Pro-Ject E1.2 BT Colour (Golden Yellow, Pick it MM E) review

The Pro-Ject E1.2 BT Colour is the hand-painted satin branch of the transmitter-equipped E1.2, not just another photo crop of the standard black deck. Pro-Ject distinguishes the BT Colour chassis as heavier MDF; the U.S. Golden Yellow listing names the same Pick it MM E cartridge and E1.2 BT functions. I have not handled or measured a Colour unit, so the review keeps the chassis distinction visible without inventing a weight or claiming a sound change.

Colour is a chassis choice as well as a finish

The manufacturer product sheet separates ordinary foil finishes from the hand-painted satin Colour finishes, and specifically says Colour uses a heavier MDF chassis. That is a real configuration difference, not merely a cosmetic label. The U.S. retailer's Golden Yellow item is titled E1.2 BT and provides a distinct item barcode; the product-information sheet identifies Golden Yellow, Fir Green and Steel Blue in the Colour family. Separate Green and Steel Blue U.S. item pages were also inspected in rendered form. Their direct raw fetch attempts returned 403, preserved as failed-response receipts; the retailer pages in browser view, not those 403 bodies, support the item names and displayed barcodes.

The source material does not give a Colour-specific net mass. Although a shared BT specification line states 3.6 kg, it is not clear whether that figure covers the heavier Colour chassis. The review and fact record therefore leave the Colour weight unknown rather than copying the standard-foil number. The manufacturer does give a common 420 × 112 × 330 mm body specification; measure clearance in the actual location and confirm if the exact chassis weight matters for a shelf or lifting plan.

It keeps the BT signal options

On paper, BT Colour retains the manual E1.2 belt-drive platform, 730 g die-cast aluminum platter, 33/45 speed switch and Pick it MM E moving-magnet cartridge. The model sheet also describes a switchable MM phono stage and a Bluetooth 5.4 A2DP Source transmitter, with SBC, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive. A2DP Source is transmit-only; it does not document phone audio entering the deck. Check the receiver's supported wireless mode and codec instead of assuming every Bluetooth speaker, amplifier or headphone uses the same route.

For wired use, the PHONO selector position bypasses the internal stage and can feed a compatible MM PHONO input or an external phono preamp. LINE uses the deck's own stage before a powered-speaker line input or amplifier LINE/AUX. A passive speaker system still needs an amplifier. The Bluetooth route still needs receiving equipment; it cannot power passive speakers. Set up the belt and platter, pair the receiving device using the maker's instructions, and cue the arm manually.

The color does not make it automatic

The E1.2 BT Colour remains manually operated. Its selector changes 33/45 speed and can stop the motor, but the manual does not establish automatic start, arm return or end-of-side platter stop. There is no listed 78 rpm speed. If you need a hands-off end-of-record routine, do not treat the stop position as a substitute for an automatic mechanism. Those limits apply to its output convenience too: the model can transmit the signal, but it does not select or guarantee a paired receiver.

One manual discrepancy matters if you plan to replace the cartridge. The included Pick it MM E's cartridge-specific recommendation is 20 mN, while the general tonearm product sheet says 17.5 mN pre-adjusted. The manufacturer does not explain how those figures relate. Avoid applying the arm setting as a universal replacement cartridge target; verify the instructions for the exact cartridge you fit. A general illustration also uses a generic Ortofon label, but the specific Pick it MM E line, the BT sheet and U.S. item record identify the supplied cartridge.

Keep the color items distinct

Golden Yellow, Fir Green and Steel Blue are each observed as separate U.S. listing items, with separate manufacturer images. The official images show the exact painted finish, while the seller item record supplies the version and barcode; no image can prove the contents of a particular box or its stock status. The exact yellow product photo below comes from the U.S. item listing. Green and blue use Pro-Ject's corresponding color images because the seller's raw page endpoints blocked direct retrieval; the visible browser observations and item-specific product codes are retained in the research record.

Buy this version for the documented distinction

The strongest reason to select BT Colour is a preference for its hand-painted satin finish and the maker-stated heavier MDF chassis, alongside the same switchable stage and transmitter functions. If you do not care about those differences, compare the standard-foil E1.2 BT instead and confirm weight before choosing a shelf. Do not let the visual color substitute for checking the exact BT suffix, Pick it MM E package, phono selector, wireless receiving device and manual-cueing limits. The finish is a real product identity detail; compatibility still depends on the whole playback chain.