Pro-Ject Audio Systems Pro-Ject RPM 3 Carbon User manual

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
BEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG
Pro-Ject RPM 3 CARBON

8
2 ©Pro-Ject Audio Systems· Pro -Ject RPM 3 Carbon I Ortofon 2M SILVER· Revision 2015.07.15

Controls, features
and
connections
1/11 Power switch,
motor
unit with stepped drive pulley
2 Drive
belt*
3 Platter
4 Tonearm counterweight *
5 Tonearm lift lever
6/16
Tonearm rest and removable transport lock
7 Tonearm tube
8 Power supply socket
9 Phono output sockets and earth connection
10 Magnetic anti-skating mechanism
12 Magnetic anti-skating scale
13 Magnetic anti-skating adjustment mechanism
14 Headshell with finger lift
Connection cable (not shown)*
Power supply (not shown) *
\
___
;
Stylus
pressure gauge -white plastic instrument with mN scale (not shown) *
Hexagonal key (not shown) *
©Pro-Ject Audio
Systems
·
Pro-Ject
RPM
3 Carbon I Ortofon
2M
SILVER·
Revision
2015.07.
15
3

Pro-Ject
RPM
3 Carbon
Dear music lover,
thank you
for
purchasing a Pro-Ject
Audio
Systems ' record player.
In
order to achieve maximum performance and reliabili
ty
with this record player you should study these instructions
for use carefully.
Warning ofa hazard
for
the
user,
the
unit
or
possible misuse.
Important notice.
The
record player
is
supplied without cartridge
or
with a factory fitted
and
adjusted cartridge
Ortofon
2M
SILVER.
**
The following instructions
for
adjusting the cartridge are provided in case the cartridge
is
mounted
(turntable was supplied without cartridge)
or
is
replaced by a different model
at
a later date .
During assembly and adjustment
of
the deck small parts could be lost
if
not
carefully placed in a suitable
receptacle. Before starting assembly make yourself acquainted with the parts listed above
and
correspondingly
numbered in the technical drawings above. Separately packed items are marked with an asterisk*.
Safety instructions
Set-up
The
pow
er
supply and the power
switch
(
1)
are
used
to
disconnect the unit
from
the mains. Make
sure
th
at the plug and the switch
are
easily accessible at
all
times. Hold the
plug
wh
en unplugg
ing
th
e
power
cord. Never handle the power cord
whil
e your hands ore wet or damp.
Avoid
letting
liquids enter the device. Never place any item containing
liquid,
such as a
flower
vase
on
or near
the
device. Never
spill
any
liquid
on the device. Never place any naked
flame
sources,
such
as
lighted candles
on
or near the dev
ice.
The
product shall not be used
in
damp or wet locations,
next
to
a bathtub, sink, swimming pool or any other similar conditions.
Keep
plastic
bags away
from
c
hildren
to
prevent any
risk
of
suHocation.
Make sure the surface you wish
to
use
the turntable on
is
level (use a spirit level) before placing the turntable
on it.
After putting the motor unit in place, fit the drive belt
(2)
around
the platter (3)
and
the smaller
diameter
part
of the mo
tor
pulley (
1)
.
Avoid
getting
sw
e
at
or
grease
on
the belt as these will deteriorate the performance
and reduce the belt's lifespan. Use absorbent kitchen paper to remove any oil
or
grease from the outer edge
of
the platter and the belt.
Remove the transport lock (16) from the tonearm. Store it in the original
packaging
so they are available
for
any future transportation.
4 ©
Pr
o-Ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject
RPM
3 Ca
rbon/
Ort
ofon 2M S
ILV
ER · Revision 201 5.
07
.1
5

Cartridge downforce adjustment
The counterweight (4) supplied
is
suitable
for
cartridges weighing between 5 -
9g
(counterweight no. 83).
Adjust the downforce
prior
to
setting the anti-skating force.
Place counterweight (4) halfway
along
the counterweight support rod at rear
of
arm, being sure to have the
securing screw uppermost.
With the power off,
and
the platter static, place the stylus pressure
gouge
onto the plotter. To set the
recommended
18mN
downforce
(1
mN
=
0,1 g
I
0,1 Pond), place the tip
of
the stylus exactly in-between the
two points marked
15mN
and
20mN.
If the stylus
gauge
becomes level, then the correct pressure has been achieved. However
if
the there
is
insufficient
or
excessive pressure the
gauge
will either
not
move
or
tilt down.
To adjust the
amount
of
pressure, carefully move the counterweight (4)
along
the support rod, until the stylus
pressure
is
sufficient
to
raise the pressure gauge to the level position.
Moving
the counterweight
(4)
away
from the cartridge will reduce pressure
and
towards will increase pressure.
Finally secure the counterweight
(4)
using hexagonal key provided.
Please
note:
It
is
advised
to
remove sty/us
tip
from
gouge whilst making adjustments
to
ovoid damage
to
stylus.
Adjusting the vertical tracking angle (vta)
**
Put
a record
on
the plotter. When the needle
is
lowered into the record groove and the tonearm
is
not resting
on the lift arm, the tube
of
the tonearm should be parallel
to
the surface
of
the record.
If this
is
not the case, loosen both screws in the tonearm base just enough to
allow
vertical movement
of
the
arm
pillar
without force
and
slide the
arm
up
or
down until it
is
parallel.
Carefully retighten the screws without applying excessive force (which
would
deform the
arm
pillar) -finger
tight
is
quite sufficient.
Adjusting the azimuth
••
The cartridge needle should be vertical when entering the record groove in
order
to
trace the groove wall modulations correctly.
A small screw
at
the
bear
ing end
of
the
arm
allows incorrect azimuth
to
be corrected
if
your needle
is
not mounted exactly perpendicular
to
the cartridge
body
(wh
ich
sometimes can be the case).
Release the screw just enough
to
be
able
to
revolve the
arm
tube without applying
force. Please note:
do
not
remove the screw completely!
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screw
With the aid
of
a
good
magnifying glass adjust the
arm
tube
until the needle
is
vertical in the groove
(i
.e.
perpendicular
to
the record's surface). Ideally this should correspond to the
top
surface
of
the cartridge body
being parallel
to
the record surface.
When you are satisfied with the position
of
the needle retighten the screw carefully.
Under
no
circumstances
should the
arm
tube be
adjusted
with
the
needle
still
in
the record groove!
Irreparable
damage
may
be
caused
to
the
cantilever suspension!
The
arm
must be lifted
to
make
each adjustment and lowered afterwords
to
check
it.
Anti-skating force adjustment
The anti-skating force must be adjusted corresponding
to
the downforce.
The anti-skating mechanism
is
calibrated from 0
to
Sg. The anti-skating force should
correspond with the downforce.
Three examples
of
magnetic anti-skating mechanism:
a)
Downforce -
1,5g;
Anti-skating force 1,Sg
b)
Downforce - 1
,7g;
Anti-skating force
1,7g
c)
Downforce -
2,3g;
Anti-skating force
2,3g
©
Pro
-
Ject
Audio
Sy
ste
ms
·
Pro
-Je
ct
RPM
3
Ca
rb
on
I
Ortofon 2M
SILVER·
Revision
2015.07.15
5

.,1H+:THI
Connection to the amplifier
The record player has gold plated female
RCA
phono sockets
(9)
for
connection to the amplifier using the
supplied interconnect cables.
Use
the Phono input (sometimes labelled gram, disc
or
RIM)
on your amplifier. Make sure that the phono
input offers correct matching and amplification
for
the type
of
cartridge used. Line inputs (such
as
CD, Tuner,
Tape
or
Video) are not suitable.
Take care to connect the left and right channels correctly. The right channel
is
usually marked red, the left
channel black
or
white. Check the manual supplied with your amplifier
for
relevant information. An earthing
wire may be connected
to
the screw terminal between the sockets if you encounter hum problems when using
the record player.
If your amplifier does not have an input suitable
for
phono cartridges you will require a separate phono
amplifier stage
for
MM
or
MC
cartridges which
is
then connected between the record player and a free line
level input
of
the amplifier.
For detailed product information regarding Pro-Ject Audio interconnect cables and
phono
amplifiers please
refer to the Pro-Ject web site www.project-audio.com.
~
The
recommended load impedance for
the
factory
fitted
cartridge
is
:
47kohms/MM
-input
Mains power connection
The
turntable
is
supplied with the universal power supply with 3 exchangeable sockets adapters suitable
for
all countries. Select the correct adapter
for
your country and insert the adapter
to
the exchangeable part
of
the power supply.
Connect the low voltage plug from the power supply to the socket
(8)
on the rear
of
the record player before
connecting the power supply to the mains.
Switching
on
and off
Pressing the power switch
(1)
alternately starts
or
stops the motor.
Changing replay speed
To
reach
45
r.p.m. put the belt
(2)
over the larger diameter part
of
the motor pulley (11).
To
revert to
33
r.p.m. repeat the proceedings using the smaller step on the pulley.
~
For
detailed product information please refer
to
the
Pro-Ject
web site www.project-audio.com.
6 ©
Pro-Ject
Audio
Systems
·
Pro-Ject
RPM
3
Carbon
I Ortofon
2M
SILVER
·
Revision
2015.07.
15

Maintenance and cleaning
Your record player requires little
or
no regular maintenance. Remove dust with a slightly moistened antistatic
cloth. Never
use
a dry cloth because this will create static electricity which attracts more dust! Antistatic
cleaning fluids are available at specialist stores but must
be
applied sparingly to avoid
damage
to
rubber
parts.
It
is
recommended to fit the needle cover before cleaning
or
maintenance
is
carried out to avoid damage.
If the player
is
not used over a long period of time the drive belt can
be
removed to prevent unequal stretching.
-;;'
Always disconnect the record player
from
the mains power supply
as
a precaution before maintenance!
Fitting and connecting the cartridge
**All
cartridges with half inch mounting holes can
be
fitted. Leaving the needle's protection cover on, fit the
cartridge to the headshell using the screws supplied with the cartridge
by
passing one screw through each
slot
in
the headshell (14).
Do
not tighten the nuts
yet.
Connect the tonearm wires to the cartridge pins
as
follows:
white left channel positive
(L
+)
red
right channel pos. (R+}
green right channel return
(R
-)
blue left channel return
(L
-)
The
full sound quality
of
the record player can only
be
achieved if the cartridge
is
correctly adjusted. Particular
tools like the Pro-Ject Alignment Tool are required to accomplish
this
job properly.
If
you
are not
well
acquainted with the adjustment of cartridges
you
are advised to call upon the willing help of
your Pro-Ject dealer to accomplish this task
for
you.
Please note: adiusting a cartridge and tonearm calls
for
the greatest care
in
order
to
avoid damaging
the cartridge
or
tonearm bearings. Leave
this
work
to
your dealer
if
you
are
in
any way unsure of the
necessary steps and precautions
to
be taken.
Useful
tips
The record player should be positioned on a low-resonance surface such
as
wood
or
multiple layer ply board
to avoid structural vibrations disturbing replay.
Technical specifications Pro-Ject
RPM
3 Carbon
I
Pro-Ject 1
Os
Carbon
Nominal speeds
Speed variance
Wow
and flutter
Signal to noise
Effective tonearm
mass
Effective tonearm length
Overhang
Power consumption
Outboard
power supply
Dimensions (W x H x
D)
Weight
33/45
r.p.m.
33:0,14%
33:0,19%
-71
dB
16g
10"
(254mm)
16mm
45:0,11%
45:
0,08%
5 W max I <
0,5W
standby
15V DC I
800mA,
universal power supply
447
x
118
x
373mm
5,5
kg
net
Technical specifications
MM-Cartridge
Ortofon
2M
Silver
Frequency range
Channel separation
Output
voltage
Recommended load impedance
Compliance/stylus type
Recommended tracking force
Weight
20-22.000Hz
25dB/1
kHz
5,5mV
47kohms/amplifier
connection-
MM-input
20,Um/mN
-elliptical
18mN
7,2g
©
Pro-Ject
Audio
Systems
·
Pro-Ject
RPM
3
Carbon
I
Ortofon
2M
SILVER
·
Revision
2015.07.15
7

Potential incorrect use and fault conditions
Pro-Ject turntables are manufactured
to
the highest standards
and
undergo
strict quality controls before
leaving the factory. Faults
that
may possibly
occur
are not necessarily due
to
material
or
production faults but
can sometimes
be
caused by incorrect use
or
unfortunate circumstances. Therefore the following list
of
common
fault symptoms
is
included.
The platter doesn't turn although the unit
is
switched on:
The unit
is
not connected
to
the mains power supply.
No
mains
at
the socket.
Drive belt
is
not fitted
or
has slipped off.
No
signal through one
or
other channel
or
both channels:
No
signal contact
from
the cartridge
to
the internal tonearm wiring
or
from
that
to
the
arm
lead or
from that
to
the
phono
box
or
between that and the amplifier. This could be due to a faulty plug,
broken wire
or
solder joint
or
simply loose plug/socket connection.
Phono input not selected
at
amplifier.
Amplifier not switched
on
.
Amplifier
or
speakers defecti
ve
or
muted.
No
connection to the loudspeakers.
Strong hum on phono input:
No
earth connection
from
cartridge
or
arm
or
arm cable
to
amplifier,
or
earth lo
op
.
Distorted or inconsistent sound from one
or
both channels:
Record player
is
connected to wrong input
of
amplifier,
or
MM
/
MC
switch
incor
rectly
se
t.
Needle
or
cantilever damaged.
Wrong r.p.m., drive belt overstretched
or
dirty, platter bearing without oil, dirty
or
damaged.
Service
Should you encounter a problem which you are not able to alleviate
or
identify despite the above information,
please contact your
dealer
for
further advice.
Only
when the problem
cannot
be resolved there should the
unit be sent
to
the responsible distributor in your country.
Guarantee repairs will only be effected if the unit
is
returned correctly packaged. For this reason
we
re
commend
keeping the original packaging.
Never return a record player without making sure that
is
it safely disassembled
and
correctly packaged in the
original packaging according
to
the diagrams
on
the last page
of
this user guide.
Fit the cartridge protection
cap
. Insert the transport lock
for
the tonearm
{16)
prior
to
carefully packaging the
record player.
Warranty
Th
e manufacturer accepts no re
sp
onsibility
for
damage caused by not adhe
ring
to these
in
s
tru
c
ti
ons
for
use and/or by transportation without the original packaging. Modification
or
change to any pa
rt
of
the product by unauthorized persons,
release
the manufacturer
from
any liability
over
and above
the
lawful
rights
of
the customer.
Pro-Ject Audio
Systems
is
a Registered Trademark
of
H.
Li
chtenegger.
This
guide was produced by: Pro-Ject
Audio
Systems
Copyright ©2015. All rights reserved.
The information was correct at the time of going
to
pr
ess.
The manufacturer r
es
erv
es
the right to ma
ke
changes
to
the technical specification without prior
notice as deemed necessary to uphold the
ongo
ing
process of technical development.
8
©
Pro
-J
ect
Audio Syste
ms
·
Pro
-Ject
RPM
3 Carbon
I
O
rt
ofon 2M S
ILV
ER· Revision 2015.07.15

Accessories
~
Instruction for use
g:_-::::==---=2~?
/ 7
-
/Tonearm
transport lock
Counterweight
Platter housing cover
©
Pro-Ject
Aud
io
Sys
te
ms
·
Pro-
J
ect
R
PM
3
Ca
rbon
I
Ortof
on
2M
SI
LVER
·
Rev
is
ion 2015.07.
15
9

•
TWO-POINT
CARTRIDGE ALIGNMENT
PROTRACTOR
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.......
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IH
0
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N
0
+

TheOyster™SeriesPhonoCartridgesby
SUMIKO
2431 Fifth St. Berkeley . CA 94710 . Tel:[phone] . Fax:[phone] . www.sumikoaudio.net

Thank you for your purchase of a Sumiko Oyster Series phono cartridge. Sumiko Oyster™ cartridges are products
resulting from over three decades of cartridge design.We believe that delivered high performance can be achieved
at reasonable prices.The Oyster™ line is the embodiment of this philosophy.
Oyster™ is your ticket of entry for the “high-end” – a world of high technology, where companies go to great
lengths to recreate music in your home.The Oyster™ Series offers superior construction and sound quality with
an emphasis on real world performance.Whether you have purchased a moving magnet or moving coil Sumiko
Oyster™, you can be assured of performance and quality second to none. Enjoy your new cartridge.
Instructions
Mounting: The stylus/cantilever assembly is the most fragile part of any phono cartridge. Please use extreme
caution while handling the cartridge and keep the stylus guard mounted whenever possible to prevent damage
during the mounting process.

Blue Point Special EVO III note: The Blue Point Special EVO III is supplied without a stylus guard so extra care
must be observed when handling. Because of the likelihood of damaging an exposed generator cartridge during the
process of removing and reinstalling the stylus guard, the stylus guard has been omitted from this model.When
mounting a Blue Point Special EVO III,take care not to touch the semi-exposed wires leading from the four gold
plated bars to the coil structure.These wires are very fragile and can be easily broken. Since it is not necessary to
touch the cartridge where the wires are exposed, the mounting process will not be affected in any way.We suggest
that you hold the Blue Point Special EVO III by either the blue top plate or the black rear plate of the cartridge during
the mounting process.
Using the supplied hardware, loosely mount the cartridge on the headshell.With a pair of small needle-nose pliers,
connect the tonearm (headshell) lead wires to the cartridge terminal posts using the following orientation: Red wire
to Right +, Green wire to Right –,White wire to Left +and Blue wire to Left –.Do not solder the leads to the
cartridge terminals as excessive heat may permanently damage the cartridge.

Once the cartridge is mounted, balance the tonearm for the proper vertical tracking force indicated for each
model cartridge (see specifications at the end of this manual).To set the tracking force, first balance the tonearm.
Locate the counterweight. On virtually all pivoted tonearms, it will be located at the rear of the tonearm (meaning
at the opposite end from the cartridge). Generally, it looks like a fairly large, shallow cylinder, usually black in
color and often has numbers (indicating grams of force) ranging from 0 to 3 or more printed on it.As you move the
counterweight backwards, the cartridge end of the arm will lighten (reducing stylus tracking weight), while moving
the counterweight forward will increase the stylus tracking weight.The first objective is to "statically balance" the
arm, which is to achieve the proper weight balance such that the arm "floats" level. Practice a bit and you'll find
it's fairly easy to achieve. Remember to exercise caution so that the stylus and cantilever are kept clear of any
obstructions and are prevented from striking anything that could cause damage.After achieving static balance,
adjust the counterweight to the desired tracking force by bringing the weight in toward the cartridge. Do not apply
anti-skate until the cartridge is aligned.This will be addressed later in the setup process.

We recommend the use of a high quality alignment protractor to determine correct cartridge positioning for the
minimum tracking error. If none are available, follow the tonearm manufacturer’s guidelines for overhang and offset
angle.Then, tighten the mounting bolts.
Note: Do not over tighten the mounting bolts as this may cause damage to the cartridge and is not necessary for
optimum performance.
Tracking Force: After achieving the correct alignment of the cartridge in the headshell, final adjustment of tracking
force can be made.The suspension systems and stylus types used in Oyster™ cartridges are designed to perform
optimally when a tracking force of between 1.7 – 2.3 grams is applied, depending on which model. If under 1.7
grams tracking force is applied, the stylus will not securely seat in the record groove, resulting in increased record
and stylus wear.At greater than 2.3 grams tracking force, the suspension is no longer functioning properly and
dynamics will be lost. Record damage will occur more readily with too little tracking force, rather than too much.A

recommended optimum tracking force setting is given for each model in the specification section of this manual.
Anti-Skate/Bias: Due to the rotational inertia of pivoted tonearms, the friction of the stylus on the record groove
produces a force pulling the stylus toward the center of the record.Anti-Skate (or mechanical bias) is added to
compensate for this force in order to equalize the stylus tracking on the sides of the groove walls. Because this is a
dynamic force, do not attempt adjustment using a blank or grooveless record, as this will result in over compensation.
When using a Sumiko Oyster™ moving magnet cartridge (Oyster™, Black Pearl™ or Pearl™), a value equal to the
tracking force should be applied.
Because anti-skate is based on the mass and compliance of the cartridge design, the amount applied can be quite
a bit different for the varying designs available.The Oyster™ Series moving coil cartridges (Blue Point No. 2 and
Blue Point Special EVO III) are lower compliance and higher mass designs and are less affected by the vector force

applied by playing a record. For this reason, when using one of these cartridges a value of roughly one half that of
the tracking force is the ideal value. In other words, the Blue Point Special EVO III has an ideal tracking force of 2.0
grams.Therefore, the anti-skate value on your tonearm should be set to 1.0 – 1.5.
Vertical Tracking Angle/Stylus Rake Angle: The dimensions of the cutting stylus used in mastering each vinyl record
create a rake (forward-backward tilt) of the record groove.The rake angle may change for different records depending
on the method of mastering used.The corresponding rake of the playback stylus will be one of the determining factors
in the delivered performance of your Oyster™ cartridge; however, all Oyster™ cartridges are designed to give excellent
performance over a very wide window of rake angles.If your tonearm does not have rake or adjustable height adjustment,
you may rest assured that your cartridge will deliver a very high degree of performance.
The following is intended for those who own a tonearm that allows for the adjustment of rake or arm pillar height.To
optimize,start with the tonearm oriented with the back of the arm lower than the front by 51/2 inch. Listen to a recording

of acoustical music,recorded in real space, to determine the tonal balance and soundstage presentation.Adjust the
tonearm pivot height upwards 51/6 inch at a time and listen to the changes.When the correct orientation has been
achieved,the soundstage will be better defined and the music will have a richer harmonic structure.Additionally, surface
noise will be reduced dramatically. If the soundstage comes into focus and becomes very lifelike, but the sound has a
slight hardness to the upper frequencies,the azimuth is probably misaligned (see azimuth section for adjustment details).
Azimuth: For optimum tracking of the record grooves, the stylus must be in correct azimuth (side-to-side tilt)
alignment. Gross side-to-side tilt will result in an actual channel imbalance, but this is not a likely scenario. More
likely, any sort of an azimuth error that you will experience will result in tonal aberrations in the upper frequencies
and not a channel imbalance.
Loading: All Sumiko Oyster™ moving magnet and high output moving coil cartridges are designed to work into a
standard moving magnet phone stage at 47k1loading. It is normal to experience a slightly lower output from your

phono stage relative to a line stage device such as a CD player.
Note: If your receiver or pre-amp has capacitance loading capabilities, a Sumiko high output moving coil cartridges
should be loaded with a value no higher than 200pf, and ideally below 100pf.
Maintenance
Cleaning: Optimum performance can only be achieved by maintaining a clean stylus and record surface. If your
records are kept very clean, the brush supplied with your cartridge will suffice to remove accumulated dust if it is
used after each play. Be sure to either turn the volume down or select a different input prior to doing this. Only use
a back to front motion when contacting the stylus during cleaning.To remove compacted debris, we recommend
LAST cleaning products (The LAST Factory, 2015 Research Dr., Livermore, CA 94550 USA, [phone]) as the
best and safest stylus cleaner available.