Turntables — Pro-Ject RPM 5 Carbon

The RPM 5 Carbon is an accomplished belt-drive turntable from Pro-Ject, built with a damped MDF chassis and an acrylic platter mounted on a precision bearing, equipped with a 9-inch EVO tonearm. The RPM 5 Carbon brings Pro-Ject's considered engineering to a serious, mid-tier analogue playback format.

Key specs that matter

Two speeds are supported - 33 and 45rpm - via belt drive with a DC motor. A pre-installed 9-inch EVO tonearm comes fitted with a factory-mounted Ortofon 2M-Silver cartridge. The platter is a 300mm acrylic design mounted on a precision bearing. Signal-to-noise is 73dB. At 430 x 150 x 323mm and 8kg, the RPM 5 Carbon maintains a substantial turntable chassis reflecting Pro-Ject's considered mid-tier engineering standards.

Sound and use context

Expect a well-resolved performance reflecting the damped MDF chassis combined with the precision-bearing acrylic platter, with the factory-matched Ortofon 2M-Silver cartridge delivering a genuine step up in tracking accuracy over entry-level pairings.

Pairing

The factory-matched Ortofon 2M-Silver cartridge comes pre-aligned on the 9-inch EVO tonearm, and the RPM 5 Carbon connects to an amplifier with a built-in phono stage or an external phono preamplifier.

Alternatives

Pro-Ject's own Debut PRO B offers a more accessible alternative within the same broader turntable catalogue.