Pro-Ject Audio Systems ESSENTIAL III Troubleshooting guide

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
Pro-Ject Essential III Flexi-Range

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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Dear Music Lover,
Congratulations and thank you for choosing Pro-Ject Audio Syste s record player.
Your Essential III turntable has been handcrafted and rigorously tested by skilled technicians to give
you years of enjoyable, trouble free service.
Please contact your dealer if you require additional assistance.
Important:
Your turntable was shipped partially disasse bled in order to avoid da age to sensitive parts.
Please check i ediately to ake sure that neither the packaging nor the device was da aged in
transit. If you are issing parts or if the unit is da aged, please do not operate and contact your
dealer.
Contents
Product illustrations 4
General setup
1. Platter and drive belt installation 5
2. Cartridge installation, stylus exchange 5
3. Vertical Tracking Force setting (VTF) 5-6
4. Anti-skating force adjust ent 6
5. Azi uth setting 6
6. Turntable types and their functions 7
a) ESSENTIAL III 7
b) ESSENTIAL III BLUETOOTH 8
c) ESSENTIAL III PHONO 9
d) ESSENTIAL III SB 10
e) ESSENTIAL III IGITAL 11-12
f) ESSENTIAL III RECOR MASTER 12-13
Technical para eters 14
Troubleshooting, warranty, service 15
Exploded view of the packaging 16
Please do your part to help protect the environ ent:
Disposal of packaging aterial:
Pro-Ject packaging is carefully designed to protect your co ponent fro da age in transit and you
are strongly urged to keep the original packaging in order to safely ship or otherwise transport your
turntable in the future.
However, the packaging aterials were chosen to be environ entally friendly, so if
you ust discard
the packaging, please recycle.

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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ESSENTIAL III FLEXI-RANGE
GENERAL INFORMATIONS
Controls, features and connections
1 PLATTER & FELT MAT
2 DRIVE PULLEY
3 DRIVE BELT
4 TONEARM COUNTERWEIGHT (4a) DOWNFORCE SCALE
5 TONEARM LIFT LEVER
6 TONEARM REST (66) REMOVABLE TRANSPORT LOCK
7 TONEARM TUBE
8 HEADSHELL WITH FINGER LIFT AND PRE-MOUNTED ORTOFON OM10
9 ANTI-SKATING WEIGHT WITH WIRE
10 ANTI-SKATING WEIGHT SUPPORT HOOP
11 ANTI-SKATING STUB WITH ADJUSTMENT SCALE
12 LID
13 LID HINGES
14 HINGE FASTENERS
15 POWER SUPPLY SOCKET
Accessories
1 ANTI-SKATING WEIGHT
2 HOOK TOOL FOR SPEED CHANGE
3 SINGLE ADAPTOR
4 ALLEN KEY 1,5
5 COUNTERWEIGHT no. 00
6 TWO-POINT CARTRIDGE ALIGNMENT PROTRACTOR
7 UNIVERSAL POWER SUPPLY
8 CONNECTION CABLE (CONNECT IT E RCA)
9 INSTRUCTION FOR USE

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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SETUP
1. Platter and drive belt installation
Please re ove brown paper insert which holds the platter in transport position. Put the felt at on the
top of the platter. Install the drive belt as shown in the following illustration.
2. Cartridge installation, stylus exchange
* If you purchased this turntable in a package that included the cartridge, this has already been done
for you.
Install the cartridge into the alu iniu headshell, using the appropriate hardware included with your
cartridge. All cartridges with half inch ounting holes can be fitted.
Connect the cartridge as indicated below:
•White left channel L+
•Red right channel R+
•Green right channel R-
•Blue left channel L-
For correct cartridge align ent, use the two-point cartridge align ent protractor provided with your
Essential III accessories. If unfa iliar with two-point setup, please refer to your dealer.
A da aged or worn stylus ay har your record collection and should be replaced.
Please re ove stylus protection before pulling the stylus fro the cartridge and replace for a new one.
Stylus type is exchange for pre- ounted cartridge Ortofon OM 10: Stylus OM 10. If in doubt, consult your
local dealer or distributor.
3. Vertical Tracking Force setting (VTF)
Before setting the Vertical Tracking Force, confir the exact weight of your cartridge. The
counterweight supplied (no. 00) is suitable for cartridges fro 3,5 to 5,5g. An alternative
counterweight (no. 01) for cartridges between 6 – 9g is available on request.
Pushing carefully, turn the counterweight onto the rear end of the tonear tube. With the tonear lift
in lower position, carefully rotate the counterweight until the tonear tube balances out. Once the
tonear is correctly balanced, return it to the rest. Hold the counterweight without oving it, and gently
revolve the downforce scale ring until the zero is in line with the anti-skating stub.
Rotate the counterweight counter clockwise (seen fro the front) to adjust the downforce according to the
cartridge anufacturer's reco endations. One ark on the scale represents 1 N (= 0,1g / 0,1 Pond)
of downforce.

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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Please note: Adjust the VTF prior to installing the anti-skating weight.
4. Anti-skating force adjustment
Hang the loop of the thread of the anti-skating weight in the groove of the anti-skating stub
corresponding to the downforce applied to your cartridge and feed the thread through the loop of the
wire support.
The anti-skating force ust be adjusted corresponding to the downforce as follows:
VTF Groove in the stub
10 - 14 N 1
st
fro bearing rings
15 - 19 N 2
nd
" " "
20 N and bigger 3
rd
" " "
5. Azimuth setting
The cartridge needle ust be perpendicular to the record in order to trace the groove wall
odulations correctly.
The azi uth (angle) is precisely set by the factory. In the event that you need to odify this setting,
however, follow the instructions below.
Loosen the s all azi uth screw, again using the 1.5 allen key.
!
DO NOT REMOVE THE AZIMUTH SET SCREW COMPLETELY!
Loosen the screw just enough to be able to gently rotate the ar tube and set the azi uth to the
correct position. The correct position can be checked fro the front view, preferably with the needle
placed on a irror placed on the platter. Once the azi uth setting is correct, gently re-tighten the
azi uth setting screw.

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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ESSENTIAL III SPECIFIC INFORMATIONS
Controls, features and connections
1 ON/OFF SWITCH
2 STEPPED DRIVE PULLEY
3 OUTPUT CABLE CONNECT IT E
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Switc ing on and off
Pressing the ON/OFF switch alternately starts or stops the otor.
C anging replay speed
To play 45 r.p. ., put the drive belt over the larger dia eter part of the otor pulley. To revert to 33
r.p. . repeat the proceedings using the s aller step on the pulley.
Connection to t e amplifier
The record player has a captive tonear signal lead for connection to the a plifier. Use the Phono input on
your a plifier. Make sure that the phono input offers correct atching and a plification for the type of
cartridge used. Line inputs (such as CD, Tuner, Tape or Video) are not suitable.
Take care to connect the left and right channels correctly. The right channel is usually arked red, the
left channel black or white. Check the anual supplied with your a plifier for relevant infor ation.
The earthing wire of the tonear lead should be connected to the earth ter inal on your a plifier (if
provided).
If your a plifier does not have an input suitable for phono cartridges you will require a separate
phono a plifier stage for MM or MC cartridges which is then connected between the record player and
a free line level input of the a plifier.

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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ESSENTIAL III Bluetooth SPECIFIC INFORMATIONS
Controls, features and connections
1 ON/OFF SWITCH
2 STEPPED DRIVE PULLEY
3 PHONO/LINE OUTPUT, EARTH CONNECTION
4 BLUETOOTH SWITCH
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Switc ing on and off
Pressing the ON/OFF switch alternately starts or stops the otor.
C anging replay speed
To play 45 r.p. ., put the drive belt over the larger dia eter part of the otor pulley. To revert to 33
r.p. . repeat the proceedings using the s aller step on the pulley.
Connection to t e amplifier
The record player has two possible outputs – Line OUT with integrated prea plifier and Phono OUT for
connection to the prea plifier. If you choose Phono OUT, than use the Phono input (so eti es
labelled gra , disc or RIAA) on your a plifier. Make sure that the phono input offers correct atching
and a plification for the type of cartridge used. If you choose Line OUT, than use the Line inputs (like
CD, Tuner, Tape or Video).
Take care about connecting the left and right channel correctly. The right channel is usually arked
red, the left channel black or white. Check the anual of your a plifier for relevant infor ation. An
earthing wire ay be connected to the screw ter inal between the sockets if you encounter hu ing
proble s.
Bluetoot pairing
The record player has Bluetooth output and trans it signal auto atically when is connected to ains.
It is paired auto atically with any device with Bluetooth receiver (such as Pro-Ject MaiA, MaiA DS,
Bluetooth Box s and Bluetooth Box E).
For pairing with other devices and portable speakers use the anual of the given product.
For restart of the Bluetooth trans itter, please turn OFF and ON the Bluetooth odule by using the
switch. Restart is needed only when there is a change of the Bluetooth receiver.

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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ESSENTIAL III Phono SPECIFIC INFORMATIONS
Controls, features and connections
1 ON/OFF SWITCH
2 STEPPED DRIVE PULLEY
3 PHONO/LINE OUTPUT, EARTH CONNECTION
4 PHONO/LINE OUTPUT SWITCH
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Switc ing on and off
Pressing the ON/OFF switch alternately starts or stops the otor.
C anging replay speed
To play 45 r.p. ., put the drive belt over the larger dia eter part of the otor pulley. To revert to 33
r.p. . repeat the proceedings using the s aller step on the pulley.
Connection to t e amplifier
The record player has gold plated fe ale RCA phono sockets and possibility to choose between Phono and
LINE output. With LINE OUT on, you can use a line input (such as AUX, CD, Tuner, Tape or Video) on your
a plifier. With PHONO OUT on, you can use your own phono pre-a plifier (so eti es labelled gra , disc
or RIAA).
Take care to connect the left and right channels correctly. The right channel is usually arked red, the
left channel black or white. The earthing wire of the tonear lead should be connected to the earth
ter inal on your a plifier (if provided).

© Pro-Ject Audio Syste s · Pro-Ject Essential I II F l e x i- Ra n g e · Revision 2018.05.15
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ESSENTIAL III SB SPECIFIC INFORMATIONS
Controls, features and connections
1 SPEED CONTROL
2 DRIVE PULLEY
3 PHONO OUTPUT, EARTH CONNECTION
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Switc ing on and off, c anging replay speed
To play records at 33 r.p. . press the speed control switch to starts the otor. Pressing the ON/OFF
switch two ti es selects 45 r.p. .. The selected speed is shown respectively by the flashing LED. When
the platter has attained full speed, the LEDs stop flashing.
A long ( ore than three seconds) press on the ON/OFF switch stops the otor.
Connection to t e amplifier
Connect the tonear cable provided with the accessories to the RCA tonear output that is located at
the rear of the turntable, behind the tonear . Connect the grounding cable on the earth connection
screw.
If your a plifier does not have an input suitable for phono cartridges you will require a separate
phono a plifier stage for MM or MC cartridges which is then connected between the record player and
a free line level input of the a plifier.