Turntables — Pro-Ject X8 B

Pro-Ject's X8 B is a belt-driven deck hand-assembled in Europe by a turntable factory that has been building record players since 1991. It carries over the heavy MDF plinth idea from the larger Xtension machines and pairs it with the 9cc EVO carbon arm and a 5-pin output socket that permits a fully balanced phono connection. Buyers can order it bare or with an Ortofon Quintet Blue moving-coil cartridge set up at the factory.

Key specs that matter

Two speeds, 33 and 45 rpm, are chosen electronically. Wow and flutter measure plus or minus 0.11 percent at 33 rpm and 0.10 percent at 45 rpm, while speed drift stays within 0.11 and 0.09 percent respectively. Pro-Ject lists a signal-to-noise figure of 73 dB. The platter is turned from one block of aluminium, weighs 5.1 kg and has TPE damping. The 9-inch arm offers 230 mm effective length, 8.5 g effective mass and 18 mm overhang. Closed, the deck measures 465 x 150 x 350 mm. With the lid raised it needs 415 mm of height and 420 mm of depth. Total weight is 15 kg. Power arrives from an external 15 V DC, 0.8 A supply, and consumption is 5 W running and 0.3 W in standby.

Engineering and use context

The platter sits on an inverted bearing with a ceramic tip, and a neodymium magnet carries part of the platter load so that friction on the bearing point drops and rotation stays steady. Three machined aluminium feet can be adjusted for height and include TPE damping, which isolates the plinth from the shelf and lowers the chance of acoustic feedback from nearby speakers. The one-piece carbon arm tube keeps mass low enough to suit a wide spread of moving-magnet and moving-coil designs. In the box come a dust cover, felt mat, 7-inch single adapter and a Connect it E 5P lead of 1.23 m that terminates in RCA plugs, giving a semi-balanced link out of the box. Finishes include high-gloss lacquer and real wood veneer.

Pairing

Because the output jack carries five pins, owners of a phono stage with XLR inputs can swap the supplied lead for a fully balanced XLR cable sold separately, keeping the two channels floating from ground. As the factory Quintet Blue belongs to the moving-coil family, the chosen phono preamplifier must offer moving-coil gain or be fed via a step-up transformer.

Alternatives

Pro-Ject's Xtension 9 Evolution adds a heavier 5.4 kg platter and magnetic isolation feet for buyers who want to move further up the same maker's belt-drive range.