


Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon Turntable
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PM-Line
The EISA Award winning RPM 3 Carbon turntable takes the RPM 1 Carbon design and improves on almost every aspect to elevate the performance to another level.
The new 10" tonearm is a carbon fibre/aluminium resin construct, made using special heat and pressure treatments. The result of this new design is a tonearm that is more solid and anti-resonant than ever before at this price, while maintaining a light weight for improved cartridge tracking. The RPM 3 Carbon tonearm is supplied with a pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge and a new magnetic anti-skate mechanism. The supplied counterweight also utilises TPE damping in the form of an anti-resonant ring around the fixing point. This 10" S-Shape tonearm was designed specifically for the RPM 3 Carbon, and its ability is far above the turntable's attractive price tag.
The completely decoupled motor is based upon the same design as the 1 Xpression Carbon, running off an AC generator that's powered by an external DC power supply. As with the RPM 1 Carbon, the motor drives a thick, high-gloss MDF platter - except with the RPM 3 Carbon, the platter is topped with a layer of melted vinyl, providing a perfect playback platform without the need for an additional mat. The platter's inverted main bearing utilises a ceramic ball, mounted onto a high-mass base plate, which enables a fluid and consistent platter rotation with minimal rumble.
Available in Red, White or Black high gloss finishes, the RPM 3 Carbon is a turntable package that offers truly phenomenal value for money.
Key Features
- Precision belt drive turntable with decoupled synchronous motor
- PCB-controlled motor with highly precise speed stability
- Vinyl-topped MDF sandwich platter
- Inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball
- High-mass base plate beneath main bearing controls resonances
- 10â S-Shape carbon fibre/aluminium tonearm
- Magnetic anti-skate system
- Counterweight with TPE damping
- Pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge
- Three high-gloss finished available
- Dust cover available as optional extra
Reviews
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Hi-Fi Pig, November 2015
| Reviewed By: | Ian Ringstead |
| Construction: | 8.6/10s |
| Sound Quality: | 8.6/10 |
| Value For Money: | 8.6/10 |
| Overall Score: | 8.6/10, Recommended |
Comments of Note:
"Sound-wise the RPM3 ticks all the right boxes for me. Bass is solid and well controlled and with good midrange detail and a clear treble."
To read the full review click here

Hi-Fi News, September 2015
| Reviewed By: | Andrew Simpson |
| Score | 85% |
Comments of Note:
(Artist: Ron Sexsmith / Track: My, myself and wine / Album: Forever Endeavour) -Â âIâm greeted with music thatâs a well balanced blend of mature detail and plain fun.â
âSexsmithâs vocals are nicely opened up to reveal their intentionally relaxed tones, while each shake of the tambourines is presented with a natural ring and decay.â
âWhat also hit me early on about the Pro-Jectâs performance were the impressively low levels of background noise. Cueing up a 1984 pressing of Foreignerâs Agent Provocateur thatâs seen plenty of action, Iâm expecting to hear two decadesâ worth of use within each âsilentâ groove separating the tracks. But with the Pro-Ject and partnering Ortofon calling the shots Iâm hard pressed to tell this vintage edition from a new LP straight out of its shrink-wrap.â
âWhat also comes across is a real sense of cohesion, suggesting arm and cartridge pulling together, working in harmony.â
ââŠyou get a very even delivery of the music, making it all more involving to listen to â and harder to analyse â as youâre drawn in, enjoying the music.â
(on the 2M cartridges) âCompared to the cheaper Red variant, the Silver sounds much more detailed in its bass delivery and with some added weight.â
âPro-Jectâs RPM 3 Carbon conveys enough body and presence to ensure bass instruments sound convincing and lifelike.â
ââŠdelivering a performance that lives and breathes in a surprisingly persuasive manner!â
âwhat really marks it out from the crowd is its sheer âcompletenessâ, delivering a sound that hugely exceeds the sum of its modest parts.â
Read the full review here!

Hi-Fi World, August 2015
| Rating: | 5/5 Globes OUTSTANDING - Amongst the Best Value - Keenly Priced |
Comments of Note:
âAssembly was a breezeâ
[âJazz from Hellâ by Frank Zappa]Â âWith a complicated piece such as this, you need a deck that can handle the complexities and diversity with dexterity and steady timing simultaneously. Without this the information is misconstrued and interpreted as a mush of noises. Played right, this composition is a masterpiece â and to my surprise the Pro-Ject handled it very well indeed.â
[âHey uh-what you say come onâ by Roy Ayres] âBoth instruments had their own space and again the deckâs speed stability really embraced the albumâŠâ
ââŠthe Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon exhibited impressive control. I would imagine there are not many decks able to compete at this level and price point.â
[âFace Valueâ by Phil Colins]Â âall percussion instruments portrayed by the RPM 2 played with a more-than-acceptable amount of realism, due to the strength, stiffness and damping of its carbon fibre tone arm.â
[âBabylon By Busâ by Bob Marley & The Wailers]Â âBob Marleyâs voice delivered total emotion and bass from the Pro-Ject was gracefully heavy, conveying the ambience of the concert plus the warts and all live recording.â
âItâs simply a great turntableâŠâ
ââŠbuild quality was excellent â as expected from Pro-Ject.â
âAnyone looking for an inexpensive but good-all-round turntable with plenty of latitude for upgrade cartridge-wise should put it right at the top of their list.â
âThis turntable gave a sonically even-handed representation of any genre of music.â
ââŠthe RPM 3 Carbon offers great value and is something of a bargain. I loved it!â
âFOR: Price, Good bass, Realismâ
Specs
Â
| Replacement Stylus: | Ortofon 2M Silver Stylus |
| Pre-Fitted Cartridge: | Ortofon 2M Silver |
| Nominal Speeds: | 33 / 45 RPM (Manual) |
| Dust Cover: | No (Optional Extra) |
| Motor: | 9V Decoupled Tower |
| Platter: | 300mm Sandwich-Type (1.6kg) |
| Speed Drift: | 33: ±0.19% 45: ±0.08% |
| Wow & Flutter: | 33: ±0.14% 45: ±0.11% |
| Signal to Noise: | -71dB |
| Tonearm: | S-Shape Carbon/Aluminium |
| Effective Tonearm Length: | 10" (254mm) |
| Effective Tonearm Mass: | 16g |
| Overhang: | 16mm |
| Tracking Force: | 0 - 25mN |
| Output Voltage: | 15V / 800mA DC |
| Power Consumption: | 5W Max. / <0.5W Standby |
| Dimensions: | 447 x 118 x 373mm |
| Weight: | 5.5kg (net) |
Original: $968.00
-70%$968.00
$290.40Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
Â
PM-Line
The EISA Award winning RPM 3 Carbon turntable takes the RPM 1 Carbon design and improves on almost every aspect to elevate the performance to another level.
The new 10" tonearm is a carbon fibre/aluminium resin construct, made using special heat and pressure treatments. The result of this new design is a tonearm that is more solid and anti-resonant than ever before at this price, while maintaining a light weight for improved cartridge tracking. The RPM 3 Carbon tonearm is supplied with a pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge and a new magnetic anti-skate mechanism. The supplied counterweight also utilises TPE damping in the form of an anti-resonant ring around the fixing point. This 10" S-Shape tonearm was designed specifically for the RPM 3 Carbon, and its ability is far above the turntable's attractive price tag.
The completely decoupled motor is based upon the same design as the 1 Xpression Carbon, running off an AC generator that's powered by an external DC power supply. As with the RPM 1 Carbon, the motor drives a thick, high-gloss MDF platter - except with the RPM 3 Carbon, the platter is topped with a layer of melted vinyl, providing a perfect playback platform without the need for an additional mat. The platter's inverted main bearing utilises a ceramic ball, mounted onto a high-mass base plate, which enables a fluid and consistent platter rotation with minimal rumble.
Available in Red, White or Black high gloss finishes, the RPM 3 Carbon is a turntable package that offers truly phenomenal value for money.
Key Features
- Precision belt drive turntable with decoupled synchronous motor
- PCB-controlled motor with highly precise speed stability
- Vinyl-topped MDF sandwich platter
- Inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball
- High-mass base plate beneath main bearing controls resonances
- 10â S-Shape carbon fibre/aluminium tonearm
- Magnetic anti-skate system
- Counterweight with TPE damping
- Pre-fitted Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge
- Three high-gloss finished available
- Dust cover available as optional extra
Reviews
Â

Hi-Fi Pig, November 2015
| Reviewed By: | Ian Ringstead |
| Construction: | 8.6/10s |
| Sound Quality: | 8.6/10 |
| Value For Money: | 8.6/10 |
| Overall Score: | 8.6/10, Recommended |
Comments of Note:
"Sound-wise the RPM3 ticks all the right boxes for me. Bass is solid and well controlled and with good midrange detail and a clear treble."
To read the full review click here

Hi-Fi News, September 2015
| Reviewed By: | Andrew Simpson |
| Score | 85% |
Comments of Note:
(Artist: Ron Sexsmith / Track: My, myself and wine / Album: Forever Endeavour) -Â âIâm greeted with music thatâs a well balanced blend of mature detail and plain fun.â
âSexsmithâs vocals are nicely opened up to reveal their intentionally relaxed tones, while each shake of the tambourines is presented with a natural ring and decay.â
âWhat also hit me early on about the Pro-Jectâs performance were the impressively low levels of background noise. Cueing up a 1984 pressing of Foreignerâs Agent Provocateur thatâs seen plenty of action, Iâm expecting to hear two decadesâ worth of use within each âsilentâ groove separating the tracks. But with the Pro-Ject and partnering Ortofon calling the shots Iâm hard pressed to tell this vintage edition from a new LP straight out of its shrink-wrap.â
âWhat also comes across is a real sense of cohesion, suggesting arm and cartridge pulling together, working in harmony.â
ââŠyou get a very even delivery of the music, making it all more involving to listen to â and harder to analyse â as youâre drawn in, enjoying the music.â
(on the 2M cartridges) âCompared to the cheaper Red variant, the Silver sounds much more detailed in its bass delivery and with some added weight.â
âPro-Jectâs RPM 3 Carbon conveys enough body and presence to ensure bass instruments sound convincing and lifelike.â
ââŠdelivering a performance that lives and breathes in a surprisingly persuasive manner!â
âwhat really marks it out from the crowd is its sheer âcompletenessâ, delivering a sound that hugely exceeds the sum of its modest parts.â
Read the full review here!

Hi-Fi World, August 2015
| Rating: | 5/5 Globes OUTSTANDING - Amongst the Best Value - Keenly Priced |
Comments of Note:
âAssembly was a breezeâ
[âJazz from Hellâ by Frank Zappa]Â âWith a complicated piece such as this, you need a deck that can handle the complexities and diversity with dexterity and steady timing simultaneously. Without this the information is misconstrued and interpreted as a mush of noises. Played right, this composition is a masterpiece â and to my surprise the Pro-Ject handled it very well indeed.â
[âHey uh-what you say come onâ by Roy Ayres] âBoth instruments had their own space and again the deckâs speed stability really embraced the albumâŠâ
ââŠthe Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon exhibited impressive control. I would imagine there are not many decks able to compete at this level and price point.â
[âFace Valueâ by Phil Colins]Â âall percussion instruments portrayed by the RPM 2 played with a more-than-acceptable amount of realism, due to the strength, stiffness and damping of its carbon fibre tone arm.â
[âBabylon By Busâ by Bob Marley & The Wailers]Â âBob Marleyâs voice delivered total emotion and bass from the Pro-Ject was gracefully heavy, conveying the ambience of the concert plus the warts and all live recording.â
âItâs simply a great turntableâŠâ
ââŠbuild quality was excellent â as expected from Pro-Ject.â
âAnyone looking for an inexpensive but good-all-round turntable with plenty of latitude for upgrade cartridge-wise should put it right at the top of their list.â
âThis turntable gave a sonically even-handed representation of any genre of music.â
ââŠthe RPM 3 Carbon offers great value and is something of a bargain. I loved it!â
âFOR: Price, Good bass, Realismâ
Specs
Â
| Replacement Stylus: | Ortofon 2M Silver Stylus |
| Pre-Fitted Cartridge: | Ortofon 2M Silver |
| Nominal Speeds: | 33 / 45 RPM (Manual) |
| Dust Cover: | No (Optional Extra) |
| Motor: | 9V Decoupled Tower |
| Platter: | 300mm Sandwich-Type (1.6kg) |
| Speed Drift: | 33: ±0.19% 45: ±0.08% |
| Wow & Flutter: | 33: ±0.14% 45: ±0.11% |
| Signal to Noise: | -71dB |
| Tonearm: | S-Shape Carbon/Aluminium |
| Effective Tonearm Length: | 10" (254mm) |
| Effective Tonearm Mass: | 16g |
| Overhang: | 16mm |
| Tracking Force: | 0 - 25mN |
| Output Voltage: | 15V / 800mA DC |
| Power Consumption: | 5W Max. / <0.5W Standby |
| Dimensions: | 447 x 118 x 373mm |
| Weight: | 5.5kg (net) |




















