Your needs, this model
Does it fit your priorities?
Can I connect the Pick it MC3 package straight to ordinary powered-speaker LINE inputs?
No built-in phono stage is documented. Add an MC-compatible phono stage between the turntable's phono output and the speakers' LINE input; confirm cartridge gain/loading before choosing the stage.
Explore this need in the finder →What extra parts make the balanced output usable?
The MC3 package has a mini-XLR phono output, but a true-balanced route needs a separately obtained matching cable and a compatible balanced MC phono stage. A standard RCA route remains available with a correctly matched MC input.
Explore this need in the finder →Will the listed body fit an 18-by-14-inch space?
The official body values convert to about 18.11 by 14.37 inches, so it exceeds both caps. The questionnaire's first half-inch answers that clear those dimensions are 18.5 inches wide and 14.5 inches deep; lid travel, arm access, cabling and support remain additional.
Explore this need in the finder →This assessment covers the U.S.-facing 6PerspeX Balanced package named with the Pick it MC3 moving-coil cartridge. It is a source-led analysis, not a report of ownership, listening tests or measurements. Pro-Ject also documents a no-cartridge version; that is a separate configuration, not a shortcut description of this cartridge-included item.
The construction is unusual, but the connection requirement is ordinary to get wrong
The transparent acrylic plinth carries a Corian sub-chassis suspended by magnetic fields rather than conventional springs. A belt runs from the AC motor around the platter edge, with the manufacturer describing a DC-driven control supply and electronic 33/45 speed selection. The official information sheet lists an MDF-and-vinyl sandwich platter and inverted bearing with a ceramic ball. The 9-inch carbon EVO tonearm has adjustable azimuth and vertical tracking angle, so the platform invites careful cartridge setup rather than removing the need for it. Those are construction and adjustment details; they do not establish a particular sound result in a room. The Pick it MC3 is the more important system decision. This is a moving-coil package, not a line-level turntable. There is no built-in phono preamp. Over the supplied RCA-and-ground route, a receiver's PHONO input or an external phono stage must provide gain and loading suitable for the MC3. A plain AUX, CD or powered-speaker LINE input is not an alternative by itself. For the intended true-balanced path, the manual requires an MC cartridge, and Pro-Ject lists the mini-XLR output; however, the matching balanced cable and balanced phono stage are separate purchases. The extra connector does not itself perform the phono equalization or make an MM-only stage compatible.
Manual cueing remains part of the routine
The speed button starts or stops the motor and toggles 33 to 45 RPM; the tonearm has a lift lever, so placing and lifting the stylus is still the listener's task. The reviewed manufacturer material lists 33 and 45 RPM only. It does not establish 78-RPM playback, automatic arm return or an end-of-record platter stop. Treat those as unknown, not as hidden extras: if you need a documented stop or unattended return, this package should not be chosen on assumption. The manual also explains how to level the sub-chassis and adjust the cartridge if it is replaced; follow the exact carton instructions instead of assuming that an online feature list replaces setup.Reserve room and a solid support, not just a rectangle
The manufacturer's body dimensions are 460 x 183 x 365 mm, approximately 18.11 x 7.20 x 14.37 inches, and the listed net mass is 11 kg (about 24.25 lb). It therefore misses an 18-inch width cap and a 14-inch depth cap, first crossing the questionnaire's half-inch steps at 18.5 and 14.5 inches respectively. Those are body screens, not installation promises. Allow more for the lid, cable bends, arm access and a level, load-bearing surface; this is not a light deck to perch on a narrow shelf. The Pro-Ject information sheet and manual reverse the labels on two performance figures: one gives 0.1% wow/flutter and 0.06% speed drift, while the other assigns those values in the opposite order. Neither number is used here to rank or match the model. The practical tradeoff is clearer without them: this package asks the buyer to provide an MC-capable stage and to handle manual cueing, while offering an adjustable arm, a genuinely balanced output option and electronic 33/45 selection.Who should keep this package on the shortlist?
It makes sense to assess if you already have, or are deliberately choosing, an MC-compatible receiver PHONO input or external MC stage, and you value the balanced connection enough to budget for its cable and phono electronics. It is a poor fit for a system that only has LINE inputs and no planned phono stage, for a required built-in preamp, for hands-off automation, or for an 18-by-14-inch body limit. Before ordering, check that the offer is specifically the Pick it MC3 package—not the separate no-cartridge item—and confirm which cable, cartridge setup state, record clamp, power supply and cover are in the exact carton. No price or current delivery claim is made here.Documents and item records checked
The product identity comes from the named U.S.-facing Audio Advisor item and an independent U.S.-facing Turntable Lab MC3-installed item. The model and setup details come from Pro-Ject's current product page, its product-information sheet and its May 2024 user guide. The dealer image is an exact model image but does not clearly show the MC3; the separate close-up above is captioned as a component, not as a mounted-cartridge photograph. This distinction keeps the source evidence for the package separate from what the pixels alone can prove.Key specifications
Key details at a glance
| Drive | Belt drive |
|---|---|
| Documented record speeds | 33 1/3 RPM / 45 RPM |
| Included cartridge | Pre-adjusted pro-ject pick it mc3 moving-coil cartridge; the exact audio advisor record calls it factory-installed/aligned. |
| Built-in phono preamp | No |
| Manual tonearm cueing | Yes |
| Platter | Mdf/vinyl sandwich platter |
| Body width | 18.11 in |
| Body depth | 14.37 in |
| Body height | 7.2 in |
Use the exact model’s instructions for operating limits, supplied equipment and version differences.
Sources for this review
Sources for this assessment
- Pro-Ject 6PerspeX Balanced official model page
- Pro-Ject 6PerspeX Balanced official product-information sheet
- Pro-Ject 6 PerspeX Balanced official instructions for use, revision 2024-05-27
- Audio Advisor exact U.S.-facing Pick it MC3 package item
- Turntable Lab exact U.S.-facing 6PerspeX Balanced / Pick it MC3 item
- Audio Advisor exact MC3-item turntable image
- Turntable Lab Pick it MC3 component image
Check your phono route before choosing
Check each model's documented input route, arm operation, and body limits. Use the finder to compare supported phono-system arrangements without assuming adjacent models share features.