Проигрыватели виниловых дисков — Pro-Ject RPM 10 Carbon

The RPM 10 Carbon is a high-end belt-drive turntable from Pro-Ject Audio Systems, built around a mass-loaded chassis and a pre-mounted 10 inch Evo tonearm. Buyers can order it with the Ortofon Cadenza Red cartridge or without one, and a limited Carbon Silver edition of only 50 units was also announced.

Key specs that matter

Speeds of 33 and 45 rpm are selected electronically with a speed control button on the separate motor unit. The platter is polished aluminium, 300 mm in diameter, with internal TPE damping and a vinyl layer on top. Rated wow and flutter is 0.01% at both speeds, speed drift is 0.11% at 33 rpm and 0.10% at 45 rpm, and signal to noise is 73 dB. The arm has a conical carbon-fibre tube, 254 mm effective length, 8.5 g effective mass and 16 mm overhang, and accepts tracking forces of 10 to 35 mN. A 15 V DC, 1600 mA supply is included, and the deck draws 15 W maximum and under 0.3 W in standby. It measures 480 x 210 x 330 mm (WxHxD), the turntable weighs 22.0 kg net and the base 14.5 kg.

Engineering and use context

A sandwich construction forms the plinth, made of a CNC-machined MDF plate filled with hard resin coated steel pellets, heat treated and finished with a carbon surface coating to lower resonance. The heavy chassis rests on the included Ground it Carbon platform, whose magnetic feet let the deck float, with studs used only to keep it centred. The main bearing is inverted stainless steel with a ceramic ball and plate, which Pro-Ject says delivers stable speed with extra low rumble. An outboard motor with a massive steel base houses a precise DC-driven AC generator speed control. The tonearm uses an inverted bearing design, and its internal wiring is flexible top-grade copper.

Pairing

The signal leaves through a 5-pin connector, and the Connect it 5P-CC phono cable ends in RCA plugs, with an XLR version available as an option for balanced phono stages. A record puck, a 7 inch single adapter, a spirit level and a template for positioning the motor are also packed in the box. The plinth stands on three height-adjustable tip-toe feet, and anti-skating works with a weight hung on a wire support. With the Ortofon Cadenza Red fitted, the deck needs a phono stage suited to moving coil cartridges. The motor sits to the left of the deck, and the signal cable is 123 cm long.

Alternatives

The Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon is the entry model of the RPM series, with an 8.6 inch carbon arm and an MDF platter.