Pro-Ject EVO 9 CC Tonearm Carbon tube - DIN output - Black

The Pro-Ject EVO 9CC — A Conical Carbon Tube on a Four-Point Bearing

A 9-inch pivoted tonearm with a one-piece carbon fiber armtube, high-purity copper internal wiring and a gold-plated five-pin DIN output. Pro-Ject builds the EVO range in Europe and finishes the aluminum parts by hand.

The tube is conical rather than straight, and Pro-Ject is specific about why: a parallel tube supports standing waves along its length, and tapering it stops them forming. The same logic explains the open outer ring, which is left open “to prevent bell-mode resonances.”

Design and Engineering

The Bearing

Pro-Ject uses an inverted cardanic bearing of ABEC 7 quality running on four stainless steel pin points. Their description of it is that the arrangement “is very stable and low friction” — the two properties that decide how freely an arm follows a groove.

The bearing parts are aluminum, and the counterweight carries a TPE insert to damp it. A counterweight is a large mass on a stub at the back of the arm, and an undamped one rings like anything else does.

Wiring and Output

Internal wiring is flexible high-purity copper. Pro-Ject's stated reason is that “High-purity conductors have a significant influence on lowlevel cartridge signals,” which is the whole problem a tonearm's wiring has to solve — a cartridge produces millivolts.

The output is a gold-plated five-pin DIN socket, so the cable is detachable and you choose the run to your phono stage. The armlift is silicone-damped and adjustable to arm height.

Geometry and Fit

The Numbers

For the 9-inch version Pro-Ject specifies a mounting distance of 212 mm, effective length giving 18 mm of overhang, an offset angle of 24°, and an effective tonearm mass of 8 g. The headshell slots are on the standard 12.7 mm pitch.

Cartridge weight range is 7 to 14 g. An 8 g effective mass is genuinely low, which points toward higher-compliance cartridges — a very stiff, low-compliance moving coil is the pairing to think twice about.

Who Is the Pro-Ject EVO 9CC Best For?

• Your armboard is drilled at 212 mm — pivot to spindle is the measurement that decides this
• Your cartridge weighs 7 to 14 g — the range Pro-Ject specifies for the 9-inch arm
• You run a higher-compliance cartridge — 8 g of effective mass is matched to those
• You want to choose your own cable — the five-pin DIN output means the run is yours to pick
• Your cartridge is a stiff, low-compliance moving coil — those want a heavier arm, and the mismatch shows as poor bass control; heavier options are in tonearms

How Do You Install It?

Mount the arm so the bearing sits 212 mm from the spindle, then fit the cartridge in the headshell slots and set overhang with a protractor. Balance the arm, set tracking force, and set azimuth and VTA — both are adjustable here, which is the point of the arm. Finally set the armlift height so the stylus clears the record.

Pairs Well With

What most owners fit alongside a new arm.

• Phono cartridges — the arm sets the range of cartridge that will work
• Cartridge alignment tools — for setting the cartridge up once the arm is mounted
• Tonearm cables — the run from arm to phono stage
• Stylus force gauges — set tracking force once the arm is back in service

Frequently Asked Questions

Will it fit my turntable?

The 9-inch EVO CC wants 212 mm from spindle to arm pivot. If your armboard is drilled for that, or is a blank you can cut, it fits. Pro-Ject also makes the arm in 10 and 12-inch lengths for boards drilled at other distances.

What cartridges suit it?

Pro-Ject specifies a cartridge weight of 7 to 14 g. With an 8 g effective mass, the arm favors medium and higher compliance designs.

Can I use my own tonearm cable?

Yes — the output is a gold-plated five-pin DIN socket, so the cable is separate and you choose it.

Is azimuth adjustable?

It is, and so is VTA. Pro-Ject lists accurate azimuth and VTA adjustment among the standard features of the range.

Why is the armtube conical?

A parallel tube can support standing waves along its length. Tapering it means there is no consistent dimension for a wave to settle into, which is the same reasoning behind leaving the outer ring open.

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