Pro-Ject Automat A2 (black, U.S.-listed Sumiko Rainier package) review

The Pro-Ject Automat A2 is the more format-flexible sibling to the A1.2 in this library, but it is not simply the A1.2 with another speed button. The documented U.S. package pairs the black A2 with a Sumiko Rainier moving-magnet cartridge; the turntable itself has no built-in phono preamp. It adds electronic 78-RPM selection and retains automatic arm handling, with a manual-start exception that matters for 10-inch 78s. This is an assessment from model-specific documents and U.S. listing records, not a hands-on listening, setup or measurement test. Seller inventory, exact offer condition and current price are not established here.

78 RPM is a speed feature, not a ready-made shellac setup

The A2's electronic speed selector includes 33⅓, 45 and 78 RPM. That is a meaningful expansion over the two-speed A1.2, but speed alone does not make the supplied stylus suitable for every 78 collection. Pro-Ject's user guide identifies the U.S.-shipped cartridge as the Sumiko Rainier. Sumiko describes the ordinary Rainier stylus as an elliptical microgroove tip and advises against using a 33/45 stylus on shellac 78s. Its separate RS78 replacement stylus is made for 78-RPM records and is listed as compatible with Rainier. The A2's documented in-box contents do not list an RS78, so verify whether the seller includes one rather than assuming that selecting 78 is all the format requires. The A2 provides a 2 g setting for the standard Rainier; Sumiko gives the RS78 its own tracking-force range and recommended setting, so changing the stylus also means following the stylus-specific instructions.

There is also a size-and-start boundary. The automatic drop-off control offers 7- and 12-inch positions; Pro-Ject's manual explicitly says a 10-inch 78 must be started manually. Manual placement is therefore part of the real shellac workflow, even though the turntable still returns the arm at the end. On supported automatic starts, select speed and record size deliberately: the guide warns that 12-inch records can be cut at either 33 or 45 RPM. Do not let a size selector stand in for checking the label on the record.

Plan the phono stage before choosing the A2

The manual says the A2 needs either a suitable MM phono preamp or a suitable MM PHONO input on an amplifier. It provides RCA phono output and a ground terminal; it does not document a switchable or built-in stage. With a compatible receiver or integrated amplifier, connect the A2's phono lead to its MM PHONO input and follow both manuals for the earth wire. With powered speakers, put a separate MM phono stage between the turntable and the speakers' line input. Passive speakers need an amplifier too: use a separate stage into the amplifier's LINE/AUX input unless that amplifier already provides the compatible PHONO route. A turntable's RCA plugs alone do not indicate that a line-level input can accept the cartridge's low-level signal.

This is the opposite connection decision from the A1.2's switchable internal MM stage. The A1.2 can send line level directly to powered speakers when its stage is on, while the A2 needs the external stage or receiver input as part of the system plan. That distinction is more consequential than their shared width and depth. If you are trying to avoid another component, the A2 is a poor fit unless your current amplifier already has a suitable MM PHONO input; do not buy a line-only speaker setup on the assumption that “automatic” also means “preamp included.”

Automatic does not mean every start is hands-off

For its selected 7- or 12-inch start positions, the maker describes a mechanical automatic routine: press start, the platter turns, and the tonearm moves to the lead-in groove. At the record's end the arm lifts and returns to its rest, and the motor stops. The manual also describes manual cueing and lets the user stop playback. This is broader than platter auto-stop alone, but the 10-inch 78 exception means the A2 should not be treated as an automatic size detector or as a deck that starts every record without arm handling. If fully automatic operation is essential for your ordinary LPs and singles, the documented start/return behavior is relevant; if hands-off playback is essential for 10-inch shellac, it does not meet that expectation without manual intervention.

What the sub-chassis and body measurements tell you

The official product page describes a floating sub-chassis that carries the tonearm, platter bearing and motor separately from the main chassis. Pro-Ject presents this as a way to isolate those components from outside noise and resonance, especially when speakers are nearby. The A2 also uses an 8.3-inch ultra-light-mass aluminum tonearm, a damped aluminum platter and an eight-layer MDF main chassis. Those are documented design choices, not independent proof of audible superiority in a particular room. Its published specification sheet lists 74 dB signal-to-noise, plus 33/45 speed and wow/flutter figures; it gives no separate 78-RPM wow/flutter or speed-variance figure, so there is no basis here for filling in one or comparing unmeasured performance.

The body measures 430 × 150 × 365 mm (W × H × D), or about 16.93 × 5.91 × 14.37 inches, and weighs 7.3 kg net. Width and depth are the same as the A1.2's published body figures, but the A2 is taller and heavier. These are not shelf-clearance dimensions: leave room for the raised dust cover, access to the speed and drop-off controls, cable bends and nearby equipment. Its size and weight make a level, stable surface and careful unpacking more important than treating it as a small shelf accessory. The manual describes shipping protection, belt installation, platter fitting and a 15 V / 800 mA power supply; use the included setup guide for the actual sequence rather than improvising from a product photo.

Who should shortlist it, and what to check

The A2 is worth comparing if automatic arm start and return matter, you want a documented 78-RPM speed choice, and your system already has a suitable MM phono input or you accept a separate phono stage. It also offers manual cueing when that is useful. Its tradeoffs are concrete: no internal stage, no automatic start for 10-inch 78s, a separate 78 stylus requirement for shellac, and a body that needs working clearance beyond its published dimensions. A2 is not an all-in-one receiver, Bluetooth source or speaker system.

Before choosing an offer, confirm that it is the A2 rather than a different Automat model, that the black U.S.-listed package contains the Sumiko Rainier, and whether a separate RS78 is actually included if shellac playback matters. Check the phono input's MM compatibility, grounding instructions, the measured shelf plus cover/cable clearance, and the exact carton contents and return terms. The three U.S. retailer records checked here establish package listings, not current stock or price. The global manufacturer directory also does not close the Pro-Ject U.S. catalogue, so this review is a bounded A2 package assessment rather than a claim of complete brand coverage.