is currently being traded as the Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design.

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Foto © Pro-Ject Audio Systems | Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design

Naturally, the developers used the prism as a supporting element in this design concept, so that the turntable itself has a triangular-shaped housing. The turntable, which is made of glass and thus completely transparent, offers a view of the white lacquer of the chassis, which turns black towards the inside, as well as of the sub-platter, which is made of aluminium. A transparent pyramid sits on top of the platter as a record clamp.

Interestingly, the tonearm of the Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design is also made of transparent acrylic, even the bearing in which it is mounted on the black tonearm base is transparent.

Prices and availability

At the moment it is not known when and at what price the turntable based on the current Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design from Pro-Ject Audio Systems will actually be launched on the market.

Getting to the point

The recently launched Pro-Ject Metallica Limited Edition Turntable was already an outstanding model in the Pro-Ject Artist Collection, but Pro-Ject Audio Systems could surpass this once again with the Design Studio, which was presented for the first time at the High End 2023 and is dedicated to Pink Floyd’s legendary album “Dark side of the moon”. However, it is not yet clear when the Pro-Ject The Dark Side of the Moon Concept Design will actually become a series model.