Pro-Ject RPM 5 Carbon Turntable - Gloss Black - Sumiko Amethyst

A Flagship Cartridge, Genuinely Well Reviewed

The RPM 5 Carbon tops the open-plinth RPM design with an acrylic platter, a 9" carbon-fiber tonearm built to handle serious moving-coil cartridges, and a factory-installed Sumiko Amethyst — Sumiko's flagship moving-magnet design, pre-mounted and ready to play.

An outboard 15V AC motor, driven by an ultra-precision AC generator, keeps its own vibration isolated from the acrylic platter, while an inverted platter bearing with a ceramic ball keeps rumble low across every single side you spin.

Like the rest of the RPM Carbon line, there's no built-in phono preamp here, so a capable external MM phono stage (or an MC stage, if you later swap cartridges) is still part of the system this turntable asks you to build.

A Tonearm Built to Grow With Your System

The 9cc Evolution Tonearm

A single piece of carbon fiber forms both the conical arm tube and the integrated headshell, maximizing rigidity while an ultra-rigid bearing assembly supports more massive, lower-compliance moving-coil cartridges down the road.

Azimuth and vertical tracking angle both remain adjustable despite the fixed headshell, and a TPE-damped counterweight keeps unwanted resonance from creeping into the signal chain during even the loudest passages.

An Acrylic Platter on an Isolated Drive System

The 11.8-inch acrylic platter is acoustically inert by design, turning smoothly on the same inverted ceramic-ball bearing used throughout the whole RPM Carbon line for consistently low-rumble rotation, side after side.

The outboard 15V AC motor sits in its own separate housing, physically apart from the plinth, so its own vibration and noise stay well out of the chassis and out of the music entirely.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Secrets of Home Theater's Carlo Lo Raso called the Amethyst-equipped RPM 5 Carbon "an interesting and desirable choice," adding it's "solidly built and not too difficult to set up and maintain."

Wojciech Pacula of highfidelity.pl wrote that the RPM 5 Carbon "stands out not only by its appeal but also with its performance," offering "a combination of highly resolving and vibrant sound" that makes it "a true all-rounder."

Who Is the RPM 5 Carbon Best For?

• You want Sumiko's flagship moving-magnet cartridge — the Amethyst arrives factory-installed, no separate cartridge purchase needed
• You want room to grow into serious moving-coil cartridges — the 9cc Evolution tonearm's ultra-rigid bearing is built for exactly that
• You're comfortable with fully manual operation — you cue the stylus and return the tonearm yourself, with no auto-start or auto-stop
• You already have, or plan to add, a capable phono preamp — this turntable has no built-in phono stage of its own
• You want Sumiko's Amethyst fitted from new — mounted and aligned at the factory

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Connect the included interconnect to an MM phono preamplifier, or to an amplifier or receiver with a built-in MM phono input — this turntable has no line-level output of its own.

Chassis-mounted RCA connectors on the rear panel accept any single-ended interconnect if you'd rather upgrade the supplied cable later.

Pairs Well With

Where the RPM 5 Carbon goes from here:

• Phono preamplifiers — required, since none is built into this turntable
• Integrated amplifiers — with a phono input suited to moving-magnet cartridges, or paired with a separate phono preamp
• Audio racks — a rigid, level shelf gives the outboard motor and acrylic platter a stable foundation
• Record cleaning accessories — clean records sound better and protect the stylus

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the RPM 5 Carbon have a built-in phono preamp?

It doesn't. Connect it to an MM phono input on your amp or receiver, or add a separate phono preamp.

Is the cartridge already installed?

Yes. The Sumiko Amethyst moving-magnet cartridge is factory-mounted, Sumiko's flagship MM design.

Can I upgrade to a moving-coil cartridge?

Yes. The 9cc Evolution tonearm's ultra-rigid bearing assembly is built to support more massive, lower-compliance moving-coil cartridges with the right phono stage.

Does it change speeds automatically?

It doesn't. Switching between 33 and 45rpm means moving the drive belt to the other step on the motor pulley by hand.

What comes in the box?

The turntable with cartridge installed, a brass record clamp, power supply, and the cables needed to connect to your phono stage.

What's the warranty?

A two-year limited manufacturer warranty covers the RPM 5 Carbon.

See It in Action

Rapallo AV demonstrates the Pro-Ject RPM 5 Carbon:

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Learn More

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