Pro-Ject XA B Balanced Acrylic Turntable review

The XA B stands out visually because its chassis is transparent acrylic, but the more consequential distinction is the included Pick it PRO Balanced moving-magnet cartridge. Pro-Ject pairs that cartridge with both a conventional RCA phono output and a balanced 5-pin DIN phono output. The balanced route is compatible in principle with the supplied cartridge, but still requires a separate balanced cable and compatible phono stage. No internal phono preamp is documented. This is an assessment of the identified U.S.-facing package and official specifications, not a listening test or ownership report.

Balanced-compatible cartridge, with the rest of the chain still required

The XA B's standard RCA connection carries a phono-level signal. It can go to a suitable MM PHONO input on an integrated amplifier or receiver, or to a separate MM stage before line-input powered speakers or an amplifier LINE/AUX input. Passive speakers require an amplifier. The 5-pin DIN socket offers the balanced phono alternative. Pro-Ject describes the Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge as designed for that route, but its product information lists a separate True Balanced cable and compatible balanced phono stage as additional items. The balanced connector cannot be used as a generic line output.

This detail differs from the Debut PRO S Balanced package reviewed alongside it. The PRO S item page identifies the included Pick it S2 C, which is not the Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge; the XA B evidence names the Pick it PRO Balanced. So the two decks both display balanced-output capability, but their supplied cartridge configurations do not create the same out-of-box balanced path. Compare full cartridge names, output connector type and required cable/stage before treating them as equivalent. Their RCA phono routes remain distinct from a line-ready turntable because neither has a documented internal stage.

Acrylic body and substantial aluminum platter

The official Product Information describes an acrylic chassis, a 1.7 kg die-cast aluminum platter with TPE damping, a felt mat and a 10-inch aluminum tonearm. It also lists the Record Puck E and a pre-adjusted cartridge in the package. Those materials and parts explain the table's physical identity and setup choices; they are not evidence of a sound result. The translucent plinth also makes the platter and arm hardware visually prominent, so the exact product image helps distinguish the model from opaque-plinth Pro-Ject tables.

The official figure is 460 × 130 × 340 mm, width × height × depth, or approximately 18.11 × 5.12 × 13.39 inches. A 13.5-inch body-depth cap admits this published dimension, while an 18-inch width cap does not. The difference is narrow enough that the user should check the actual shelf opening and rear cable route instead of rounding the fit casually. The numbers do not include operating clearance for the dust cover, record handling or access to the cue lift.

Manual operation and two standard speeds

The XA B is a belt-drive manual table with electronic 33⅓ and 45 RPM selection. The manual and setup guide show the listener installing the platter and belt, balancing the arm and using a lift to lower the stylus. The material reviewed does not document an automatic start, arm return or platter auto-stop at record end. It also lists no 78-RPM mode, so do not assume that a specialty belt or a three-position switch is part of this product. Users should expect to cue the arm and end playback themselves.

Setup is not simply a matter of placing a record on the clear plinth. The product instructions cover cartridge alignment, tracking force, anti-skating and counterweight balance. The supplied pre-adjusted cartridge may reduce initial assembly work, but the manual still describes tonearm setup and later stylus changes. Anyone uneasy with a manual table should consider an automatic model; anyone who values a deliberate two-speed setup should still budget time to read the exact instructions and verify the offered accessories.

Who is likely to appreciate the XA B?

This design makes the strongest case for a listener who wants a transparent acrylic chassis, an included balanced-capable MM cartridge and a choice between ordinary RCA phono wiring and a separately equipped balanced chain. It is also a comparatively shallow body in the reviewed library, although it is not narrow. The included cartridge gives the balanced connector a more substantiated role than on packages where the installed cartridge does not meet the manufacturer's stated balanced condition.

It is a less suitable choice if the system has only line-level inputs and the owner does not want to add a phono stage, if 78-RPM records are essential, if record-end automation matters, or if the shelf cannot provide extra room beyond roughly 18.1 inches wide and 13.4 inches deep. The clear acrylic body is a design preference, not a functional substitute for a dust cover or stand. No record-end behavior is claimed because the model-specific documents reviewed do not establish it.

Verify the actual package before buying

The U.S.-facing Turntable Lab item page identifies the XA B Balanced Acrylic item and displays retailer reference tr-1083 and UPC 9120129864725. Those are seller-side identity details, not a manufacturer MPN or proof that an offer is available. The official manual and model information identify a pre-adjusted Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge, power supply, RCA phono cable, dust cover, felt mat and puck. Before purchase, confirm those parts and condition in the exact order listing, and check the seller's return policy. A shopper planning balanced use should confirm the required 5-pin DIN cable and compatible balanced MM phono stage separately; someone using RCA should confirm a suitable MM PHONO input or external MM stage.

The XA B is a focused manual table with a package-specific balanced-cartridge advantage, two useful phono-output approaches and a transparent acrylic chassis. Its limits are equally concrete: no built-in phono stage, two documented speeds, manual arm handling, no documented platter stop, and a separate cable and phono stage for the balanced route. Choose it when those characteristics suit the actual system and space, not as a shortcut to line-level speakers or automatic playback.