Hi-fi Corner: Get a load of turntable nirvana with Pro-Ject’s Signature 10

By Caleb Denison December 7, 2014

hi fi corner get load turntable nirvana pro jects new signature 10 signature10 mahogany — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We’ve long appreciated Pro-Ject’s attractive, practical, sweet-sounding turntables. The company has a knack for providing heaps of value in its wares without making them feel like budget pieces, and many of their offerings are surprisingly affordable.

This ain’t one of them.

Feast your eyes upon the Pro-Ject Signature 10, a 50-lb piece of vinyl-spinning awesome. If it sounded only half as good as it looks, we’d still want it. Of course, when it comes to turntables, beauty only gets you so far. Fortunately, the Signature 10 is loaded to the hilt with anti-resonance and anti-vibration measures — literally — to help make sure the sound it produces is in the purest form possible.

Browsing through the Signature 10’s list of features is like taking a crash course in engineering — the terms are hard to decipher, but you walk away with the sense that Project took every opportunity it could to ensure each piece of this turntable remained as silent as possible. The plinth is made of MDF, which is loaded with metal mass; the shining platter is extra heavy, and made with a special TPE damping material to absorb halt resonant vibrations in their tracks; also part of the package are a magnetically decoupled platter, and a single pivot tone arm which, by the way, looks like it came from the T1000 android in Terminator 2.

The Signature 10 is available in three finishes: piano black, olive, and mahogany. The price for this gorgeous piece of craftsmanship? A wallet-busting $6,000 — definitely a luxury item. But then again, if you owned a Signature 10, chances are you’d spend all your money on records and all of your time holed up in your room listening, so you wouldn’t have to worry about such pesky expenses as a car payment, or gas.

This post originally appeared on our brother site, Digital Trends.

Culture

The 10 best Dominican cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024

Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Every seasoned cigar lover has a preference for where their cigars come from. Cuban and Cuban cigars are the more obvious choices, but there is also Nicaraguan tobacco, Central African, Indonesian, Mexican, Ecuadorian, and Dominican. Some tobacco is even grown in the United States. Each region has a distinct flavor profile that adds a little something extra to the tobacco grown locally, as well as the cigars made there. The Dominican Republic is prized by many connoisseurs because of exactly this -- a rich, unique profile that enhances Dominican-grown cigars. That's in no small part due to the fertile soil and thriving climate of the region, which is ideal for tobacco growth and cultivation. If you've never tried a Dominican cigar, you're in for a real treat, there are some fantastic options out there.
The best Dominican cigars I've tried

Out of all the cigar guides I've put together so far, this one was one of the more interesting experiences for me. I had a great time trying out Dominican cigars, and I've definitely come away with an appreciation for blends made in the region. I'd also like to point out that Corey Suarez helped recommend some of these. If you haven't tried the JR Cigars or Cigars.com concierge service yet, you really should. Here's a little more about all of the best Dominican cigars I've tried:
Ashton Symmetry

Culture

The 12 best Connecticut cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2024

Best Connecticut cigars up close and personal

Connecticut cigars are the clear winner for smoking on a hot summer day, in the morning with some coffee, or when you just don't want a swift kick in the teeth (of pepper). There's no shortage of options, either. Connecticut shade wrappers are one of the most prevalent in the world of cigars, and it's certainly the most common natural shade. Maduro is also popular, but the two wrapper types couldn't be any more different. Connecticut wrappers, and by proxy Connecticut cigars, are typically mild to medium in strength and brimming with creamy, smooth flavors. They're composed of tobacco leaves grown in the Connecticut River Valley in the United States -- which is where the name Connecticut comes from. Consistent and flavorful, some of the best beginner-friendly cigars are Connecticut-wrapped, but you should never sell them short. A Connecticut shade cigar can be just as refined, elegant, and premium as any other. If you know where to look, you may even find some of your favorite blends in the category across a wide range of brands and cigar makers.

I'm about to take you on a magical, doughy, and delicious trek through the broad range of Connecticut cigars. In short, here are the best Connecticut cigars tried and tested by a genuine enthusiast of the craft: yours truly.
The best Connecticut cigars I've tried and tested
While the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is considered a Connecticut shade, I did my best to steer clear of recommending them for this list. They're better classified as a Maduro shade or darker cigar. That doesn't mean you should avoid them, quite the contrary. But for this list, I wanted to stick to smooth, relaxing smokes that are strong on flavor but not quite so strong on pepper and spice. I also tried not to choose a lot of repeats. If you see your favorite cigar missing, that might be because it was recommended on another list or it just didn't make the cut. If you have any recommendations of your own, I'm always available through social media or email. Without further ado, let's get this thing started.
Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut

Culture

This is when the Hulu, ESPN+, Disney+ password sharing crackdown starts

The Disney Plus sign-up menu is displayed

The era of password sharing is slowly but surely coming to an end. Netflix has already begun cracking down on people sharing passwords across households, and now, other streaming services are following suit. Before 2024 is over, Disney Plus password sharing will be a thing of the past.

Disney's streaming services are now preparing to crack down on those who are sharing passwords, and the consequences for doing so could be severe. Users across Hulu, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus will be warned about password sharing, and if they don't Disney CEO Bob Iger even laid out a timeline for when the crackdown will start, although he didn't get into too many specifics.
Bob Iger says Disney will start its password-sharing crackdown over the summer