"Turntable of the Year" - The Absolute Sound
"The First and Last 'Table You'll Ever Need," Raves TAS
"The RPM-5 Carbon turntable from Pro-Ject is possibly the first and last 'table you'll ever need," raves The Absolute Sound magazine, which honored the RPM-5 with a "Turntable of the Year Award" in the January 2020 issue.
"Pacing and timing were spot on, while the surprising quiet backgrounds and the sheer dept of soundstage brought playback to that next level," reports TAS. Even with difficult music, the RPM-5 was surprisingly exciting. Music flowed in an incredibly precise and pleasant way."
"An easy and obvious step above the rest, and a lot of turntable for the price," concludes the review.
Packed with Innovations
The Pro-Ject RPM 5 Carbon turntable utilizes a radical concept with a lot of innovations that originate from its big brother, the RPM 9 Carbon.
A low resonance chassis holds a newly designed inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball for further reduced rumble. The acoustically inert 11.8"-diameter platter is made from acrylic.
The classy 9"cc Evo tonearm, which is made from carbon fiber, is suitable for any high-quality MM or MC cartridge. A TPE-damped counterweight eliminates unwanted resonances. And we're including the exceptional value Sumiko Amethyst MM phono cartridge with the RPM 5 Carbon.
"The RPM 5 Carbon is the latest turntable in Pro-Ject’s repertoire to receive various upgrades," reports What Hi-Fi? magazine. "It replaces the RPM 5.1 and promises upgraded performance."
Smoothly Driven Outboard Motor
An outboard 15V AC motor is smoothly driven using an ultra-precision AC generator with DC power supply for further enhanced speed stability. Since the motor is in a separate housing, it boasts a degree of isolation which helps keep motor vibration and noise from entering the chassis and interfering with the sound of your records.
Outstanding 9cc Evolution Tonearm
An outstanding 9" tonearm, the 9cc Evolution, incorporates a conical carbon fiber arm tube with integrated headshell made of a single piece of carbon fiber and new ultra-rigid bearing assembly to give you the ability to use more massive and lower compliant moving coil cartridges.
The headshell and conical armtube are formed from a single piece of carbon fiber for maximum rigidity and resonance control. The armtube stills allows azimuth adjustments, despite the fixed headshell. The vertical tracking angle is also adjustable. Nominal speeds are 33-1/3 rpm and 45 rpm.
Chassis-mounted female RCA connectors on the rear panel allow you to use any single ended interconnects. A brass record clamp is included.
Includes Sumiko Amethyst MM Cartridge
Included pre-mounted on the RPM 5 Carbon is the $599-value Sumiko Amethyst phono cartridge. The Amethyst is Sumiko's flagship Moving Magnet (MM) phono cartridge and requires its own unique cartridge body to maximize the performance of the excellent Nude Line Contact stylus. This exceptional cartridge even surpasses some moving coil cartridges in resolution and detail, setting a new benchmark for moving magnet cartridges with replaceable stylus assemblies.
Easily Sumiko's most ambitious moving-magnet (MM) cartridge to date, the Amethyst complements its nude line-contact stylus with an upgraded generator assembly providing ultra-low noise, breathtaking dynamics, and exceptional trackability. This unique setup takes advantage of the powerful electromotive forces inherent to MM cartridge designs that help give your playback some punch, while still outperforming most comparable moving-coil cartridges.
Ultra-Stylish Look
The ultra-stylish look of the RPM 5 is available in three exclusive high-gloss finishes: Gloss Black, Gloss White, and Gloss Red.
Product made in Czech Republic.
