Pro-Ject X8
The Pro-Ject X8 is a mass-loaded high-end turntable with features more commonly found at premium price points.
From its over-sized, heavyweight wooden plinth, through to the precision-lathed, TPE-damped aluminium main platter, and on to the 9” Evolution tonearm finished with a Quintet Blue, it is a complete turntable solution for high-end audio systems in one box.
The X8 draws inspiration from other high-end turntables in the Pro-Ject range.
The thick, heavy MDF chassis is expertly shaped and finished to provide both a stylish aesthetic and a sturdy platform from which the key performance parts of the turntable can do their work.
The main platter is precision-cut from a single piece of aluminium and lined with a ring of rubber TPE damping to produce a heavy non-resonant base that contributes to highly accurate speed stability with very little fluctuation.
The platter is mounted on an inverted ceramic-tipped main bearing, bolstered with magnetic support, for fluid rotation without resistance.
The platter is driven by a perimeter drive belt, connected to a low-noise AC motor.
The motor is controlled by an AC generator with adjustable speed control for convenient switching between 33 and 45 RPM as well as a clean, low-noise power signal.
The X8 is pre-installed with Pro-Ject’s popular 9CC Evolution carbon fibre tonearm.
The 9CC EVO can been found on many popular high-end turntables, and features a one-piece, tapered carbon fibre tonearm tube, mounted in a heavy-weight bearing block with high-quality ABEC 7 ball bearings.
The tonearm is also VTA and azimuth adjustable for perfect cartridge mounting.
In the UK, the Pro-Ject X8 is also supplied with the award-winning Ortofon Quintet Blue moving coil cartridge, as standard.
The Quintet Blue is recognised for its detailed musical performance, and perfectly complements the X8’s own high-end ability.
As the X8 is supplied with a Moving Coil cartridge, it is also part of Pro-Ject’s True Balanced Connections concept.
By upgrading to a 5pin > XLR cable, and connecting to one of the company’s balanced phono stages (such as the Phono Box DS3 B), you can benefit from increased dynamics, less noise and improved signal-to-noise ratios.
Going true balanced is like hearing parts of your music that were not there before.
The X8 is supplied with height-adjustable TPE-damped feet, a removable dust cover, a felt mat and a semi-balanced Connect-IT E 5P > RCA phono cable for easy set-up out of the box.
It’s available in high gloss black, high-gloss white or real-wood walnut veneer finishes.
True Balanced Connections
The interconnect cable between a record player and a phono stage is prone to pick up noise on the way.
That noise and interference can stem from a lot of unavoidable sources, such as household appliances, wi-fi and bluetooth devices, other power cables and audio amplifiers.
Unshielded (i.e. RCA) interconnects can amplify the picked-up noise and make it audible through your speakers, interfering with the pure musical signal.
Balanced (typically XLR) cable connections double the wires carrying the musical signal – with one side inverted.
In this case noise still gets picked up by both wires, but with one side reversed.
When the signals are re-joined at the phono stage, the picked-up noise is cancelled out by the opposing signals.
The benefit of this is a louder, cleaner musical signal that has doubled in size with almost no remaining noise.
Click here to read more about ‘True Balanced Connections’.
Key Features:
- Heavy MDF chassis
- Precision balanced damped 5,1 kg aluminium platter
- Inverted bearing with ceramic tip, magnetic support
- Electronic speed control 33/45 rpm
- Inverted cardanic tonearm bearings; four stainless steel tips mounted in ABEC 7 quality ball bearings
- Height-adjustable metal feet with TPE damping
- Premium 5P semi-symmetrical RCA phono cable
- True Balanced 5P XLR cable available separately
- Dust cover included
- Finish options: walnut, HG piano black, HG white
- Handmade in Europe
Specifications ProJect X8
| Speed: | 33 / 45 rpm (electronic speed change) |
| Included phono cable: | Connect it E 5P -> RCA, 1.23m |
| Aluminium feet: | Height adjustable & TPE damped |
| Platter: | massive 5,1 kg lathed aluminium |
| Platter bearing: | inverted ceramic ball, magnetic support |
| Speed drift: | 33: ±0,11%; 45: ± 0,09% |
| Wow & flutter: | 33: ±0,11%; 45: ± 0,10% |
| Rumble: | 73dB |
| Tonearm: | 9“one-piece carbon-fibre tonearm |
| Effective arm length / mass: | 9“(230 mm) / 8,5 g |
| Overhang: | 18 mm |
| Incl. accessories: | Dust cover, 7“single adapter, felt mat |
| Power supply: | 15V / 0,8A DC |
| Power consumption: | 5W / 0,3 W standby mode |
| Dimensions lid closed: | 465 x 150 x 350 mm (W x H x D) |
| Dimensions lid opened: | 465 x 415 x 420 mm (W x H x D) |
| Weight: | 15kg |
