Pro-Ject Audio Systems X8 User manual

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
X8

© Pro-Ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject X8 · Revisio 2022.02.01
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© Pro-Ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject X8 · Revisio 2022.02.01
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X8
Controls, features, and connections
(1) PLATTER WITH FELT MAT
(2) CHASSIS
(3) MOTOR WITH MOTOR PULLEY
(4) DRIVE BELT
(5) SPEED CONTROL
(6) TONEARM FLANGE
(7) TONEARM COUNTERWEIGHT
(8) TONEARM LIFT
(9) TONEARM REST AND REMOVABLE TRANSPORT LOCK
(10) TONEARM TUBE
(11) HEADSHELL WITH FINGER LIFT
(12) ANTI-SKATING WEIGHT WITH THREAD
(13) ANTI-SKATING WEIGHT SUPPORT
(14) ANTI-SKATING STUB WITH ANTI-SKATING ADJUSTMENT SCALE
(15) LID
(16) LID HINGE
(17) HINGE FASTENERS
(18) 5-POLE DIN OUTPUT SOCKLET
(19) POWER SUPPLY SOCKET
(20) MAIN POWER BUTTON
(21) HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE, TPE DAMPED FEET
Turntable accessories
(1) Setup guide
(2) Cartridge alig me t protractor
(3) A ti-skati g weight
(4) Alle key 1.5mm
(5) Alle key 3mm
(6) Cou terweight o. 46 for cartridges with weight betwee 7 - 10g
(7) Si gle adaptor
(8) Co ect IT E 5P 1,23m
(9) Power supply
(10) White cotto gloves

© Pro-Ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject X8 · Revisio 2022.02.01
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CONTENTS
TURNTABLE OVERVIEW 2 - 3
ACCESSORIES OVERVIEW 3
SETUP AND INSTALLATION
1. PLATTER AND DRIVE BELT ASSEMBLY 5
2. MOUNTING AND CONNECTING THE CARTRIDGE 6
3. CARTRIDGE DOWNFORCE ADJUSTMENT 6
4. ANTI-SKATING FORCE ADJUSTMENT 6 - 7
5. CONNECTION TO THE AMPLIFIER 7
6. MAINS POWER CONNECTION 7
7. FITTING THE LID 7
8. SWITCHING ON AND OFF 7
9. CHANGING REPLAY SPEED 8
10. ADJUSTING THE VERTICAL TRACKING ANGLE (VTA) 8
11. ADJUSTING THE AZIMUTH 8
12. USEFUL TIPS 9
13. MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING 9
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 9
WARRANTY, SERVICE 10
PACKAGING 11

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Dear music lover,
Tha k you for purchasi g a Pro-Ject Audio Systems record player.
I order to achieve maximum performa ce a d reliability, please study these i structio s carefully.
Warning of a hazard for the user, the unit or possible misuse
Important notice
The followi g i structio s for adjusti g the cartridge are provided i case the cartridge is replaced by a
differe t model at a later date.
Duri g assembli g a d adjustme t small parts could be lost if they are ot carefully placed i a suitable
receptacle. Before starti g assembly make yourself acquai ted with the parts listed above which are
correspo di gly umbered i the tech ical drawi gs above.
Safety instructions
The power supply is used to connect and disconnect the unit from the mains. Make sure that the
plug is always easily accessible. Hold the plug when unplugging the power cord. Ne er handle the
power cord while your hands are wet or damp.
A oid letting liquids enter the de ice. Ne er place any item containing liquid, like a flower ase, on
or near the de ice. Ne er spill any liquid on the de ice. Ne er place any naked flame sources, like
lighted candles, on or near the de 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 children to pre ent any risk of suffocation.
The tur table was shipped partially disassembled i order to avoid damage to se sitive parts.
Please check immediately to make sure that either the packagi g or the device was damaged
i tra sit.
SETUP AND INSTALLATION
1. PLATTE AND D IVE BELT ASSEMBLY
I stall the drive belt (4) a d the platter (1) as show i followi g ilustratio .
!
!

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2. MOUNTING AND CONNECTING THE CA T IDGE
All cartridges with half i ch mou ti g holes ca be mou ted. Leave the eedle's protectio cover o , fit
the cartridge to the headshell by usi g the supplied screws by passi g o e screw through each slot i
the headshell (11). Do ot tighte the uts yet.
Co ect the to earm wires with the cartridge pi s as follows:
white left cha el positive (L+)
red right cha el positive ( +)
green right cha el retur ( -)
blue left cha el retur (L-)
The full sou d quality of the record player ca o ly be achieved if the cartridge is adjusted correctly.
Particular tools like the Pro-Ject Audio Systems alig me t tool are required to accomplish this job properly.
If you are ot well acquai ted with the adjustme t of cartridges, please call for the willi g help of your Pro-
Ject Audio Systems dealer.
Please note: adjusting a cartridge and tonearm calls for the greatest care in order to a oid
damaging the cartridge or tonearm bearings. Ask your local dealer for help if you are unsure in
any of the necessary steps and precautions which must be taken.
3. CA T IDGE DOWNFO CE ADJUSTMENT
The cou terweight (7) supplied is suitable for cartridges weighi g betwee 7 - 10g (cou terweight o.
46). Adjust the dow force prior to setti g the a ti-skati g force.
Place cou terweight (7) halfway alo g the cou terweight support rod at rear of arm, so that the
dow force scale shows towards the fro t of the player. Lower the armlift a d positio the cartridge i the
space betwee arm rest a d platter. Carefully rotate the cou terweight (7) u til the armtube bala ces
out. The arm should retur to the bala ced positio if it is moved up or dow . This adjustme t must be
do e carefully. Do ot forget to remove the cartridge protectio cap if fitted.
O ce the arm is correctly bala ced retur it to the rest. Hold the cou terweight (7) without movi g it, a d
ge tly revolve the dow force scale ri g u til the zero is i li e with the a ti-skati g pro g. Check whether
the arm still bala ces out.
Rotate the cou terweight cou ter clockwise (see from the fro t) to adjust the dow force accordi g to
the cartridge ma ufacturer's recomme datio s. O e mark o the scale represe ts 1 mN (= 0.1g / 0.1
Po d) of dow force.
The recommended downforce for the factory fitted cartridge is 18mN.
4. ANTI-SKATING FO CE ADJUSTMENT
Put the a ti-skati g thread hook over the a ti-skati g adjustme t scale.
The a ti-skati g force must be adjusted correspo di g to the dow force as follows:
Dow force Groove i the stub (15)
10 - 14mN 1
st
from beari g ri gs
15 - 19mN 2
d
" " "
20mN a d bigger 3
rd
" " "

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5. CONNECTION TO THE AMPLIFIE
The record player use a output through a 5-pole DIN co ector (18). Use supplied Pro-Ject Connect IT
5P – E cable to co ect the tur table to the amplifier. You ca substitute the i terco ect cables supplied
with higher quality cables such as the Pro-Ject Connect IT Si i terco ect cables for co ectio to the
amplifier if you wish. Use the Phono i put (sometimes labelled gram, disc or RIAA) o your amplifier.
Make sure that the pho o i put offers correct matchi g a d amplificatio for the type of cartridge used.
Li e i puts (like CD, Tu er, Tape or Video) are ot suitable.
Take care about co ecti g the left a d right cha el correctly. The IGHT CHANNEL is usually marked
ED, the LEFT CHANNEL BLACK or WHITE. Check the ma ual of your amplifier for releva t i formatio .
If your amplifier does ot have a i put suitable for pho o cartridges, a separate pho o amplifier stage
for MM or MC cartridges is required. It has to be co ected betwee record player a d a free li e level
i put of the amplifier.
For detailed product i formatio regardi g Pro-Ject Audio Systems i terco ect cables a d pho o
amplifiers please visit our website: www.project-audio.com
6. MAINS POWE CONNECTION
A u iversal power supply with 3 excha geable sockets adapters suitable for all cou tries is supplied.
Select the correct adapter for your cou try a d i sert the adapter to the excha geable part of the power
supply.
Connect the low oltage plug from the power supply to the socket (19) on the rear of the record
player before connecting the power supply to the mains.
7. FITTING THE LID
Fit the lid (dust cover 15) carefully over the hi ge pro gs a d adjust the screws (17) u til the lid stays
ope where you wa t it to without bei g too stiff to ope or close.
8. SWITCHING ON AND OFF
Press the mai power butto (20) to start the tur table.

© Pro-Ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject X8 · Revisio 2022.02.01
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9. CHANGING EPLAY SPEED
To play records at 33 r.p.m. press the speed co trol butto (5). Pressi g the speed co trol butto o e
more time selects 45 r.p.m. The selected speed is show respectively by the flashi g LED. Whe the platter
has attai ed full speed, the LEDs stop flashi g.
10. ADJUSTING THE VE TICAL T ACKING ANGLE (VTA)
Put a record o the platter. Whe the eedle is lowered i to the record groove a d the to earm is ot
resti g o the lift arm, the tube of the to earm should be parallel to the surface of the record.
If it is ot, loose both hexago screws i the to earm base just e ough to allow vertical moveme t of
the arm pillar without force a d slide the arm up or dow u til it is parallel.
Retighte the hexago screws without applyi g excessive force (which would deform the arm pillar) –
fi ger tight is quite sufficie t.
11. ADJUSTING THE AZIMUTH
The cartridge eedle must be vertical i the record groove i order to trace the groove wall modulatio s
correctly.
A small screw at the beari g e d of the arm allows i correct azimuth to be corrected.
Slacke off the screw just e ough to be able to revolve the arm tube without applyi g force. Note! Do
ot remove this screw completely!

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12. USEFUL TIPS
The lid is ot o ly a dust cover but also a reso a t structure likely to be excited by a d to pass i to the
pli th the acoustic e ergy ema ati g from your loudspeakers duri g replay. Therefore, it is
recomme ded to remove the lid for achievi g a better sou d quality. The record player should be
positio ed o a low-reso a ce surface, like wood or multiple layer ply board to avoid structural
vibratio s disturbi g replay.
13. MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING
Your record player requires little or o regular mai te a ce. Remove dust with a slightly moiste ed
a tistatic cloth. Never use a dry cloth because this will create static electricity which attracts eve more
dust! A tistatic clea i g fluids are available at specialized stores but must be applied spari gly to avoid
damage to rubber parts. It is recomme ded to fit the eedle cover before clea i g or mai te a ce to avoid
damage.
If the player is ot used over a lo g period of time, the drive belt should be removed to preve t u equal
stretchi g.
Always disconnect the record player from the mains power supply as a precaution before
maintenance!
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Pro-Ject X8 / Pro-Ject 9cc Evolution
Nomi al speeds 33/45/78 r.p.m.
Speed varia ce 33: ±0.11 % 45: ±0.09 %
Wow a d flutter 33: ±0.11 % 45: ±0.10 %
Sig al to oise -73dB
Effective to earm mass 8.5g
Effective to earm le gth 9 " (230mm)
Overha g 18mm
Power co sumptio 5W/ 0.3W sta dby mode
Outboard power supply 15V/ 0.8 A DC, u iversal power supply
Dime sio s (W x H x D) 465 x 150 x 350mm, dust cover ope 465 x 415 x 420mm
Weight 15 kg
!

© Pro-Ject Audio Systems · Pro-Ject X8 · Revisio 2022.02.01
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Potential incorrect use and fault conditions
Pro-Ject tur tables are ma ufactured to the highest sta dards a d u dergo strict quality co trols before
leavi g the factory. Faults that may possibly occur are ot ecessarily due to material or productio
faults but ca sometimes be caused by i correct use or u fortu ate circumsta ces. Therefore the followi g
list of commo fault symptoms is i cluded.
The platter doesn't turn although the unit is switched on:
The u it is ot co ected to the mai s power supply.
No mai s at the socket.
Drive belt is ot fitted or has slipped off.
No signal through one or other channel or both channels:
No sig al co tact from the cartridge to the i ter al to earm wiri g or from that to the arm lead or
from that to the pho o box or betwee that a d the amplifier. This could be due to a faulty plug,
broke wire or solder joi t or simply loose plug/socket co ectio .
Pho o i put ot selected at amplifier.
Amplifier is ot switched o .
Amplifier or speakers are defective or muted.
No co ectio to the loudspeakers.
Strong hum on phono input:
No earth co ectio from cartridge or arm or arm cable to amplifier, or earth loop.
Distorted or inconsistent sound from one or both channels:
Record player is co ected to wro g i put of amplifier, or MM/MC switch i correctly set.
Needle or ca tilever damaged.
Wro g r.p.m., drive belt overstretched or dirty, platter beari g without oil, dirty or damaged.
Service
Should you e cou ter a problem which you are ot able to alleviate or ide tify despite the above
i formatio , please co tact your dealer for further advice. O ly whe the problem ca ot be resolved
there should the u it be se t to the respo sible distributor i your cou try.
Guara tee repairs will o ly be affected if the u it is retur ed correctly packaged. For this reaso we
recomme d keepi g the origi al packagi g.
Never retur a record player without maki g sure that is it safely disassembled a d correctly packaged
i the origi al packagi g accordi g to the diagrams o the last page of this user guide. Please remove these
parts a d pack them separately: lid, cou terweight, a ti-skati g weight, platter a d belt. Fit the cartridge
protectio cap. I sert the tra sport screws for the sub-chassis, the tra sport lock for the to earm prior to
carefully packagi g the record player.
Warranty
The manufacturer accepts no responsibility for damage caused by not adhering to these
instructions for use and/or by transportation without the original packaging. Modification or
change to any part of the product by unauthorized persons, release the manufacturer from any
liability o er and abo e the lawful rights of the customer.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems is a Registered Trademark of
H. Lichte egger.
This guide was produced by: Pro-Ject Audio Systems
Copyright
©
2022. All rights reserved.
The i formatio was correct at the time of goi g to press.
The ma ufacturer reserves the right to make cha ges to
the tech ical specificatio without prior otice as
deemed ecessary to uphold the o goi g process of
tech ical developme t.