Pro-Ject Debut PRO Turntable
Pro-Ject Debut PRO Turntable with Sumiko Rainier Cartridge, Adjustable VTA, and Electronic Speed Control - Satin Black
Item #PRO:DEBUTPRO-SATBLK
Item # PRO1130060
Pro-Ject Debut PRO Turntable
Pro-Ject Debut PRO Turntable with Sumiko Rainier Cartridge, Adjustable VTA, and Electronic Speed Control - Satin Black
$999.00
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Overview
Pro-Ject Audio Systems have more to add to the Debut series – in fact, let’s call it a ‘statement’, a massive upgrade from the first Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. The relatively recent release of Debut Carbon EVO was beyond successful, but Heinz Lichtenegger’s wheels were still turning. The performance enhancements for EVO were indeed profound, but there was more to strike while the proverbial iron was hot. The ceaseless pursuit for improvement, attention to detail, advancements in research, development, and manufacturing amount to a Debut turntable for the ages.
High Notes
A Complete Audiophile-level Table
The Debut Pro is for serious vinyl enthusiasts who do not want to break the bank. Every aspect of the Debut Pro is all about performance from the cartridge all the way down to the special isolation feet. Hear things in your vinyl collection you never knew were in the grooves with the Debut Pro.
The Best Tonearm on a Debut Yet
We are super impressed with this tonearm. The bearings are first class and the arm itself is a sandwich layer of aluminum and carbon fiber. We love the fact it is the first Debut arm to have adjustable VTA and Azimuth to allow you to mount any cartridge on it.
Great Upgrade Path
By itself, the Debut Pro is a great table, but you have several possible upgrades to push it even further from isolation platforms, record clamps, inner platter bearings, and more. It’s fun to hear these improvements as you add them one by one.
You’ve probably seen Pro-Ject turntables in the past, as they have been around for decades. Their turntables are all made and assembled at their plants around Europe. The original Debut Carbon went on to become one of the very best-selling turntables of all time. Pro-Ject developed the Debut Carbon EVO as a full upgrade to the Debut Carbon, which is what we feel is one of the best turntable bargains out there. The Pro-Ject Debut Pro takes the basic EVO chassis and has many big upgrades for better performance.
The EVO and Pro share the same great isolation feet, speed control, motor mount, and plinth, and both come with the Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge with its great upgrade path by simply changing the stylus. The differences lie in two of the most important aspects of a turntable: the platter and the tonearm. The EVO has a 4-pound steel platter with TPE damping, and the Pro gets a one-piece aluminum platter with the same damping but even more weight around the perimeter for a better flywheel effect which gives you a more consistent speed. But the big deal is the tonearm. You can spend thousands of dollars alone on a tonearm for its precision-made bearings. Pro-Ject uses its own CNC machines to manufacture the bearing assembly from a single block of aluminum for extreme tolerances. The fully adjustable arm is aluminum wrapped in carbon fiber.
The Pro is a turntable you can grow with for decades as its tonearm will support cartridges that cost more than the table itself. And as much as we liked the EVO, the Pro surpasses it in all spectrums because of the superior tonearm and better platter.
Details & Specs
Pro-Ject's new Debut PRO turntable is a machine that tackles the range of turntables at a retail price of $1000 or less. The Debut PRO turntable does so in several meaningful ways.
The Tonearm
Borrowed from the audiophile-grade X1 & X2 turntables, Debut PRO implements the tried and true one-piece carbon-fiber-wrapped aluminum arm tube. This heightens rigidity and mass allowing it to more effectively control more massive phono cartridges at this effective arm length. The composite carbon-fiber tonearm is also more effective at damping arm tube resonance, allowing the signal to pass through unencumbered. PRO features a sophisticated tonearm bearing block made of nickel-plated aluminum. Here again, we see an exercise in rigidity while maintaining the ultra-smooth lateral motion of this high-end tonearm. The icing is the tonearm collar, yielding the first Debut model to offer adjustment of vertical tracking angle. Azimuth is also readily adjustable. Listeners can fine-tune the full range of cartridge adjustment parameters to optimize the sound quality of most any phono cartridge.
The Record Platter
With TPE damping for resonance control and die-cast for hi-fi precision, the platter is made of aluminum and adds a ridged slot on the bottom side to cleanly enclose the TPE ring. The surface of the platter is gorgeously satin-ized in a way that hasn’t yet been seen on a Pro-Ject machine. The ridged slot plus the TPE itself adds rotational mass to the platter’s periphery, which reduces wow & fluttering while the platter rotates!
The Fit & Finish of the Debut PRO
The satin black finish uses 8 coats hand-painted over MDF – a classy, high-quality job done in-house at the factory in Europe. The brushed metal trimmings for Debut PRO further reinforce a smooth, elegant aesthetic that’s sure to remain timeless. Sustainably made and free of plastic, the high-precision aluminum bearing block, dust cover, RCA inputs, arm-board & collar, counterweight & anti-skate, height-adjustable metal feet, an isolated power supply and adapter, and toggle switch exude quality both in sight and sound. It’s paired with the Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge, one of the top performers from the phono cartridge manufacturer. Pair it with a Phono Box preamp, phono stage, or digital amplifier with the included Connect-It E phono cable to ensure solid and dependable analog playback.
Considerations for 78 RPM Records
Debut PRO ships with 2 different belts for the belt drive for the electronic speed control. The flat belt is for 33 & 45 RPM discs and is installed on the top/smaller diameter of the motor pulley. Pro-Ject's drive principle ensures that electronic speed selection is precise with no speed drift to eliminate wow and flutter. The round one is for 78 RPM records only. It is designed for use with the larger/bottom pulley diameter with the differently shaped slot. Installing the 78 RPM belt incorrectly compromises its integrity and may lead to breakage. Additionally, please note that it’s also not advisable to play 78 RPM records with the Rainier stylus. Sumiko has developed a 78 stylus for this very reason – now shipping!
- Speed - 33, 45/(78) (electronic speed change)
- Drive principle - belt-drive w/ electronic speed control
- Platter - 300mm, die-cast aluminum platter with TPE damping and felt mat
- Platter bearing - high-precision stainless steel axle in bronze bushing
- Wow & flutter -
- 33 - +/-0.16%
- 45 - +/-0.14%
- Speed drift -
- 33 - +/-0.40%
- 45 - +/-0.50%
- Signal to noise - 68dB
- Tonearm - 8.6” one-piece carbon/aluminum tonearm
- Effective arm length/mass - 218.5mm / 10g
- Overhang - 18.5mm
- Included accessories - 15V DC / 0.8A power supply, dustcover, 78rpm round belt, 7‘‘ singles adapter
- Power consumption - 4W / 0W standby
- Dimensions (sans cover) - 415x113x320mm, 16.63×4.5×12.63″
- Mass/weight (sans cover) - 6kg/13.23lbs (net)
Sumiko Rainier
- Frequency range - 12-25,000Hz
- Channel separation - 25dB/1kHz
- Output voltage - 5mV
- Recommended load impedance - 47kohms (MM input)
- Compliance/stylus type - 10µm/mN – elliptical
- Recommended tracking force - 20mN
- Weight - 6.5g
| UPC | 844682010816 |
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