Pro-Ject X8 B (global model reference) review

Pro-Ject’s current global turntable directory names the X8 B and links it to a dedicated model page. Its exact U.S. retail configuration, seller package and offer are not established in the evidence reviewed here, so this is an identification and system-fit assessment rather than a U.S. buying recommendation. Keep the X8 B distinct from Pro-Ject’s separately named X8 Evolution: the brand gives the B model its own product page and user guide, and nearby model details should not be transferred to it.

Electronic 33/45 selection, with manual arm handling

The X8 B is a belt-drive turntable. The current model page, information sheet and revised user guide document electronic selection of 33 and 45 RPM at a button. They do not document 78 RPM, so a 78-record collection needs a separate exact-model confirmation rather than an assumption based on another Pro-Ject deck. This is not a fully automatic player: the guide covers balancing and adjusting the cartridge, using the arm lift and placing the stylus on a record. It does not specify automatic arm return or a platter stop at the end of play.

The practical benefit of the electronic selector is that the supported 33/45 change does not call for moving the belt by hand. That limited convenience should not be mistaken for automatic start, return or end-stop operation. Someone who wants to lower and lift the tonearm manually can work from the provided instructions; anyone requiring the turntable to complete the whole playback cycle should treat this model as unverified for that requirement.

A heavy platter, and a mat choice that differs from Xtension

Pro-Ject specifies a 5.1 kg, machined aluminium platter damped with TPE, supported by an inverted bearing with a ceramic tip and magnetic support. A felt mat is supplied in the global specification and the product page presents the removable mat as a way to try alternatives. That is a useful configuration distinction from the Xtension 9 Evolution: the manufacturer describes a vinyl layer bonded to that model’s platter, while the X8 B uses a replaceable mat. The X8 B’s three height-adjustable aluminium feet are also damped with TPE; Pro-Ject says they are quicker to set up than the magnetic feet on its Xtension 9 and 10. These are construction and setup differences, not independent proof of audible performance.

The specification assigns a 9-inch carbon-fibre tonearm to the X8 B. Cartridge selection is not a universal package fact: Pro-Ject describes versions with or without an Ortofon Quintet Blue, while the official photo shown here includes that cartridge. Ask which cartridge is fitted to any specific unit and check its downforce and phono-stage requirements before using a seller’s listing as a match. A product photograph cannot establish what is in the carton.

The balanced route is an upgrade path, not the included connection

The turntable has a five-pin DIN output and the manufacturer lists a semi-balanced 5P-to-RCA lead as the included cable. Pro-Ject describes a separate 5P-to-XLR lead and a compatible balanced phono stage as the way to build its “True Balanced” signal path. The optional cable and phono stage are not the standard RCA arrangement, and the chosen cartridge also matters. Do not treat the presence of a DIN socket or the phrase “balanced” as proof that any seller’s bundle contains a complete balanced chain.

The manual directs the user to a phono input compatible with the fitted cartridge, or to a separate phono-amplifier stage before a line input. It does not document a built-in phono preamp. As a result, ordinary powered speakers with only LINE/AUX inputs need a suitable external stage; a PHONO input on a receiver may provide the stage if it is compatible with the cartridge. The manual lists a universal power supply and interchangeable country adapters, but the exact U.S. seller package is not verified here.

Plan for weight and working clearance

The manufacturer lists the body as 465 × 150 × 350 mm with the lid closed and 465 × 415 × 420 mm with it open, at 15 kg. Those figures are published dimensions, not a clearance plan: a shelf must also allow the lid to open, the arm to move, cables to bend and the deck to sit securely. Its mass is worth checking against the support furniture before ordering a particular configuration. The current global manual is a useful setup source, but the manufacturer’s U.S. dealer directory only identifies a distributor and does not provide an X8 B line list, local SKU or exact seller box contents.

Who this reference helps

The X8 B is best understood here as a global model identity with a clearly documented 33/45 operating outline, manually cued tonearm, removable felt mat and optional balanced phono upgrade. It may help someone distinguish an X8 B listing from an X8 Evolution or compare the model’s published design choices before asking a dealer about a local offer. It is not evidence that a particular U.S. configuration is available. No listening test, ownership, measured performance or hands-on setup is claimed. Confirm the exact model name, cartridge, supply, cable and included parts against the unit’s own documentation before treating it as the same product.

Primary sources: Pro-Ject X8 B product page, X8 B product information, X8 B user guide, X8 B setup guide and the official dealer directory.