Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon Turntable - Gloss Red - Moonstone Cartridge

A High-Performance Turntable with a Ready-to-Play Moonstone Cartridge

The Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon combines the clean, open look of Pro-Ject’s RPM design with a 10-inch composite tonearm and a factory-installed Sumiko Moonstone moving-magnet cartridge. It is a strong choice for listeners who want a serious manual turntable without having to select and mount a cartridge separately.

The Moonstone’s elliptical stylus, 3.0 mV output, and standard 47-kilohm loading make it compatible with most moving-magnet phono inputs. A phono preamplifier is not built in, so the turntable must be connected to an external MM phono preamp or an amplifier with a compatible phono input.

A 10-Inch Tonearm Designed for Accurate Tracking

The 10-inch S-shaped tonearm is made through a multi-step process that combines carbon fiber, aluminum, and resin under heat and pressure. The resulting structure is designed to balance rigidity with internal damping. Its longer effective length also reduces tracking-angle error compared with a conventional shorter arm.

Magnetic anti-skating applies compensation without a hanging weight, while TPE damping in the counterweight helps control unwanted resonance. The tonearm’s 16-gram effective mass also supports future cartridge experimentation, including compatible moving-coil designs when used with the appropriate phono stage.

Isolated Motor and Inverted Ceramic Bearing

Instead of mounting the motor directly to the plinth, Pro-Ject places the synchronous motor in a separate freestanding housing. This physical separation limits the direct transfer of motor vibration into the chassis. A DC-powered AC generator supplies the motor with a controlled drive signal.

The 300 mm MDF platter rotates on an inverted stainless-steel bearing with a ceramic ball. The platter is dynamically balanced and topped with a vinyl record surface. Together with the low-resonance MDF chassis, this construction gives the cartridge a stable foundation for tracing the groove.

Sumiko Moonstone Moving-Magnet Cartridge Included

The included Sumiko Moonstone uses a 0.3 x 0.7 mil elliptical stylus and aluminum-pipe cantilever. Its replaceable stylus protects your investment and provides a straightforward maintenance path when the original stylus eventually wears. Compatible styli from Sumiko’s Rainier-family platform also provide future replacement and upgrade options.

The Moonstone should be operated into a 47-kilohm MM phono input with 100 to 200 pF capacitance. Sumiko specifies a tracking-force range of 1.8 to 2.2 grams and recommends 2.0 grams.

Is the Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon Right for You?

• Ready for a serious analog system: The factory-installed Moonstone cartridge eliminates the need to choose and mount a cartridge separately.
• MM phono stage required: This turntable does not contain a phono preamp and cannot connect directly to a standard line-level AUX input.
• Manual operation: You place the stylus on the record and return the tonearm when playback ends; there is no automatic start, stop, or tonearm return.
• Manual speed change: Switching between 33 and 45 rpm requires moving the drive belt to the corresponding motor-pulley position.
• Dust cover sold separately: The sculpted open-plinth design does not include a hinged cover; Pro-Ject offers compatible external covers separately.

Setup, Compatibility & What’s Included

The RPM 3 Carbon is supplied with its Sumiko Moonstone cartridge installed. Before playing records, install the platter and belt, balance the tonearm, set tracking force to the cartridge manufacturer’s recommendation, and confirm the anti-skating adjustment. Place the freestanding motor so that the belt runs level around the platter.

Connect the included phono cable to an MM phono preamplifier or a compatible MM phono input. A 7-inch single adapter, power supply, Allen key, and stylus-pressure gauge are also included. Choose from Gloss Black, Gloss White, or Gloss Red.