Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon

Pro-Ject Audio Systems calls the RPM 1 Carbon the entry into its RPM world, a manual record player with belt drive and a separate motor unit. It is sold either bare or with an Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet cartridge already fitted, and it comes in three high-gloss colours, black, red and white.

Key specs that matter

Playback runs at 33 and 45 rpm, with the speed changed manually. The 300 mm platter is MDF and carries a felt mat. Wow and flutter is 0.27% at 33 rpm and 0.1% at 45 rpm, speed drift is 0.14% and 0.13%, and signal to noise reaches 71 dB. The 8.6 inch arm has an effective length of 218.5 mm, an effective mass of 13.5 g and a 22 mm overhang, with a tracking force range of 0 to 25 mN. Power comes from a 15 V DC, 500 mA supply accepting 110 to 240 V at 50 or 60 Hz, and consumption is 5 W maximum and under 0.5 W in standby. Dimensions are 380 x 110 x 350 mm (WxHxD) and net weight is 3.8 kg.

Engineering and use context

A low resonance chassis holds a newly designed inverted platter bearing, combining a ceramic ball with a stainless steel axle, which the maker says reduces rumble. The outboard 15 V AC synchronous motor sits apart from the plinth and is driven by an ultra-precision AC generator fed from a DC supply, intended to improve speed stability. The S-shaped arm tube combines carbon fibre, aluminium and resin, and it goes through a three-step process with heat treatment and 100 bar pressure to raise rigidity and internal damping. Pro-Ject states that this treatment makes the arm suitable for MC cartridges as well. Antiskating is magnetic, with its own scale and adjuster, and the TPE-damped counterweight suits cartridges between 5 and 12 g. The manual gives 18 mN as the recommended downforce for the factory cartridge. Switching speed means shifting the belt between the steps of the drive pulley, and the arm has a lift lever, a removable transport lock and a headshell with finger lift.

Pairing

A super shielded, semi-symmetrical, low capacitance Connect it E cable for phono signals is included, together with a felt mat, a 7 inch single adapter, the mains adapter, a hexagonal key and a plastic gauge with an mN scale. The phono output sockets sit beside an earth connection, and with no internal preamp the signal must go to a phono stage, while buyers who choose the bare version can fit an MC cartridge with a matching stage.

Alternatives

The Pro-Ject RPM 10 Carbon is a heavier model of the same RPM series with a 10 inch Evo carbon tonearm and a 10.4 kg aluminium platter.