Pro-Ject RPM 9 Carbon Turntable

The RPM 9 Carbon sits near the top of Pro-Ject's RPM range, slotting in below the flagship RPM 10 Carbon. It succeeds the RPM 9.2 Evolution, retaining the distinctive teardrop chassis silhouette whilst introducing construction techniques and materials drawn from the RPM 10 Carbon above it.

Chassis Construction

The plinth is CNC-machined from MDF and packed with resin-coated steel pellets to form a high-mass sandwich construction. A carbon fibre surface coating is applied to minimise resonance, and the entire structure sits on magnetic feet whose studs serve only to keep the feet centred — the plinth floats on the magnetic field, effectively decoupled from the support surface beneath it.

Platter & Bearing

The 7.2 kg polished aluminium platter (300 mm diameter) is internally lined with TPE damping material and topped with a vinyl mat. It rides on an inverted main bearing using a stainless steel spindle with a ceramic ball and plate, delivering stable rotation with very low rumble. The combination of the heavy, damped platter and the precision bearing provides a quiet, stable platform for the stylus to work from.

Drive System

An extra-heavy outboard motor unit drives the platter via a perimeter belt. Speed control is handled by a built-in DC-driven AC generator (Speed Box), providing electronic switching between 33 and 45 rpm at the push of a button — no manual belt repositioning is required. Pro-Ject specifies wow and flutter at ±0.60% and speed drift at ±0.10%.

9CC Evolution Tonearm

The RPM 9 Carbon ships with the 9CC Evolution tonearm pre-installed. It features a 9-inch conical carbon fibre tube and an inverted bearing design for precise tracking. With an effective mass of 8 g and an effective length of 230 mm, the arm suits a wide range of cartridges across the 0–35 mN tracking force range. A Connect it 5P-CC phono cable with RCA plugs is included (XLR termination is available as an option).

In the Box

The RPM 9 Carbon is supplied with a heavy-weight record puck, a 7-inch single adapter, a spirit level for setup, and the Connect it 5P-CC phono cable. No cartridge is fitted as standard, allowing the owner to choose a cartridge to match their system and preferences.