Pro-Ject Releases 24 EVO Tonearms – Quick Look

All Image Credit:

Pro-Ject has launched a new range of tonearms called EVO. It is comprised of an astounding 24 models that will be available shortly. The new range of arms is split into two categories; EVO Standard and EVO Premium, each being available in either the standard matte-black or optional high gloss (HG) (additional charge) finish:

• EVO Standard – entry models
  • CC -9″, 10″ & 12″ (Straight arm – integral head shell)
  • AS – 9″, 10″ & 12″ (S tonearm – detachable head shell)
• EVO Premium – premium models
  • CA – 9″, 10″ & 12″ (Straight arm – integral head shell)
  • AS – 9″, 10″ & 12″ (S tonearm – detachable head shell)

This new range of EVO arms incorporates many years of research and development findings to include:

• Damped counterweights and super high mass bearing gimbals damp resonances.
• A conical tonearm tube design reduces resonances & moving mass moving resonances to the bearing block.
• Single-piece tonearm tubes increase the stiffness & increase the sound transparency.
• Correct tonearm and cartridge matching is critical for optimizing resonances and accurate tracking.
• For low compliance cartridges, you need tonearms with high effective mass.
• High-purity conductors have a significant positive influence on conductivity low level cartridge signals.
• High mass flange design is crucial to fix the tonearm securely to the turntable.
• Massive tonearm holder reduces the overall resonances of the whole tonearm.
• An assortment of different counterweights is necessary to balance the cartridge correctly.
• A precision arm requires the highest level of diamond knife machinery with tolerances within 1/1000mm

EVO Features:

Each of the models in the EVO tonearm range focuses on the need for super-high-mass gimbals with ultra-low-friction four-point bearing assemblies. Pro-Ject uses four pin-point cardanic bearings due to their stability and very low friction, resulting in clean tracking across the whole record surface. All of the models in the range boast sturdy tonearm supports, damped counterweights (in various sizes), silicon damped lift/lower mechanisms and adjustments for height/VTA, bias and azimuth. All AS models feature a premium SME style detachable heads hell.

EVO Standard Models:

• High purity copper leads – supporting lower level signals.
• The arm tube is made out of one-piece carbon fiber, which is lightweight and strong. It has a conical shape, to avoid standing wave reflections.
• An inverted cardanic ABEC 7 quality bearing with 4 stainless steel tips. This bearing type is very stable and low friction.

• Solid construction – The bearing block parts are made out of aluminum. Additionally the counterweight is damped with a TPE insert.

EVO Premium Models:

• Silver leads – Silver is one of the best conductors of electricity, making it perfect for low level cartridge signals.
• Conical, alu/carbon tube – The additional aluminum tube inside the CA tonearms dampens the sturdy carbon arm tube and helps with the matching of different cartridges.

• An inverted cardanic Swiss ABEC 7 quality bearing with 4 stainless steel tips. This bearing type supports solid tracking, resulting in a highly detailed and open sound stage.

• Heavyweight construction bearing block is CNC machined out of stainless steel. It is very solid and adds weight to the whole tonearm reducing the overall resonances. The counterweight is also TPE damped.

Arm Designs – HG finish:

For full technical details of each arms features and design click on the following Pro-Ject US web site links:

• EVO Standard CC

• EVO Standard AS

• EVO Premium CA

• EVO Premium AS