The Article

STEREO SET E1 FROM PRO-JECT

7th July 2025

A complete HiFi in a box? Paul Rigby hooks up this low-cost system and wonders who will buy it

Yes it is literally that. A complete HiFi in a single box. Inside are three more boxes, just to extend the excitement to Christmas Day proportions. One contains the turntable with a pre-fitted cartridge, another the integrated amplifier and a third for a pair of speakers. You also get some basic speaker cables in a plastic bag. That’s it. That’s all you get, that’s all you need.

So, this box of goodies. Who is it for? Well, I’ll tell you who it’s not for to begin with. If you’re an experienced HiFi user, used to upgrading and used to technical shenanigans? This is not for you.

If you are looking for a new HiFi system with a budget of £1,000, £2,000, £3,000 or more. Have done lots of research via magazines and websites, had long discussions with forum members about whether to plump for Class A or A/B amplification and have sleepless nights about Shibata stylii? This system is not for you.

If you are a wheeler and a dealer around the Internet and know what to look out for on eBay? What second-hand treasures to buy and what to afford, happy to haggle, know what questions to ask from sellers? This system is not for you.

WHO’S IT FOR?

So who is it for then? If you are a raw HiFi beginner, have no clue what questions to ask never mind what research to do and find the entire process of system matching wholly confusing and baffling? This is for you.

If you are on a limited budget, this system, is for you.

If you have a busy life, just want to quickly listen to music and really can’t be bothered to jump through research, retail and dealer hoops? This system is for you.

So what do you get? Firstly, there’s a belt-driven, two-speed E1 turntable which arrives with a sub-platter, plastic outer platter, MDF plinth and Audio-Technica 3600 L cartridge, tethered phono cable, dust cover, switch mode power supply plus a felt mat.

The included amplifier is the 21W Stereo Box E, a small footprint design with a built-in MM phono amplifier, built-in headphone amplifier, Bluetooth supporting aptX HD.

Because I am looking at three components, I just wanted to get a measure of this amplifier in this all-in-one system, as opposed to a full-blown review of it so one or two features will go untested.

Finally, you get a pair of stand-mounted Speaker Box Es which include removable grilles, have a rear-mounted bass port, MDF cabinet, 127mm fibreglass mid/bass unit and 25mm silk dome tweeter.

So how does this lot sound?

SOUND QUALITY

I hooked the system together and played, not too surprisingly, a piece of vinyl. Specifically? I played Ennio Morricone’s LA Cosa Comica which combined female vocalisations, bass guitar, piano, percussion, harpsichord, strings and more. This is a busy piece.

To review this system, I decided to swap out one component at a time, comparing it with my own reference just to see what part each component played in the Pro-Ject system.

I began with the E1 turntable which I swopped for my Fluance RT81. I found the the E1 didn’t quite have the bass solidity of the RT81. Bass focus and depth wasn’t in the same class. Even so, bass remained decent. It never slurred or boomed via the E1 while providing enough lower frequency response for many users. Where the E1 really shined was around the upper frequencies, out-performing the RT81 in terms of its lightness of touch, providing a heap of space in the upper mids with plenty of reverb from the resonant piano while treble was both nimble and delicate. Vocals were also full of emotion because they exuded detail and manoeuvrability. Subtlety was never a problem for the E1.

For the amplifier, I drafted in an older Cambridge Azur 651A integrated amplifier which doesn’t feature a built-in phono amp. So this was a perfect opportunity to test the actual Class D Stereo Box E amplifier directly. Both amplifiers were plugged into another Pro-Ject product, the external MM Phono Box with a pair of QED cables running to the amplifiers.

I changed the software to proto-prog/blues rock and Mighty Baby’s self-titled album on the Lightning Tree label. The 1969 album, reissued in 2006,

As the Cambridge was pushed by a whopping great transformer and Class A/B amplification, the bass was superior here too while the smaller Stereo Box E struggled for that bass weight. Like the turntable though, the Stereo Box E amplifier really excelled in the mids and the treble area with greater coherence around the vocals, the shy cymbals were heard properly here while, during the performance, the bank of strings had a real emotive, almost tragic air about them at one point. The Pro-Ject amplifier was easily able convey that emotion. For the price, £199 on its own, the sound quality from this amplifier was surprisingly good.

Yes, there is one included

All of this was made possible by the external phono amplifier, incidentally. So an upgrade from the internal model is a priority.

As for the speakers? I brought in an original pair of Q Acoustic 3020 designs. Slightly larger than the Pro-Ject speakers. The 3020s proved superior in many areas of the sound envelope: richer in the mids, tonally better balanced, more character in the upper mids, precision in the bass and more.

So the Pro-Ject speakers are a waste of time and money then? Not at all. The Pro-Ject E speakers work very well indeed in this system and are matched very well to emphasise the strengths of both the turntable and amplifier while, in and of themselves, provided a broadly balanced output with plenty of midrange and treble detail on offer. Bass wasn’t a tremendous asset but this entire system was not bass heavy. Upper frequency detail was where it scored best.

Next? I hooked up my Sennhesier 650 headphones to the internal headphone amplifier and liked what I heard. An external amplifier would have been better but this internal module offered a broadly balanced presentation and will be more than enough for most users.

I finally, quickly connected to Bluetooth, via my Astell&Kern Kann Alpha and listened to Nick Cave’s Ghosteen via aptX HD and was impressed with the Bluetooth output via the Stereo Set E1. Output was broadly balanced, detailed with a wide soundstage, I also liked the 3D depth to the presentation.

CONCLUSION

Let me quickly list a few upgrades for you to get the best from this system. Make sure you place the turntable and amplifier on the best quality shelving you can. When funds allow, grab some stands for the speakers, upgrade the speaker cables, add isolation to the turntable, amplifier and speakers, improve the platter mat on the turntable, upgrade the internal phono amplifier to an external model plus if and when you feel confidant to upgrade one of the major components, upgrade the speakers first. Talk to me in the comments if you need specific advice.

As for the system out of the box? I love it! I love the idea, I love the direction of going analogue although digital is there too of course, I like the relatively small footprint of the system, and how well matched it is in terms of colour, style and sound.

Perfect if you are on a low budget, if you can’t be bothered to research and filter reviews and advice, if that whole process just makes you confused, if buying second hand is scary and you prefer a warranty or if you just don’t have the time and want to get on with your life, the Stereo Set E1 is a great option, an ideal HiFi system. Highly recommended.

PRO-JECT STEREO SET E1

Price: £699

Website: www.henleyaudio.co.uk

GOOD: sonically matched, general sound quality, small footprint, price

BAD: speaker cables