- Pro-Ject’s first Artist Collection turntable release of 2026 is available
- The Scorpions deck features artwork from the band’s 1982 album, Blackout
- Based on the Pro-Ject T2, priced at £629 (around $846 or AU$1,257 where it sells)
Pro-Ject platforms blow with the wind of change, don’t they? Not content with a delightfully striking AC/DC-themed turntable and an Elvis-themed illuminated deck (which I recently caught a glimpse of at the Paris Audio Show), the Austrian turntable specialist has unveiled the Pro-Ject Scorpions turntable, featuring the stunning artwork from the German band’s 1982 album. Blackout.
And in case you’re not fully versed in the importance of the band (or the album), since it formed in Hannover in 1965, Rudolf Schenker and co. They have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Blackout was the band’s eighth studio album and, in 2017, rolling stone ranked it at number 73 on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.
The album cover is not, how can I put it? – for the faint of heart. It is based on a self-portrait by the Viennese artist Gottfried Helnwein and shows Helnwein with his head bandaged, his mouth frozen in mid-scream, and twisted forks pointed toward his eyes.
The artwork was also not created especially for the album; dates from approximately 1981-1982. Schenker and his bandmate Klaus Meine supposedly discovered the image on Stern magazine and obtained Helnwein’s permission to use it. For the cover, Helnwein apparently made only minor adjustments to the colors and background to fit the LP format, leaving the central image intact.
Pro-Ject Scorpions Turntable – Hungry to Play
And the story behind the album’s title track? is the same as rock’n’roll. As Schenker previously said to the Las Vegas Magazine: “Blackout was a song that actually came out of a situation where I was partying with the Judas Priest guys, Glenn and KK, and with Def Leppard. It was a tough party, for sure, and I had a blackout, which I didn’t even know existed. I told Herman the story. He said, ‘Do you know what you had? You had a blackout.’ Then he added, ‘Oh, by the way, that’s a great title for an album.'”
The Pro-Ject Artists Collection celebrates bands, acts, musicians and works of art that have shaped music and popular culture. The Scorpions turntable is handcrafted in Europe, designed and built by Pro-Ject. It is based on the Pro-Ject T2 turntable and uses a belt drive design. The CNC machined socket has been widened here for greater stability, and its non-plastic construction should reduce unwanted vibrations. A heavy glass platter should also minimize resonance and Pro-Ject tells me that the turntable’s legs will help isolate the unit from any external vibrations.
The platform includes a 9-inch aluminum straight arm with integrated headstock and spring-based anti-skate mechanism. It also comes equipped with a preset 25A Pick it. Ortofon Moving Magnet Cartridge, ready to shake you like a hurricane right out of the box.
Prices? Of course. The Pro-Ject Scorpions turntable is now available by special order in the UK priced at £629. European pricing is €649.00, with details for other regions coming soon, but those figures equate to roughly $846 or AU$1,257, if you can get your hands on one.
chinese white? No, it just comes with the album art printed on the pedestal, silly. And thanks again, Pro-Ject. You give me everything I need…
The best turntables for all budgets
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and tiktok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
