Pro-Ject XA B Balanced Acrylic Turntable

The XA B balanced acrylic turntable is a gorgeous, high-performance edition to the X Series. It implements a 10″ one-piece aluminum tonearm with a balanced 5-pin DIN output. Also utilizing a balanced balanced MM phono cartridge (the first of its kind!) it brings you one step closer to balanced operation. You need only a DIN > Mini XLR or DIN to XLR cable with which to connect the turntable to any of our Phono Box S3 B, Phono Box DS3 B, Tube Box DS3 B, or Phono Box RS2 balanced phono preamps.

A Clearer Picture

For over 30 years we’ve designed & built turntables that focus on sound quality over convenience-oriented features. Along the way we’ve experimented with materials that vary in their resonance properties, and acrylic has remained . Our first ever acrylic turntable (the 6.9Perspective) was a huge success. 6PerspeX variants have been around for 15+ years too, not to mention a host of 2Xperience variants in acrylic. Needless to say, the limited run of our Perspective Final Edition turntable sold out swiftly as well. We take pride in how these turntables take advantage of both the aesthetic & sonic virtues of acrylic in hi-fi, but using acrylic in manufacturing not as easy as you might think. True, it’s anti-resonant, but the rest of the turntable too must lend sonic value to the equation. Measurement & critical listening reveal that acrylic can actually over-damp sonics if it’s not used thoughtfully. XA B uses an aluminum tonearm & platter, the Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge & purpose-selected isolation feet to render music in a lively, dynamic & detail-rich manner… an experience that becomes doubly immersive when you decide to take the plunge into the world of balanced phono.

Premium 10″ Tonearm

The XA B turntable features a premium 10“ one-piece aluminum armtube. The single-piece tube heightens rigidity while the 10″ length widens the tonearm’s arc, reducing tracing error. The low-friction 4-pinpoint cardanic bearing assembly guarantees precise, stable & accurate tracking. We’ve selected the aluminum armtube over carbon fiber for its sonic merits when paired with the resonant frequency of the acrylic plinth. The tonearm also offers audiophiles full control over their adjustment parameters. One can fine-tune not only tracking force & anti-skate, but also VTA & azimuth if needed. Listeners with cartridge-mounting skills are encouraged to try various cartridges and/or record mats to achieve their desired sonics!

Our classic anti-skating system (adaptive anti-skating) changes with the skating force, which varies across a record side as groove conditions change. The TPE-damped counterweight significantly reduces unwanted armtube resonance. We use high-precision stainless steel cardanic tonearm bearings, meaning there’s minimal friction as the tonearm moves and absolutely no ‘play’ (or wiggle) in the bearing structure. This allows the stylus & cartridge to do their jobs unimpeded.

True Balanced

The Pro-Ject Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge allows for “True Balanced” signal transmission. A revised version of the Pick it PRO, we re-route the grounding so that it sends a symmetrical signal. The big advantage of a balanced connection is its ability to remove accrued noise and interference from the transmission line (not to mention +6dB gain!). In short, you get more music & less noise – the improvement is not subtle.Our True Balanced cable range offers several options for connecting your XA B to our Phono Box S3 B, Phono Box DS3 B, Tube Box DS3 B or Phono Box RS2 phono stages. Any phono preamp with mini XLR or XLR inputs will do the trick! With XA B’s DIN output, you’d require either an DIN > mini XLR or DIN > XLR cable.

High-Quality DIN > RCA Cable

Cables cannot add any information back to a given signal, rather, they’re responsible for allowing as much musical information as possible through to the receiving device. This is why we include our Connect it Phono E 5P > RCA cable. Optimized for phono applications, we’ve implemented quality metals & careful configuration to ensure lossless signal transmission.

TPE-Damped Die-Cast Platter

The 1.7kg (3.75lbs) die-cast aluminum platter is precision-balanced with additional machining after casting. This facilitates perfect platter rotation while playing records. The heavy aluminum platter also adds a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) damping ring & corresponding cutout on the underside, muting any resonance created by the metal record platter and contributing to the flywheel effect.

Damped, Height-Adjustable Feet

The XA B stands on three damped & height-adjustable feet for excellent isolation. By using 3 feet we are able to increase stability on uneven surfaces for optimal leveling – a critical setup parameter in terms of maximizing the performance of a tonearm & cartridge.

Sophisticated DC/AC Generator

Our turntables use switch-mode power supplies for good reason. They take the unrefined AC power from your wall and convert it to DC. That DC power is then fed to DC/AC generator within the turntable, which in turn powers the AC motor. The advantage is that a completely new sine wave is created by the generator, fully decoupling your turntable from the dirty AC power coming from your outlet. This amounts to steady power being fed to the motor thereby enhancing speed stability.

Two Upgrades in One Box

Clean & stable power is critical for phono setups. The included power supply is a great starting point but you can take it a step further. Power Box S3 Phono provides power for the Debut PRO B (15V) as well as your Pro-Ject phono stage (18V). Its two outputs are specifically engineered to power Pro-Ject turntables and phono preamps simultaneously. The sophisticated DC filtration can have a dramatic impact on overall sound quality. In addition to the sonic improvements, Power Box S3 Phono also offers users a cleaner cable solution (only one wall-wart needed for the PSU).