Pro-Ject Evo CA Premium Tonearm

The tonearm is one of the central components of a record player. It guides the cartridge through the record groove and thus significantly determines how precisely musical information is extracted from the recording. Its design, choice of materials, and bearing technology not only influence playback quality—they shape the sonic character of an entire vinyl system.

To achieve the ideal interplay of these factors, Pro-Ject Audio Systems conducted extensive listening tests with different bearing types, tonearm materials, and cartridge combinations. The result of this development work is the EVO tonearm generation, which builds on more than 15 years of experience with the successful Evolution series.

The EVO CA Premium tonearm represents a logical further development of this platform. In addition to a new hybrid tube construction, it offers numerous design improvements as well as additional high-quality surface finishes.

High-precision bearing of Swiss quality

The heart of the EVO CA Premium is an inverted gimbal bearing of Swiss ABEC-7 quality. Four stainless steel tips ensure a particularly stable and at the same time extremely low-friction bearing.

This design allows for very precise guidance of the cartridge. Even the smallest modulations of the record groove are accurately tracked, resulting in an open and detailed soundstage. Microscopic details of the recording are fully preserved.

The bearing is housed in a solid stainless steel casing, which ensures additional stability. The outer ring is intentionally designed with an open profile to prevent resonances and unwanted bell-like effects. At the same time, the entire bearing is maintenance-free and particularly easy to adjust.

Carbon-aluminum hybrid tonearm tube

The Pro-Ject EVO CA Premium features a sophisticated hybrid tonearm tube design. The outer tube is made of precisely milled carbon fiber, combining very low weight with high rigidity. Inside is an aluminum tube that contributes additional damping properties.

This combination allows the tonearm to utilize the advantages of both materials: carbon provides stability and low resonance, while aluminum effectively absorbs unwanted vibrations.

The shape of the tonearm tube was also specifically optimized. It features a slightly conical geometry, which reduces standing waves and reflections within the material. These design details contribute to a particularly clean and controlled sound reproduction.

The tonearm tube is attached with only one screw, making it particularly easy and precise to adjust the azimuth.

High-purity silver wiring

The internal wiring consists of specially adapted, high-purity crystal silver. This material offers excellent electrical conductivity and ensures that even the finest musical information is transmitted without distortion.

Especially with phono signals that have very low voltage, high-quality cabling is crucial for sound quality. Each cable is equipped with a gold-plated terminal to ensure a permanently stable and corrosion-free connection to the cartridge.

Precise adjustment of tracking force and VTA

The EVO CA Premium tonearm comes with two different counterweights. This allows for optimal balancing of a wide range of cartridges and particularly precise adjustment of the tracking force.

For maximum stability, the counterweight should be positioned as close as possible to the bearing block after adjustment. This reduces the tonearm's inertia and improves control over the tracking motion.

The counterweight itself features integrated TPE damping, which reduces unwanted resonances and contributes to a smoother playback.

The tonearm height can also be precisely adjusted. By loosening two grub screws, the Vertical Tracking Angle (VTA) can be continuously adjusted. In combination with the azimuth adjustment, this allows for precise tuning to different cartridges – a crucial factor in fully exploiting the sonic potential of a vinyl system.

High-quality workmanship

The EVO CA Premium tonearm is CNC-machined with the highest precision. In the HG version, the aluminum surfaces are additionally hand-polished, giving the tonearm a particularly elegant appearance.

The silicone-damped tonearm lift can be adjusted to the tonearm height and ensures controlled and gentle lowering of the cartridge. A high-quality, gold-plated 5-pin DIN output socket is provided for connection.

The tonearm is entirely designed and manufactured in Europe.

Highlights at a glance

• Inverted gimbal bearing in Swiss ABEC-7 quality
• Four stainless steel tips for particularly low-friction bearing
• Solid stainless steel bearing block
• Open outer ring to avoid resonances
• Hybrid tonearm tube made of carbon and aluminum
• Conical tube shape for reducing standing waves
• Internal wiring made of high-purity crystal silver
• Gold-plated connection clips for the pickup
• Damped counterweight with TPE resonance control
• Two counterweights for different pickup weights
• Precise azimuth and VTA setting
• Silicone-damped arm lift
• Gold-plated 5-pin DIN output socket
• High-precision CNC manufacturing
• Hand-polished aluminum surfaces in the HG version
• Available as CA Premium Black or HG version
• Tonearm lengths: 9', 10' and 12'
• Designed and manufactured in Europe