TURNTABLE EVOLUTION
Pro-Ject upgrades its latest Debut vinyl spinner
The Debut is a model that has been on Pro-Ject’s books for 20 years, and has proven its most popular turntable design, indeed. It was originally released at the end of Pro-Ject’s first decade, as Heinz Lichtenegger continued to expand on his belief in vinyl and turntables at a time when CDs ruled, and precisely when most music fans were discovering how to obtain endless music files via internet peer sharing from the likes of Napster and Limewire. In the long run, of course, those early downloads have proven to be hideously low-res unplayable junk, while vinyl has reversed its decline and pushed past CD in both sales and (enormously so) record company profits. Any selfrespecting hi-fi system now boasts a digital source and, alongside, a turntable. No wonder Lichtenegger looks so happy in his publicity photos.
The original Debut emerged from efforts by Lichtenegger and his UK distributor and longtime friend Laurence Armstrong to create a new record player that a new younger generation could afford, but which could deliver as close to high-end sound as was possible at the price. The Debut has since been through many iterations, and now, says Pro-Ject, it’s time for an Evolution! And while it can be a dangerous game to alter a successful design and at the same time increase the price, this fifth generation, the new Debut Carbon EVO, proves a triumph of calculated risk-taking.
Equipment
Among the upgrades are improved motor mounting with an improved suspension that promises to further eliminate unwanted noise, in combination with new damped feet that are height-adjustable to assist in levelling of the deck. Its heavy steel platter weighs 1.7kg and now features a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) damping ring on the inside, which helps reduce resonance.
Most welcome in terms of ease of use is the addition of a rocker switch on the bottom of the deck which allows you to switch speeds. No more removing the entire platter to manually move the belt; now you just flick the switch when you want to go from albums to singles.
There are also new colours — five lovely satin options of White, Black, Steel Blue,
Fir Green and Golden Yellow. But sensibly Pro-Ject has retained the real walnut veneer option, and the gloss red which catches so many eyes, along with gloss black or white, and all of them at the same price of $879. That’s a lot of stock lines for any store to offer, even for a best-seller, but you can be assured of a bit of bench appeal. Visually there’s a real sense of the Debut reaching maturity with the
new Debut Carbon EVO, from the clean lines and lack of ornamentation to the impressively upmarket new satin finishes.
The ‘Carbon’ part of the model name comes from the 8.6-inch one-piece carbon tonearm, a material more common in higher-end turntables, being lightweight and incredibly stiff, so decreasing unwanted resonance. There’s a little play in the bearings, but it’s the best tonearm yet to accompany a Debut deck.
The cartridge is a widely-employed favourite, Ortofon’s 2M Red, renowned for a precise insightful sound with a particularly full and expressive midrange. Of course you might, when it comes to replacement time, consider this a point for further upgrade. We note that in the States, for example, this turntable is shipping with a Sumiko Rainier cartridge, a range which rises to the Sumiko Olympia and Moonstone cartridges, any one of which would fit and upgrade the Debut Carbon EVO, along with other options. The Rainer sells here around $300, while a replacement Ortofon 2M Red is available for half that, partly because of its wider availability.
Performance
Once out of the box, the Debut Carbon EVO was up and running remarkably quickly. The one thing not included in the package is a mat for the platter, so unless you have one lying around, we’d recommend at least a felt mat (Pro-Ject’s is $23) or cork ($27) or leather ($72) as an additional purchase. Other than that it was a case of adding the belt, platter and weights, attaching the included dust-cover (covers aren’t often pretty, but aside from dust protection they reduce acoustic feedback) and we were ready to attach the semisymmetrical phono cable to our amplifier’s phono input and start spinning the black discs.
Its rich, full-bodied tone came as little surprise, despite the eminently reasonable price. Pro-Ject has long proven its ability to offer up a magnificently plush midrange, especially with the 2M Red cartridge in residence. Vocals are a particular treat when given so much warmth and held up by plenty of weight in the bass.
This sound signature comes partnered with remarkable detail and texture. Where competitors might beef up their sound to disguise a lack of real insight, Pro-Ject here proves its longstanding aptitude for making a deck that is both easy to listen to casually and ready to service deeper, more analytical sessions.
That easy and unfussy nature is invaluable for a turntable of this type, at this price, given the vast array of products with which it might be partnered. But equally importantly the new Debut has the ability to engage, with dynamic expression and rhythmic precision significantly above what we might expect at the price. The Debut Carbon EVO kept our attention fixed with its keen ear for emotion and just enough drive to punch out staccato rhythms.
Compared with some competitors, it’s a relatively laid-back approach. Compare it with the similarly-priced Rega Planar 2 and the Rega delivers a more spritely and lean performance, energetic and clean — a slightly tighter sound overall. But the EVO’s richer sound is convincing nonetheless, entirely in keeping with Pro-Ject’s overall character, and no less attractive because of it. Whether the EVO is the best player for you is down to whether you prefer its fuller more relaxed character.
Conclusion
Certainly this is an evolution for the Debut design. There’s also further evolution available via the cartridge and more on promise from Pro-Ject in the future. Meanwhile the company given its latest Debut such a design boost that it sneaks up from entry-level to something rather higher — an upgrade from your first turntable, rather than the ‘debut’ of its name. For those in the market for a turntable under a grand, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO is a compulsory audition.
SPECS
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO $879
Type: Belt-drive, manual turntable Tonearm: 218.5mm carbon roll
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M Red 5.5mV moving magnet Speeds: 33⅓rpm, 45rpm Outputs: phono level
Dimensions (whd): 415 x 118 x 320mm,
415 x 365 x 405mm with dust cover open
Weight: 5.6 kilograms
Contact: Interdyn
Telephone: 03 9426 3650 Web: www.projectaudio.com.au