Pro-Ject Audio

Founded in 1991 by Heinz Lichtenegger in Vienna (now headquartered in Mistelbach), Pro-Ject Audio Systems emerged from a visionary belief that vinyl would make a major comeback during the digital revolution, establishing itself as the world market leader for turntables. Under the continued leadership of founder and CEO Heinz Lichtenegger (a HiFi industry veteran who previously founded Audio Tuning distribution company in 1985), Pro-Ject operates as a brand of Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH, located at Wirtschaftspark A5, Analogweg 1, 2130 Mistelbach, Austria. The company's founding story began in early 1990 when Lichtenegger discovered a simple belt-driven turntable in a Czech Republic factory after the Iron Curtain fell, leading to his mission to challenge the 'cost-no-object' approach by manufacturing high-quality analog equipment at reasonable prices without compromising build quality or sonic performance. Operating across four factories in Germany, Czech Republic, and Slovakia (with Austrian design engineering), Pro-Ject employs over 500 people and serves over 80 countries through more than 5,000 dealers, manufacturing an extensive range including 24 different precision tonearms, turntables from the influential Debut series (introduced 1999) to high-end models like the XA B, plus HiFi electronics, speakers, and accessories. The company has received numerous international awards including EISA and Red Dot Design Awards, with notable achievements including the acquisition of British brand Musical Fidelity in 2018, while maintaining its reputation as Austria's largest high-end consumer electronics distributor and a pioneer in making audiophile-quality analog playback accessible to mainstream audiences through innovative European engineering and sustainable manufacturing practices.