Your needs, this model
Does it fit your priorities?
Can the Yellow Submarine turntable connect directly to a line-only powered speaker?
The exact model guide specifies a PHONO output and says ordinary line inputs are unsuitable without phono amplification. Use a compatible MM PHONO input or add a phono stage before the line input; do not assume an internal line-level preamp.
What speeds and arm operation does its own documentation establish?
The model information lists manual 33/45 rpm speed change; the user guide shows a tonearm lift and setup adjustments. The sources do not document 78 rpm, automatic start/return or a platter stop at the record end.
Does a Yellow Submarine offer include the matching Cover It dustcover?
Not necessarily. Pro-Ject’s product information describes the matching Cover It as optional. The separate accessory item is a dustcover, not the full turntable; confirm the exact cover, power supply and carton with the seller.
Pro-Ject’s current global turntable directory links “Yellow Submarine” to a dedicated page titled The Beatles Yellow Submarine. That page, its product sheet and the model’s own user guide describe a complete, unusually shaped belt-drive turntable—not the separate replacement dustcover that also appears under a similar name. The full model has its own platter, arm, cartridge and phono output. This evidence supports a global reference assessment, while leaving the exact U.S. retail offer and seller package unresolved.
A shaped plinth and an edition-specific pickup
The most obvious difference is physical: the plinth is formed as a yellow submarine, with the record platter displayed on top. Pro-Ject says the edition was developed with the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine release in mind and identifies a matching yellow Ortofon Concorde Sonar cartridge. The official product image shows that full exact-model assembly, including the submarine-shaped body, glass platter and yellow cartridge. It is an official model image, not a promise about the version or accessories in any particular U.S. carton. The dedicated information sheet lists a belt drive with synchronous motor, a 300 mm glass platter and felt mat, an 8.6-inch S-shaped aluminium arm with sapphire bearing, and the Concorde Sonar cartridge. Its stylus is spherical; the user guide says to use a moving-magnet PHONO input and specifies 47 kΩ/MM loading for the factory-fitted cartridge. The maker lists 33 and 45 rpm with manual speed change. The product is therefore not simply a decorative shell for the accessory listing: the sources describe a working turntable with model-specific playback components.Build around a PHONO input or add a phono stage
Connection is the main practical distinction from Pro-Ject’s Peanuts Turntable and George Harrison edition in this same global directory. The Yellow Submarine manual identifies a PHONO output socket and tells the owner to connect it to a matching PHONO, gram, disc or RIAA input. It warns that ordinary CD, tuner, tape and video line inputs are not suitable by themselves. If the system has no suitable phono input, the manual calls for a separate phono-amplifier stage between the deck and a line-level input. That means a receiver with a compatible moving-magnet phono input can provide the needed gain, or a separate external stage can feed powered speakers or an amplifier’s AUX/LINE input. The turntable does not document a built-in phono preamp in the exact sources reviewed here, so do not plan on a direct line-level connection without additional phono amplification. Bluetooth and USB outputs are likewise not documented for this model; if either is a hard requirement, ask for evidence for the exact item rather than assuming a feature from another Pro-Ject edition.Expect manual setup and a larger shelf footprint
The sheet gives an overall body size of 500 × 120 × 400 mm (about 19.69 × 4.72 × 15.75 inches) and a net weight of 4.5 kg. The wide shaped plinth needs more shelf width than many rectangular tables, and the body numbers do not include extra room to lift a cover, reach the arm, route RCA cables or access the motor controls. The user guide describes leveling the deck, fitting the belt and platter, balancing the arm and setting anti-skating. It recommends 30 mN downforce for the supplied Sonar cartridge. That is a setup task, not evidence of automatic operation. Pro-Ject documents 33 and 45 rpm but no 78-rpm configuration. The sources identify a tonearm lift and manual speed change; they do not establish automatic arm start/return or an automatic platter stop. Do not rely on the unusual body shape to imply convenience features that are not in the model documentation.Do not confuse the optional cover with the whole turntable
Pro-Ject’s product information calls the matching “Cover It” dustcover an optional item. A separately named U.S.-facing accessory listing is also a dustcover, not a listing for the record player. Check whether a particular offer includes that cover instead of assuming it comes in the same box; likewise verify the power supply and local plug. The linked global documents do not establish an exact U.S. seller item, offer or mains package. The manufacturer’s U.S. dealer locator names a distributor but does not list this model as U.S. inventory. That leaves local availability unknown, not disproven. This assessment identifies the global model and its setup needs; it does not certify a U.S. listing or claim personal use.Key specifications
Key details at a glance
| Drive | Belt drive |
|---|---|
| Documented record speeds | 33 / 45 |
| 78-RPM play option | No |
| Included cartridge | Ortofon concorde sonar, yellow, factory fitted |
| Built-in phono preamp | No |
| Manual tonearm cueing | Yes |
| Platter | 300 mm glass platter with felt mat |
| Platter mat | Felt |
| Body width | 19.69 in |
| Body depth | 15.75 in |
| Body height | 4.72 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 current global turntable directory
- Pro-Ject The Beatles Yellow Submarine product page
- Pro-Ject The Beatles Yellow Submarine product information
- Turntable Lab Cover It dustcover listing for the Yellow Submarine
- Pro-Ject The Beatles Yellow Submarine user guide
- Pro-Ject U.S.-selected dealer locator
- Official Pro-Ject Beatles Yellow Submarine turntable 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.