I got the Pro this week , its really awesome , what a sound and great looks , love it and i have after a long time goosebumps again , i think its the best turntable under the 1000 euro's , amazing
WOW! When you announced the LP you would be using for the test, I almost fell over backwards out of my chair! Eddie Gorme and Los Panchos, that was my parents music (I am 62) but what I listen to on my turntables for the guitars, percussion, and vocals. May I recommend TITO RODRIGUEZ, his music is kind of big band, with a sultry melodic voice. Many layers of instruments that are a delight to find as you concentrate on the music, makes me smile to myself as the secondary rhythms and instruments run across and through the background. He also plays Cha Cha and tropical music, but I prefer his romantic music. Fantastic video, Thanks.
Very interesting, specially for comparisons, always usefull. I hope you will test also the "Pro S", with the option to easy swap the cartridge for the mono records I love. Massimo
Thank You for a really informative review! I am coming back to vinyl, and have decided this is for me - it fits my budget, and I like that the cartridge is included in the price. I would love to see an upgrade video like you did for the Evo sometime!
Loving your channel Paul, especially the Pro-Ject Debut reviews. I have a 17 year old Debut (the Debut SE), which had various extras when it was released back around the mid 2000s. Cone feet being one and the cartridge was either an Ortofon Super OM10 or the Ortofon 510 mkii (cannot actually remember which it came with as I recently changed the 510 which I had on it, but I also have a Super OM10 in a tub, which I assumed I took off it, although it could have come off an old Dual 505-2 which the Pro-Ject replaced) I have tried looking up this version of the Debut but there is little online about it. I have made a few mods to it as It's been a bit under used these past few years. Put on a MM Blue cartridge which is amazing, got the leather mat plus the aluminium sub platter. Plus I got some new cables for it. I know I could have looked at getting a newer one, and I think the Debut Carbon EVO is it's equivalent now, but then I would not have such a good cartridge as the Blue, plus I have the better sub platter and better mat. Plus it's a perfectly good turntable still. 😄
Would have been a bit more fair to have the same cartridge on each table. Especially between the PRO and EVO. But understand the comparison is "out of the box" but as an EVO owner and a happy one I would be curious to see if you could hear a major difference between the two with the same cart. In the US we get the Rainer which in my opinion is superior to the 2M Red.
Hello, Can we use some Funk Firm armboard in this Pro-Ject ? Thank you for this review, I bought this turntable yesterday. I will upgrade it time by time...
@@hoobsgroove I recently added an aluminium sub-platter and an acrylic platter to a Pro-Ject Debut. Pro-Ject make a variety of replacement/upgrade parts
@@hoobsgroove Well, that’s not the remit of this video but you could upgrade the platter mat, the cartridge and the sub-platter. Also the power supply. You could add a damping platform underneath too.
This is interesting to learn what I didn't get on the Debut 111. Which I recently jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on it at 50% off fully aware it was because this updated release was happening. I have Audiophile equipment, but don't use my Technics SL Q200 Quartz as much as I once used too. I went the replacement route because of the upgrades in technology and replacement cartridges were both hard to find and in some cases as expensive or didn't appeal much as I preferred to invest in the lessor Debut 111 which I'm anticipating will be pleasing and satisfy me at this point given my occasional vinyl listening time, especially as I have albums going back to the 70's which are hard to imagine discarding.
Great review Paul. I'm currently weighing up these three turntables as an upgrade to my pro ject primary E. I like the upgradability of the debut Evo, the build quality of the pro, and the general appearance of the atessa. The atessa can now be had for £450, so I guess that easily takes it to the top of these three in terms of value for money?
The Attessa is certainly great value for money and offers excellent sound quality. Some people do think the latter is a little fragile and I can see that. The Pro offers a sturdy build and it can be upgraded with lots of goodies (check out my EVO upgrade video for a general idea about what I mean...ish)
@@TheAudiophileMan Yep Ive just been reading a few of the reviews on RS and seems there have been a few problems from some owners, with the Attessa, tonearm lift lever and platter. So yep I'm definitely edging toward the Debut Pro now and yep already seen your excellent upgrade video for the EVO, so theres more improvements I can make to the Pro at a later date. Thanks for the reply Paul.
Thanks for a great review. I've had a Pro for two weeks now and the thing just sings to me. I've been listening to the same NAD 3020 for 40 years, and the rich warm sound of that combined with the Pro is all I will I need for a good few more. Spinning Eno's My life in the bush of ghosts. Sublime. Might have to think about the alloy sub platter though.
Relaxing and narrative voice at -20db and THEN MUSIC AT 0db SUPADUPA CRAZY PARTY!!! (and me DJing constantly adjusting the volume trying not to wake up the neighbours) 😆😂 Great review, glad i found your channel🤜🤛
Thanks for this video great job. I think when comparing same tt but with different cartridges the outcome will be different for sure. So since we in the states have different cartridge in project turntables they sound different. I think Sumiko sounds better than ortofon. I wonder how modify project evo compares to stock pro? Thanks again.
@@TheAudiophileMan all I'm saying is that this review is not for us in us... I had a TT with ortofon blue and I didn't like it. Now I don't think that TT is bad it's just sounded worse than a lesser expensive TT with sumiko renier. Just saying to us regular people the most differences in sound are made by the cartridge not necessarily a bit better parts that a TT is made of.
@@blejzerosamigos6115 Hi Blejzeros, my comment reply wasn’t aimed at you. :) I’m aware that the US features different carts which is a complete pain for me as a reviewer. I had this problem with the EVO too. If I get around to an upgrade feature for the Pro then maybe that might be more applicable to you. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Paul thanks for the thorough and insightful comparisons. When you used the Roksan did you use the same phono as the Pro-ject or did you use the onboard phono? If the Attessa was the same price as the Pro would you take Attesa over the Pro? Thanks!
I haven’t reviewed the X1 which restricts my ability to offer you unfettered advice. What I know of the X1 and from what I hear from colleagues and the little experience I have had with it? Hmmm. I might lean towards the Pro. I would advise more research before you make a final decision, though.
Thanks much, Paul. In the "notes and nits" department, we Yanks must note that or "package" includes the Sumiko Rainier. Then there's the quite different Pro-Ject-Rega price dynamic over here. $999 vs $1395 for the Planar 3 with Elys 2.
Hi Leonard, yep I addressed the Sumiko issue in another comment reply here. And yes, you pay Rega’s shipping costs which is the reason for the price hike. That’s quite a margin. Nice. This makes the Debut Pro even better value.
I know you can´t reach all and everything and we understand it ofc, but as we value so much your work here, take it as a compliment when people try to convince you to review this or that brand or model. Here´s my suggestion: As you covered almost all the models the common mortal can buy, I think the only model left to review to complete this effort is the Audio-Technica LPW50PB. Keep up the great work! we keep coming here! Thank you!
Paul, it's time for a cartridge upgrade review for the pro, please. Why not do 2 or 3 cartridges (one being the Rega Exact)? Right now, there's massive interest in seeing what this turntable is really capable of.
Fair point, yes. Let me have a think. Only issue I have is time and a current HiFi review queue that's as long a your arm. But I'll make a note, even so.
Lucky who gets one, my dealer has been waiting for months. Allegedly, Pro-ject received a total of around 1400 orders in December 21, but only 80 were manufactured in December. It seems like they have massive problems with suppliers.
Bit dissapointing with the cartridge just being a reworked red rather than throwing a blue or bronze on, but as you said that would up the price. I can find the attessa for £599 would you say that makes it far more worthwhile over the pro?
If I'm honest I'm pretty confused by the Pro in Pro-ject's line-up. For an extra £100 you could get the X1, which has a thicker & heavier plinth and acrylic platter, which I'd have thought would give a more than worthwhile sonic upgrade and be a no-brainer for the comparatively little extra being asked for. Have you heard the X1 or do you plan on reviewing it? (I'd be really interested in your opinion on it) Btw, I totally agree with your approach of reviewing all the tables with their packaged setup. Makes perfect sense to me and it's really interesting to get your views on their differences. 👍
I actually think the Pro is better than the X1... none of the X1 features offer any serious (if any at all) gains in sound quality over the Pro. The arm length is the same and is no more adjustable. It doesnt have a better sub platter. The Pro main platter has damping and flywheel effect to match the Acryl not that either matters when the sub is the same. The feet are no better. A slightly bigger/thicker/heavier plinth really isnt going to do anything for the sound imo. I would sooner have the Pro (and i do!) with a alu sub platter and better cart than an X1 as stock for near similar money. The X2 does get a longer arm and the alu sub platter and most importantly can be had in balanced output form for MC cart potential maximising and so is the only way to properly improve on the Pro in Projects range imho. Then again id sooner have a Rega P6 by this price point... an utter musical bargain of the TT world. Project under 1000 quid is great and i love the Pro in my second system but they are not worth pursuing into the mid and high end imo where others Thorens/Rega for two are better
@@tomwebb7091 In Germany the discontinued X1 are selling for 699€ now (replaced by the X1 B, selling for 1.000€), the discontinued X2 around 1.000€, the Debut Pro for 750€ and the Debut Pro S (S-Shape tonarm) for 850€. Really can´t make up my mind.
@@BO-kh1iz A discontinued X1 seems like a good bet but for the little more they are asking a discontinued X2 is surely better still cause you get a much better platter and the full 9inch arm which is a notable step up. In terms of Pro vs X1 id simply go with whichever is cheaper or you prefer the look of because with an identical cart attached they must perform within 5% of each other. I dont want the S shape arm because i dont need quick swap outs and they arent as stiff and the carbon arms are tried and tested quality. They are all decent choices at the end of the day but that discontinued X2 seems worth it right now!
Hi there Paul! Thanks for your great reviews as always. I’ve recently bought this turntable and am really loving it so far. I’ve upgraded the power supply with the high-power it by Pro-Ject. I am also considering the acrylic platter. Although satisfied with the standard platter sound-wise, I really love the design of the acrylic one. Now, the question is: Would you consider the acrylic platter also an upgrade, sound-wise? Thank you in advance! Best regards..
The acrylic platter is not an upgrade here. The platter on the Pro is specific to this model and is designed to be well damped and weighty. It’s also non magnetic so compatible with moving coil cartridges. A change to acrylic would be cosmetic only. You’d be better off adding the aluminium sub platter instead.
@@michaelb9664 Thanks for your answer. Reconsidering my first idea: I actually think it is an aesthetic downgrade tbh. Love the clean ‘all black’ looks. So unless it would mean a real upgrade sound-wise I’m no longer considering…
@@stnkfst8639 I completely agree with you. The Pro is a really good turntable, I’ve just recently bought one! I think the best gains are to be had from cartridge changes. The rest of the deck is already pretty well sorted. Happy listening!
Thanks for another stellar review on what, to me, comes across as a slightly odd and complicated turntable. Although your perspective and positioning of the Debut Pro in the Pro-Ject line up makes perfect sense, I’m still a bit perplexed by things like the extra carbon and nickel wrapping - these features are definitely aesthetically pleasant and high-end looking, but it also feels a bit frivolous when you consider Pro-Ject’s well established minimalist build standards. Do you think the extra budget could have been better spent elsewhere? Because the Pro still kind of feels like a fancy Carbon Evo IMO. Cheers!
Thanks for your kind words :). Interesting points and I see what you mean. If the basic Pro supplied only a minimal sonic improvement over the EVO then sure, I would agree with you but there is more to it than that. Enough to raise it in performance terms.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks Audiophile Man. Great videos, thanks. Yeah, I started working on a video last week that i wanted to upload to RUclips and I am still trying to find a mic solution that cuts down on my sibilance, my first few attempts were brutal. :-)
Thanks for another great review. I recently bought the Pro-Ject Debut Evo for the great price of 399 euro. Then I upgraded it with the Acryl it, Alu sub-platter and the high power supply (Ground it and Ortofon Blue are on there way) after seeing your review and upgrade videos of the Evo. I was doubting about taking the Debut Pro, but it was 350 euro (at 750 euro) more so I went for the Debut Evo and started upgrading it. The nice thing about these two models are that when I decide to go for the Debut Pro I can all those upgrade parts I already bought. So I was wondering if you could do another upgrade video with the Debut Pro just to see if it also benefits of this parts as much as the Debut evo did ? Anyway keep up the great work. I always think your videos (website) are amongs the most informative on the web 👍
@@TheAudiophileMan Ok thanks for the effort, really appreciate it. I was wondering if I could ask you advice about a new amplifier which would match my setup (don't have any social media so is there another way beside post it in this comments ?) I already did some research but I could use some advice of a pro 😁
Paul, at 18:29 a snippet from earlier seems to have snuck in during editing - you go from talking about your upcoming Tuesday episodes to the earlier point about the majority of people not upgrading stock cartridges. Great review, I enjoyed this one.
Blimey! Thanks for flagging this - missed it entirely. Done some snipping. Not sure how long it takes RUclips to register it but I've sorted it at my end at least. Thanks again. Looks like an earlier 'take' has sneaked in. Good job the other take - the one where I run around the video completely naked - didn't get in there too. Phew!
Having watched this video a few times. And the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo a few Times. And also the Debut Evo UPGRADE video. My question would be which should I start with after years away from vinyl, but still having vinyl from 40+ years ago to present. And I'm going to be in the market for a pre Amp. And soon after better Speakers. I could go with the Carbon Evo and put money into a good pre amp, then add some of the UPGRADES you went over. Or... Just go to the Debut Pro and be done with it.
I've never tested the X1 I'm afraid Vitalie which doesn't help, I know. At the time, I did talk to the company about doing and A-B comparison with the two but it just never worked out. They were more keen to talk about new products, I think. All I can offer - and I know it doesn't answer your question fully - is that I heartily recommend a Pro. An excellent design.
Mr. Rigby, I've saved up €500 and now I'm putting my Pro-Ject Debut III upgraded with cork/rubber mat and Sumiko Pearl cartrige for sale. Were you in my shoes, would you buy a Debut Carbon Evo and gradually upgrade it or shoot straight for the Carbon Pro (and later also upgrade the sub platter and so on)? I can afford both options, so my main objective is pure audiophile gratification for these 49 year old ears of mine.
Hi Paul! I was wondering what would be your thoughts on the Mofi StudioDeck turntable! Brand new it's priced at $1200 in the USA....I saw a (Display/return model) for around $800. I saw a couple of reviews ...all pretty convincing.
i very much enjoy the reviews. i listen to or watch them before work. i recently bought a debut evo. motor noise....when switching it on, motor noise would peak and the turn down when 33 stabilized but never go away. at 45 the noise was higher pitched and stead throughout. also, the platter moved slightly side to side, and there was a lot of rumble. sounded good, but my $60 TT i bought from a street addict outperformed the evo in every way except sound at low to mid volume. man, this bothered me, so i went to the dealer and exchanged it for another evo, and i got the same exact problems--motor noise, rumble, etc. the pro-jct people were unfamiliar with these problems, especially the rumble. i couldnt imagine that they never turned up their stereo past "use-your-inside-voice" when listening to records...or stood near the turntable in a quiet room when switching it on. if u got good ears, the motor noise is easy to hear. im stll blown away that a $60 tt has better isolation than a $650 tuntable. now, these problems come up in the online message boards but the reviews dont ever seem to mention them--why? if the turntable has audible motor noise that they supposedly fixed and eliminated, why isnt this being mentioned in reviews and comparisons? i wasnt about to box up and send off a brand new turntable, so...id heard the planar 3 prior to this, and it had none of these serious design flaws and malfunctions. its a good bit more expensive w/o cartridge, so got a sumiko blue point #3 on it. much happier.
Many thanks for your kind words. As for the noise? Not something I've ever heard, to be honest. I actually went to the trouble of powering up my EVO in a dead quiet room to have another listen before I answered your post. When switched on initially, I hear a soft whine as the platter gets up to speed then that dies away. If I put my ear to the platter, I hear noise but its very quiet. It's actually quieter than my £15k Origin Live Sovereign! So no. No idea on that one. A dodgy batch perhaps? Faulty motors? I can only guess. Are you in the US? Maybe something happened during shipping? It has been known. Certainly, if I had heard what you're hearing I would have sent mine back and wouldn't have reviewed it in the first place. If you had come to me first then I would have recommended going to the dealer, yes but failing that would have pointed you in the direction of the distributor who has more power on this issue than your dealer. That said, if you're happy with the Rega, then that's the main thing.
Hi. Good review as usual. I'm wondering though about your comparison between the pro and the rega. You said RP3. was that the old rega or the latest P3 with the exact cartridge fit you compared the Pro with. Thanks.
It was a RP3 - as stated - not a Planar 3. The Planar 3 does improve upon the RP3 in sonic terms to some extent but the personality remains the same so the inclusion of the RP3 is a valid one. At least I believe it is.
Oh Paul things just got complicated…just as I’m about to go for the Project Evo you review this! What are your thoughts on how your recent Evo progressive up grade package stands compared to the Pro out of the box. Hope you can help Sir. 👍
Hi Funk - simple really. Buy an EVO if you can only afford £450. Buy a Pro if you have more money amounting to £699 or more. Don't buy an EVO with a fully fitted EVO 2 in mind (The EVO 2 being my designation of a completely modded original EVO). The idea of upgrading is to add a part here and there, when you can, over months and years. It's ideal for people on very little budget who might take months to save the £100 upgrade for this or that part.
@@TheAudiophileMan Oh, I forgot to mention - great review. Especially as I'm thinking of maybe getting back into vinyl alter a long time away using mainly hq streaming services like Qobuz and buying lossless media from the same.
Absolutely brilliant review. Really nicely put into context with turntables above and below the Debut PRO price point. In terms of getting outright value for money, is it worth say buying a Debut Carbon EVO package, then buying the Pick It PRO cartridge and fitting it in place of the 2M Red? Would this take the sound quality on par with the PRO? Only asking as an outright value proposition. There’s no question the Debut PRO is already stunning value in its own right, plus it’s absolutely gorgeous. But, by going this route, one would have the 2M Red as a decent spare too, so if say looks and quality of finish weren’t important to a buyer, would this be a good way to go? Similarly, would a cartridge upgrade on the Debut PRO package take the TT up to the level of the Attessa? This way, just IMO, you’d have a better looking TT and (from visually comparing the two TTs) better made turntable in the Debut PRO compared to the Attessa, plus you’d have a better than decent spare cartridge in the Pick It PRO. What are your thoughts Mr Audiophile Man? Am I looking at this the wrong way? Or is there a half-decent school of thought in this approach? Thanks again for a stunning review video, up there with the best I’ve seen 👏👏👏
Hi rrt - any thanks for your kinds words. And no, the tonearm is the major factor here, in terms of the basic design quality. The cart is a part of the basic sonic qualities but that arm is the main difference between the EVO and Pro. You can upgrade the EVO (see my associated video on upgrading) to lift the EVO to a whole new level. Ultimately, though, the tonearm will become ether bottleneck. The Attessa has a similar difference but there's additional extras on the Roksan. The cart again is a major factor, sure but there's more to the story.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you for your response, makes perfect sense. Really admire your passion for audio, learning a lot from you and your content. I’ll be staying tuned! 👍
I have a debut pro but I have also the acryl it from my previous debut , does it make sense to use it even though is lighter than the aluminium std platter ? 🤔
Platter weight/mass can be a factor in some turntable designs but that isn't really the issue here, it's the quality of the damping applied that's important.
Reminds me of ancient audio times when some people put shrink tubing over their tone arms to dampen vibrations. No idea if it worked but some enthusiasts may have cooked their cartridge wiring.
@@keithb6717 You must to heat up heat shrink tubing to get it to shrink over the tone arm. Hence the name "Hear Shrink" Some people use a flame to do this instead of heated air. Probably only works with tone arms with removable head shells. And yes, I am silly.
Lol. You'd need to use a blow torch to melt wiring inside an aluminum tube and by that time the shrink wrap would be completely burned off! Yes you are silly.
@@shawnbailey9778 I bake my entire turntable every year to tighten the belt and reflow the solder joints. 30 minutes @ 650f It makes a noticeable difference.
I just upgraded from the Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon to the Debut Pro. The best part is that I got it for the price of an EVO! I tried a Rega P3 a few months ago, and didn't really find it better than my RPM-1, using the same Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I found there was a slight speed control issue with the P3. Here in Canada, the P3 is normally $680 more than the Debut Pro. So, I definitely got a bargain. Also using the 2M Blue on the Pro, I do find the sound to be more dynamic, and cleaner. The speed stability on the motor is way ahead of the RPM-1, and the P3 in my opinion. I'll probably get the High Power It, for even more stability, but I'm not sure how much difference I'll be able to hear. My TT is played through a Rega Elex-R integrated, out to a set of Goldenear Triton 3 speakers.
Love your reviews, thank you so much :) May I pick your brains..... I currently have a Schitt mani and 2m red only 1 hrs use and a blue stylus again 1 hours use, but i'm looking at a new table as I'm done with moving belts onto different belt pulleys :) Im looking at this (Pro-Ject Debut Pro) as I like the speed switch on the face of the table very convenient, the Technics SL-1500c or the Fluance rt85. Ive had an Rega Planner 3 current model and wasn't keen. I listen mainly to 80's music so the sound has to make me toe tap and want to sing along and get up and dance and i didn't find the planner to do that. Your help would be more than appreciated thank you :)
@@TheAudiophileMan i want to buy a turntable, but I'm thinking in 2nd hand, used. Andio tecnica, Thecnics, etc....I don't know the brand, and this pro ject debut II , maybe its the 1st level, it's just to listen vinyl and have a great quality. Do I need a pre amplifier? Or just speakers. Tks
All of that depends on your budget but the EVO is highly recommended as a source. You will need a phono amplifier (either external or fitted inside your main amplifier), a main amplifier and speakers plus cables to connect the lot.
I haven't done an A-B because my NAD had to go back from whence it came. From *memory* (so take from this imperfect comment what you will), the Pro is a more cultured, more incisive deck of the two with smoother mids and better clarity. I still love the NAD though so it's 'up there' in quality terms.
Hi, I had a question about anti-skating on this turntable. I set it following the indications of the parent company but the wire with the weight once the arm approaches the innermost tracks tends to slip out of the notch, forcing me to reinsert it every time. How can I solve?
But late to the party sorry, but if you have not resolved it yet, very slim slices cut from the ink tube on a cheap ballpoint pen work perfectly and just fix the line in place whilst being easily movable.
Does it bother anyone that the tone arm doesn’t lift off at the record end side? Do you want the expensive stylusrubbing the label until you pick it up? I have this problem with Pro-Jects and Rega,s. Pro-Ject sells a gadget you can stick on the TT deck that lifts the tone arm at the end of the side, but is that best way to handle this issue? Dose anyone know why semi-automatic TT aren’t more common in the $400 - $600 price range?
Dont hesitate to use the Q Up the tonearm lifter! I'm the owner of both Debut Carbon-tweaked with the 10mm glass platter-especially ordered at glass workshop + the Q Up. This pair works more than normal. Good. Highly recommeded!
Excellent review, as always... I have debut pro and I am very satisfied... I would like to ask you something... Do you believe that an upgrade with ortofon 2m blue cartridge and leather it mat or cork it mat would make this turntable even better? Thank you in advance!!!
@@williambroth7784 hi, I bought the P6 with the Exact MM cartridge. The P3 50th (also with same Exact and Neo power supply as the P6) came very close indeed, but I felt the P6 had a touch more vocal clarity and I preferred the plain black look when compared to the Walnut of the P3. The 50th anniversary P3 model is no longer available, however, there is now an even better new P3 RS version that comes with the Neo supply and an upgraded plinth, so that is worth a look. Also the new ND range of cartridges which replace the older exact are supposed to be great. The p3 RS vs P6 would be a great comparison (not cheap though)
@@mrkitewine7700 Thanks for the infos! I missed the last P3 50th at my local dealer. I wasn't sold on the Walnut either. The P3 RS seems like a good upgrade, but I am not sure about the look of the plinth, cosmetically. I would have to see it in person if I went this way. I am leaning toward the P6/ND7 right now. I am getting a good deal, but still expensive. Lol.
Question from a noob here, I’m trying to get the best manual direct drive turntable on a budget as pure as possible that is no integrated extras like amps. Problem is I’m college broke :/ any good suggestion for me ?
and for fun - late here ' first, I found long ago ( I'm 73 ) auto T'tables are way better , machine just does the critical needle / disc contact better, especially if 'enhancements ' are used. I've had a mid '70's Pioneer full auto since mid '70's still working fine. ( Stanton 681eeeS (stereohedren ?) and now my main t'table Thorens 240-2 full auto, 2 mBlue. gotta say I don't hear any difference and if I did, I'd credit the Cartridge not the T'table. joke - Hey, why don't Ya use the same cartridge on all of em ) side note - my hands now shake, but my fingers are stiff. So when I recently wanted to change Cartridge, I couldn't do the 4 tiny wires, had to take it to a shop.
Hi Rick - I use the same cart on turntables that don't with come with one installed. Most new decks for this price and down - tend to arrive with a cart installed so I'm reviewing the 'package'. Most people will buy the package and never change the cart in that product's life so I want to review the 'out of the box' experience, as it where. And sure, I have no problem changing the cart and reviewing that but that is then an upgrade feature video. A separate thing. I did that with the Pro's cheaper sister, the EVO, for example.
@@TheAudiophileMan very shocked anyone read this from a 5 month old review.... super minor, I specifically said ' Joke ' in the next to last sentence to note your extensive explanation of different cartridges .. certainly a viable point. when folks do reviews of individual t'tables I believe they are actually reviewing the cartridge, discussing things like ' soundstage' ' bass clarity' whatever point is being made. that's just me. oh, to drag this on - I can't hear over 8000 hz on CD or Utube frequency tests so I don't really have any comment on ' sound'. > some things are T'Table oriented like speed stability / accuracy, Wow/ Flutter, hum could be t'table or cartridge..... anyway, always enjoy your essays.
As an current owner of the evo is this worth the upgrade or would my money be better spent on upgrading the platter and stylus on my current turntable.
You buy the EVO because you can’t afford the Pro in the first place. Then you upgrade the EVO a little at a time when funds allow. If you have the cash from the off, then grab a Pro. If you experience a cash windfall as an EVO owner then you buy an Attessa.
Within the last week I have sold some unplayed records which funded an upgrade to the aluminium sub platter and acrylic platter on my evo. It’s not an immediate mind blowing upgrade but it is a worthwhile investment and I’m listening to details never heard before. I would say, for an example, rather than hearing a cymbal sound , you are hearing a cymbal being hit. I know what I mean!!!
I wouldn’t though. I struggle to keep my videos to a manageable length so wanted to keep the comparisons to three. The three I chose reflected a goodly and varied array of price and performance characteristics. As for the (unmodded) 1500? I prefer the performance of the Pro.
@@TheAudiophileMan I understand. Too many turntable in this price rang to compare them all. What sound characteristic of the Pro-Ject you preferred over Techincs?
Actually, Paul, until your review, I'd been quietly lusting after this turntable, mainly for its sexy toggle switch speed changer, however, I've now gone off the idea a bit. Pro-Ject seem to've been a bit stingy in terms of the still-plastic sub platter and cartridge that's the equivalent only of the Ortofon red? Also, I hadn't noticed before how they've managed to squish everything over to the left while leaving acres of space at the other end of the plinth (maybe that's just my eyes though). Nah, I think I'll stick to my NAD C388 (with nice ali sub platter) and Fluance RT85 (that I bought mainly for the Ortofon 2M blue, to be honest).
I prefer this cart to the Red, I have to say. And you shouldn't underestimate the difference a decent arm makes to a turntable. The Rega Planar 1 at £299 is all arm, for example. Everything else on that design is bland in sonic terms. That arm makes the Planar 1 one of the finest budget decks out there. The money for the Pro has been largely spent on the arm upgrades which makes a significant difference to its performance compared to the EVO, for example. Saying that, though - if you're happy with your turntables then go for those. As long as you're happy with your music then that's all that matters.
@@TheAudiophileMan the last comparison you made between Rega and Fluance was between the RT83 and the P1, which I'm not sure was a fair comparison with the 83 costing far less money. At about a hundred dollars less than the P1, while not getting its tone arm you gain an acrylic platter and the Ortofon 2M *Blue with the 85. I think it's a better comparison. The P1 is a great turntable and money well spent, and its tone arm IS superior to the Fluance models. I've enjoyed listening to them. I prefer the RT85 side by side, but that's subjective. I will say that the Rega has a better esthetic and build quality overall.
@@TheAudiophileMan also just wanted to say I appreciate your videos. I recently watched your video about upgrade paths for moving coil. Just what i needed :)
Just emphasising my point to those who might be a little confused about my review structure (judging by past comments from other, earlier reviews). So I think the repetition was necessary in this one case.
@@TheAudiophileMan I went with the gold ring e3 in the end on sale from richer sounds any suggestions for a bare turntable ie no cartridge I know I've done things back to front
I also disagree with you. You should have also done a cartridge change to get the apples to apples comparison. I want both out of the box and a fair comparison.
I don't know you know, I think for me personally and what I've heard, the RP3 really takes the cake. Now Brandon I haven't heard the roksan But I've heard the new debut pro and to me it just suffers the same faults that all project turntable suffer. It has this very liquid thick mid-range that comes across is very analog sounding but also comes across as very ill-defined. The RP3 on the other hand, and it's new brethren the plain r3 both have a more even handed approach to the frequency response and you just can't beat that PRAT that happens with Rega turntables. The only negative I have with Rega is their turntables can come across as having not so great build quality, especially in regards to the tone arm and sometimes the fit and finish. I think that's one place where the project might outpace it, but I'd rather have the sound quality of the Rega and have to deal with its finicky nature
I had the old project debut Carbon. Had no tíme for it. Sold it. Now I am thinking of buying a new tt. I dont like the look of pro. I like the look of evo. I would rather buy evo and a better cart than the pro. Is this (for me) ugly looking tonearm of the pro such a big sound diference compared to evo?
I’ve covered the Pro v EVO points in the review. Here’s a website link (theaudiophileman.com/debut-pro-turntable-review-pro-ject/) if that’s quicker to search. Check out the EVO upgrade vid for my advice on enhancing the EVO sound.
Ortofon used to mean quality ,now they have a lot of bad cartridges the early 80´s OM´s were perfect with 5x times more hours of use, now just garbage as the 2m till the before the black
Hi Paul I know you have stated that your rega is a good comparison to the latest model , but I think Its still not the deck that is currently available . Which seems counter intuitive when comparing like for like . If the cartridge on your rega was different to the one fitted as standard to the current P3 , then this would further exasperate the situation . No disrespect intended. Best wishes as always. 😀👍
As I've already stated, the Planar 3 does improve upon the RP3 in sonic terms but, having heard both, the Planar 3 is hardly out of sight, it's mostly there while the personality remains the same so the inclusion of the RP3 is a valid one.
i really don´t understand the pro-ject having such a bad sound i think the rega would be a better choice not that i lked it but in sound is much better at least the one i heard and the roksen attessa is maybe the first roksan i heard and it was like a turntable
It depends. The £10k McIntosh MT5 is (or at least was when I reviewed it) sold with a MM cart. Also the Goldring 1042 is a MM. It outperforms some low cost MCs I could name. It's not necessarily the tech but its implementation. Also, some packages feature lower-cost parts to keep costs down, to get you up and running and then can be upgraded when funds allow.
I can understand - although cannot agree - with your aesthetic comments here. Also, you say nothing about the sound. And that’s why I buy hifi. To me, hifi is a sound tool. Nothing more. Music is my priority. The arm is a unipivot. All unipivots are flimsy in nature. That’s their inherent design basis and also why they offer such superlative treble and midrange. Give me a choice between this arm and a bulky £3.5k SME IV (an arm I also own) and I’ll have the low mass Roksan any day. Also my £15k Origin Live Sovereign could be said to have a noisy motor. Yet it offers one of the best performing turntable sounds the world has ever seen. The motor noise never infects the sound. Neither does the Roksan’s.
Thank you for your answer. No critic on your review, sound comes first. Roksan deserves praise for the unipivot arm. I was underwelmed of the build quality compared to the price, especialy the noice when it started turning. At first glance I thought it was around 400.-. Well I enjoyed your review.
Hello Sir. i am a happy owner of the DC Evo. Watched your video on thw uogrades and did all of them. my questiom is, which better sounding? Pro out of the box? or the Fully upgraded Evo? thank you in advance.
This is not a relevant review. The RP3 has long been discontinued. The Planar 3 it’s replacement has been out for at least 4 years. I’ve owned pro-ject turntables. The Rega arenas are
To damn an entire review based upon the couple of minutes on a related issue you find moot is a little extreme, doncha think? :) Also, as I've already stated in these Comments, the Planar 3 does improve upon the RP3 in sonic terms (I've tested both and am familiar with the performance of both) to some extent but the personality remains the same so the inclusion of the RP3 is a valid one for this particular test. At least I believe it is. I can see you're a Rega fan and I'm not criticising the design at all. It remains an excellent turntable and one I highly recommend.
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Can you please review the Debut Pro S now on sale in the UK 🤔
I got the Pro this week , its really awesome , what a sound and great looks , love it and i have after a long time goosebumps again , i think its the best turntable under the 1000 euro's , amazing
WOW! When you announced the LP you would be using for the test, I almost fell over backwards out of my chair! Eddie Gorme and Los Panchos, that was my parents music (I am 62) but what I listen to on my turntables for the guitars, percussion, and vocals. May I recommend TITO RODRIGUEZ, his music is kind of big band, with a sultry melodic voice. Many layers of instruments that are a delight to find as you concentrate on the music, makes me smile to myself as the secondary rhythms and instruments run across and through the background. He also plays Cha Cha and tropical music, but I prefer his romantic music. Fantastic video, Thanks.
It's just to see someone out there who knows this LP. I think you're the first :) And thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out.
Just love Jethro Tull which is placed behind you, (Heavy Horses) my only reason for sticking to Vinyl :)
Very interesting, specially for comparisons, always usefull.
I hope you will test also the "Pro S", with the option to easy swap the cartridge for the mono records I love.
Massimo
Thank You for a really informative review! I am coming back to vinyl, and have decided this is for me - it fits my budget, and I like that the cartridge is included in the price. I would love to see an upgrade video like you did for the Evo sometime!
Loving your channel Paul, especially the Pro-Ject Debut reviews. I have a 17 year old Debut (the Debut SE), which had various extras when it was released back around the mid 2000s. Cone feet being one and the cartridge was either an Ortofon Super OM10 or the Ortofon 510 mkii (cannot actually remember which it came with as I recently changed the 510 which I had on it, but I also have a Super OM10 in a tub, which I assumed I took off it, although it could have come off an old Dual 505-2 which the Pro-Ject replaced) I have tried looking up this version of the Debut but there is little online about it. I have made a few mods to it as It's been a bit under used these past few years. Put on a MM Blue cartridge which is amazing, got the leather mat plus the aluminium sub platter. Plus I got some new cables for it. I know I could have looked at getting a newer one, and I think the Debut Carbon EVO is it's equivalent now, but then I would not have such a good cartridge as the Blue, plus I have the better sub platter and better mat. Plus it's a perfectly good turntable still. 😄
Still no Carbon tonearm💪🏻😉
Would have been a bit more fair to have the same cartridge on each table. Especially between the PRO and EVO. But understand the comparison is "out of the box" but as an EVO owner and a happy one I would be curious to see if you could hear a major difference between the two with the same cart. In the US we get the Rainer which in my opinion is superior to the 2M Red.
Hello, Can we use some Funk Firm armboard in this Pro-Ject ? Thank you for this review, I bought this turntable yesterday. I will upgrade it time by time...
If I was up for a new Turntable, this would be on my list.
I love that it can be upgraded just like the Evo too.
Great review.
Many thanks, Robert.
@@hoobsgroove I recently added an aluminium sub-platter and an acrylic platter to a Pro-Ject Debut. Pro-Ject make a variety of replacement/upgrade parts
@@hoobsgroove Well, that’s not the remit of this video but you could upgrade the platter mat, the cartridge and the sub-platter. Also the power supply. You could add a damping platform underneath too.
This is interesting to learn what I didn't get on the Debut 111. Which I recently jumped at the opportunity to get my hands on it at 50% off fully aware it was because this updated release was happening. I have Audiophile equipment, but don't use my Technics SL Q200 Quartz as much as I once used too. I went the replacement route because of the upgrades in technology and replacement cartridges were both hard to find and in some cases as expensive or didn't appeal much as I preferred to invest in the lessor Debut 111 which I'm anticipating will be pleasing and satisfy me at this point given my occasional vinyl listening time, especially as I have albums going back to the 70's which are hard to imagine discarding.
Great review Paul. I'm currently weighing up these three turntables as an upgrade to my pro ject primary E. I like the upgradability of the debut Evo, the build quality of the pro, and the general appearance of the atessa. The atessa can now be had for £450, so I guess that easily takes it to the top of these three in terms of value for money?
The Attessa is certainly great value for money and offers excellent sound quality. Some people do think the latter is a little fragile and I can see that. The Pro offers a sturdy build and it can be upgraded with lots of goodies (check out my EVO upgrade video for a general idea about what I mean...ish)
@@TheAudiophileMan Yep Ive just been reading a few of the reviews on RS and seems there have been a few problems from some owners, with the Attessa, tonearm lift lever and platter. So yep I'm definitely edging toward the Debut Pro now and yep already seen your excellent upgrade video for the EVO, so theres more improvements I can make to the Pro at a later date. Thanks for the reply Paul.
excellent comparison
Thank you.
Cuál sería la opción ganadora entre el Pro Ject Debut Pro y el Nad C 588 ?
Estoy en la parte final de mi elección para hacer una compra.
Thanks for a great review. I've had a Pro for two weeks now and the thing just sings to me. I've been listening to the same NAD 3020 for 40 years, and the rich warm sound of that combined with the Pro is all I will I need for a good few more. Spinning Eno's My life in the bush of ghosts. Sublime. Might have to think about the alloy sub platter though.
Glad you're enjoying this one and yes, the sub platter springs to my mind too, when funds allow.
Super thoughtful and well presented video! Appreciated.
Relaxing and narrative voice at -20db and THEN MUSIC AT 0db SUPADUPA CRAZY PARTY!!! (and me DJing constantly adjusting the volume trying not to wake up the neighbours) 😆😂
Great review, glad i found your channel🤜🤛
Such a good review Would love an upgrade video for the PRO !
"Debut EVO 2" (upgraded) vs PRO?
Thanks for this video great job. I think when comparing same tt but with different cartridges the outcome will be different for sure. So since we in the states have different cartridge in project turntables they sound different. I think Sumiko sounds better than ortofon. I wonder how modify project evo compares to stock pro? Thanks again.
Agree. You can't really compare turntables without using the same cartridge.
I give up
@@TheAudiophileMan all I'm saying is that this review is not for us in us... I had a TT with ortofon blue and I didn't like it. Now I don't think that TT is bad it's just sounded worse than a lesser expensive TT with sumiko renier. Just saying to us regular people the most differences in sound are made by the cartridge not necessarily a bit better parts that a TT is made of.
@@blejzerosamigos6115 Hi Blejzeros, my comment reply wasn’t aimed at you. :) I’m aware that the US features different carts which is a complete pain for me as a reviewer. I had this problem with the EVO too. If I get around to an upgrade feature for the Pro then maybe that might be more applicable to you. Thanks for the comment.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank You much for the reply, cheers.
Hi Paul thanks for the thorough and insightful comparisons. When you used the Roksan did you use the same phono as the Pro-ject or did you use the onboard phono? If the Attessa was the same price as the Pro would you take Attesa over the Pro? Thanks!
Thank you for this informative review! It could be my next turntable 👍👋
Great review. If you had a choice of the debut pro or project x1 which deck would you go for? I hope you read this....I am in a little dilemma. Thanks
I haven’t reviewed the X1 which restricts my ability to offer you unfettered advice. What I know of the X1 and from what I hear from colleagues and the little experience I have had with it? Hmmm. I might lean towards the Pro. I would advise more research before you make a final decision, though.
Thanks much, Paul.
In the "notes and nits" department, we Yanks must note that or "package" includes the Sumiko Rainier.
Then there's the quite different Pro-Ject-Rega price dynamic over here. $999 vs $1395 for the Planar 3 with Elys 2.
Hi Leonard, yep I addressed the Sumiko issue in another comment reply here. And yes, you pay Rega’s shipping costs which is the reason for the price hike. That’s quite a margin. Nice. This makes the Debut Pro even better value.
I know you can´t reach all and everything and we understand it ofc, but as we value so much your work here, take it as a compliment when people try to convince you to review this or that brand or model. Here´s my suggestion: As you covered almost all the models the common mortal can buy, I think the only model left to review to complete this effort is the Audio-Technica LPW50PB. Keep up the great work! we keep coming here! Thank you!
Many thanks, Carlos. I’ll make a note and see what I can do.
Paul, it's time for a cartridge upgrade review for the pro, please. Why not do 2 or 3 cartridges (one being the Rega Exact)? Right now, there's massive interest in seeing what this turntable is really capable of.
Fair point, yes. Let me have a think. Only issue I have is time and a current HiFi review queue that's as long a your arm. But I'll make a note, even so.
Lucky who gets one, my dealer has been waiting for months. Allegedly, Pro-ject received a total of around 1400 orders in December 21, but only 80 were manufactured in December. It seems like they have massive problems with suppliers.
Bit dissapointing with the cartridge just being a reworked red rather than throwing a blue or bronze on, but as you said that would up the price. I can find the attessa for £599 would you say that makes it far more worthwhile over the pro?
If I'm honest I'm pretty confused by the Pro in Pro-ject's line-up. For an extra £100 you could get the X1, which has a thicker & heavier plinth and acrylic platter, which I'd have thought would give a more than worthwhile sonic upgrade and be a no-brainer for the comparatively little extra being asked for. Have you heard the X1 or do you plan on reviewing it? (I'd be really interested in your opinion on it)
Btw, I totally agree with your approach of reviewing all the tables with their packaged setup. Makes perfect sense to me and it's really interesting to get your views on their differences. 👍
Thank you and good point on the prospective review. I’ll make a note.
Anthony makes great points and would also be interested to see an X1 review, perhaps vs Debut PRO vs Attessa… thanks for the great work already 👍
I actually think the Pro is better than the X1... none of the X1 features offer any serious (if any at all) gains in sound quality over the Pro. The arm length is the same and is no more adjustable. It doesnt have a better sub platter. The Pro main platter has damping and flywheel effect to match the Acryl not that either matters when the sub is the same. The feet are no better. A slightly bigger/thicker/heavier plinth really isnt going to do anything for the sound imo. I would sooner have the Pro (and i do!) with a alu sub platter and better cart than an X1 as stock for near similar money. The X2 does get a longer arm and the alu sub platter and most importantly can be had in balanced output form for MC cart potential maximising and so is the only way to properly improve on the Pro in Projects range imho. Then again id sooner have a Rega P6 by this price point... an utter musical bargain of the TT world. Project under 1000 quid is great and i love the Pro in my second system but they are not worth pursuing into the mid and high end imo where others Thorens/Rega for two are better
@@tomwebb7091 In Germany the discontinued X1 are selling for 699€ now (replaced by the X1 B, selling for 1.000€), the discontinued X2 around 1.000€, the Debut Pro for 750€ and the Debut Pro S (S-Shape tonarm) for 850€. Really can´t make up my mind.
@@BO-kh1iz A discontinued X1 seems like a good bet but for the little more they are asking a discontinued X2 is surely better still cause you get a much better platter and the full 9inch arm which is a notable step up. In terms of Pro vs X1 id simply go with whichever is cheaper or you prefer the look of because with an identical cart attached they must perform within 5% of each other. I dont want the S shape arm because i dont need quick swap outs and they arent as stiff and the carbon arms are tried and tested quality. They are all decent choices at the end of the day but that discontinued X2 seems worth it right now!
Why don't you compare the debut pro against the X1 is the X1 a better buy regards Bryan from n Ireland
Hi there Paul! Thanks for your great reviews as always. I’ve recently bought this turntable and am really loving it so far. I’ve upgraded the power supply with the high-power it by Pro-Ject. I am also considering the acrylic platter. Although satisfied with the standard platter sound-wise, I really love the design of the acrylic one. Now, the question is: Would you consider the acrylic platter also an upgrade, sound-wise? Thank you in advance! Best regards..
The acrylic platter is not an upgrade here. The platter on the Pro is specific to this model and is designed to be well damped and weighty. It’s also non magnetic so compatible with moving coil cartridges.
A change to acrylic would be cosmetic only.
You’d be better off adding the aluminium sub platter instead.
@@michaelb9664 Thanks for your answer. Reconsidering my first idea: I actually think it is an aesthetic downgrade tbh. Love the clean ‘all black’ looks. So unless it would mean a real upgrade sound-wise I’m no longer considering…
@@stnkfst8639 I completely agree with you.
The Pro is a really good turntable, I’ve just recently bought one! I think the best gains are to be had from cartridge changes. The rest of the deck is already pretty well sorted.
Happy listening!
Thanks for another stellar review on what, to me, comes across as a slightly odd and complicated turntable. Although your perspective and positioning of the Debut Pro in the Pro-Ject line up makes perfect sense, I’m still a bit perplexed by things like the extra carbon and nickel wrapping - these features are definitely aesthetically pleasant and high-end looking, but it also feels a bit frivolous when you consider Pro-Ject’s well established minimalist build standards. Do you think the extra budget could have been better spent elsewhere? Because the Pro still kind of feels like a fancy Carbon Evo IMO. Cheers!
Thanks for your kind words :). Interesting points and I see what you mean. If the basic Pro supplied only a minimal sonic improvement over the EVO then sure, I would agree with you but there is more to it than that. Enough to raise it in performance terms.
Great review(s). A thumbsup. FYI, you have sibilance with your mic. :-)
Many thanks. I’ve tweaked the mic now. Hopefully that helps.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thanks Audiophile Man. Great videos, thanks. Yeah, I started working on a video last week that i wanted to upload to RUclips and I am still trying to find a mic solution that cuts down on my sibilance, my first few attempts were brutal. :-)
Thanks for another great review. I recently bought the Pro-Ject Debut Evo for the great price of 399 euro. Then I upgraded it with the Acryl it, Alu sub-platter and the high power supply (Ground it and Ortofon Blue are on there way) after seeing your review and upgrade videos of the Evo.
I was doubting about taking the Debut Pro, but it was 350 euro (at 750 euro) more so I went for the Debut Evo and started upgrading it. The nice thing about these two models are that when I decide to go for the Debut Pro I can all those upgrade parts I already bought.
So I was wondering if you could do another upgrade video with the Debut Pro just to see if it also benefits of this parts as much as the Debut evo did ?
Anyway keep up the great work. I always think your videos (website) are amongs the most informative on the web 👍
Many thanks and yes, some good points there. I’ll see what I can do.
@@TheAudiophileMan
Ok thanks for the effort, really appreciate it.
I was wondering if I could ask you advice about a new amplifier which would match my setup (don't have any social media so is there another way beside post it in this comments ?)
I already did some research but I could use some advice of a pro 😁
What do you think about project classic turntable? Can you do review for that one?
I'll make a note. Ta.
Paul, at 18:29 a snippet from earlier seems to have snuck in during editing - you go from talking about your upcoming Tuesday episodes to the earlier point about the majority of people not upgrading stock cartridges.
Great review, I enjoyed this one.
Blimey! Thanks for flagging this - missed it entirely. Done some snipping. Not sure how long it takes RUclips to register it but I've sorted it at my end at least. Thanks again.
Looks like an earlier 'take' has sneaked in. Good job the other take - the one where I run around the video completely naked - didn't get in there too. Phew!
Having watched this video a few times.
And the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo a few Times.
And also the Debut Evo UPGRADE video.
My question would be which should I start with after years away from vinyl, but still having vinyl from 40+ years ago to present.
And I'm going to be in the market for a pre Amp. And soon after better Speakers.
I could go with the Carbon Evo and put money into a good pre amp, then add some of the UPGRADES you went over.
Or... Just go to the Debut Pro and be done with it.
I'll answer this in Friday's video - watch the skies.
Hi Paul! How is the Pro-Ject Debut Pro compared to the Pro-Ject X1... do you think the difference in price is justified?
I've never tested the X1 I'm afraid Vitalie which doesn't help, I know. At the time, I did talk to the company about doing and A-B comparison with the two but it just never worked out. They were more keen to talk about new products, I think. All I can offer - and I know it doesn't answer your question fully - is that I heartily recommend a Pro. An excellent design.
Mr. Rigby, I've saved up €500 and now I'm putting my Pro-Ject Debut III upgraded with cork/rubber mat and Sumiko Pearl cartrige for sale. Were you in my shoes, would you buy a Debut Carbon Evo and gradually upgrade it or shoot straight for the Carbon Pro (and later also upgrade the sub platter and so on)? I can afford both options, so my main objective is pure audiophile gratification for these 49 year old ears of mine.
Money's the thing, as you know Nuno but, if I had the pennies, I'd go for the Pro to treat my ears :)
@@TheAudiophileMan thank you so very much for the advice, I guess my ears truly deserve the Pro treatment!
Hi Paul! I was wondering what would be your thoughts on the Mofi StudioDeck turntable! Brand new it's priced at $1200 in the USA....I saw a (Display/return model) for around $800. I saw a couple of reviews ...all pretty convincing.
i very much enjoy the reviews. i listen to or watch them before work.
i recently bought a debut evo. motor noise....when switching it on, motor noise would peak and the turn down when 33 stabilized but never go away. at 45 the noise was higher pitched and stead throughout. also, the platter moved slightly side to side, and there was a lot of rumble. sounded good, but my $60 TT i bought from a street addict outperformed the evo in every way except sound at low to mid volume.
man, this bothered me, so i went to the dealer and exchanged it for another evo, and i got the same exact problems--motor noise, rumble, etc.
the pro-jct people were unfamiliar with these problems, especially the rumble. i couldnt imagine that they never turned up their stereo past "use-your-inside-voice" when listening to records...or stood near the turntable in a quiet room when switching it on. if u got good ears, the motor noise is easy to hear. im stll blown away that a $60 tt has better isolation than a $650 tuntable.
now, these problems come up in the online message boards but the reviews dont ever seem to mention them--why? if the turntable has audible motor noise that they supposedly fixed and eliminated, why isnt this being mentioned in reviews and comparisons?
i wasnt about to box up and send off a brand new turntable, so...id heard the planar 3 prior to this, and it had none of these serious design flaws and malfunctions. its a good bit more expensive w/o cartridge, so got a sumiko blue point #3 on it. much happier.
Many thanks for your kind words. As for the noise? Not something I've ever heard, to be honest. I actually went to the trouble of powering up my EVO in a dead quiet room to have another listen before I answered your post. When switched on initially, I hear a soft whine as the platter gets up to speed then that dies away. If I put my ear to the platter, I hear noise but its very quiet. It's actually quieter than my £15k Origin Live Sovereign! So no. No idea on that one. A dodgy batch perhaps? Faulty motors? I can only guess. Are you in the US? Maybe something happened during shipping? It has been known. Certainly, if I had heard what you're hearing I would have sent mine back and wouldn't have reviewed it in the first place. If you had come to me first then I would have recommended going to the dealer, yes but failing that would have pointed you in the direction of the distributor who has more power on this issue than your dealer. That said, if you're happy with the Rega, then that's the main thing.
Did you remove the two shipping screws on the motor?
Lots of people don’t.
Debut motors are noisy though. Even brand new you can hear the motor.
but the reviews dont ever seem to mention them--why?
id heard the planar 3 prior to this, and it had none of these serious design flaws.
FULL STOP
I’m looking for a durable automatic turntable. I have a $2000 budget. Please help
Hi. Good review as usual. I'm wondering though about your comparison between the pro and the rega. You said RP3. was that the old rega or the latest P3 with the exact cartridge fit you compared the Pro with. Thanks.
It was a RP3 - as stated - not a Planar 3. The Planar 3 does improve upon the RP3 in sonic terms to some extent but the personality remains the same so the inclusion of the RP3 is a valid one. At least I believe it is.
They must make a fortune on these deck's.
Yeah. Audio is one of the highest margin in electronics.
Oh Paul things just got complicated…just as I’m about to go for the Project Evo you review this! What are your thoughts on how your recent Evo progressive up grade package stands compared to the Pro out of the box. Hope you can help Sir. 👍
Hi Funk - simple really. Buy an EVO if you can only afford £450. Buy a Pro if you have more money amounting to £699 or more. Don't buy an EVO with a fully fitted EVO 2 in mind (The EVO 2 being my designation of a completely modded original EVO). The idea of upgrading is to add a part here and there, when you can, over months and years. It's ideal for people on very little budget who might take months to save the £100 upgrade for this or that part.
@@TheAudiophileMan Hi Paul, ok thats great thanks for the insights & clearing that up for me, it’s a great help. CheerZ 👍
这两个我都喜欢，不知道该选哪个？谢谢！
Mine just arrived today and it came without the anti skate weight. The Gods hate me. 😭😭😭 Oh great review by the way.
Please do a cartridge upgrade feature
I’ll make a note, Renier.
Your vocal cadence and inflections reminds me of the Count Arthur Strong character, but without his malapropisms... 🙂
Blimey!
@@TheAudiophileMan Oh, I forgot to mention - great review. Especially as I'm thinking of maybe getting back into vinyl alter a long time away using mainly hq streaming services like Qobuz and buying lossless media from the same.
Will the Rega mm MK5 be enough for debut pro?
Is it worth to trade-in the PRO stock platter for an acrylic ?
From what I have learned, no it would not be. The aluminum platter that ships with the PRO is top notch.
Absolutely brilliant review. Really nicely put into context with turntables above and below the Debut PRO price point.
In terms of getting outright value for money, is it worth say buying a Debut Carbon EVO package, then buying the Pick It PRO cartridge and fitting it in place of the 2M Red? Would this take the sound quality on par with the PRO? Only asking as an outright value proposition. There’s no question the Debut PRO is already stunning value in its own right, plus it’s absolutely gorgeous. But, by going this route, one would have the 2M Red as a decent spare too, so if say looks and quality of finish weren’t important to a buyer, would this be a good way to go?
Similarly, would a cartridge upgrade on the Debut PRO package take the TT up to the level of the Attessa? This way, just IMO, you’d have a better looking TT and (from visually comparing the two TTs) better made turntable in the Debut PRO compared to the Attessa, plus you’d have a better than decent spare cartridge in the Pick It PRO.
What are your thoughts Mr Audiophile Man? Am I looking at this the wrong way? Or is there a half-decent school of thought in this approach? Thanks again for a stunning review video, up there with the best I’ve seen 👏👏👏
Hi rrt - any thanks for your kinds words. And no, the tonearm is the major factor here, in terms of the basic design quality. The cart is a part of the basic sonic qualities but that arm is the main difference between the EVO and Pro. You can upgrade the EVO (see my associated video on upgrading) to lift the EVO to a whole new level. Ultimately, though, the tonearm will become ether bottleneck.
The Attessa has a similar difference but there's additional extras on the Roksan. The cart again is a major factor, sure but there's more to the story.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you for your response, makes perfect sense. Really admire your passion for audio, learning a lot from you and your content. I’ll be staying tuned! 👍
Music breaks have much higher volume level in comparison with the speak. Please fix this in the future. Otherwise, excellent
Will do.
I have a debut pro but I have also the acryl it from my previous debut , does it make sense to use it even though is lighter than the aluminium std platter ? 🤔
Platter weight/mass can be a factor in some turntable designs but that isn't really the issue here, it's the quality of the damping applied that's important.
Reminds me of ancient audio times when some people put shrink tubing over their tone arms to dampen vibrations. No idea if it worked but some enthusiasts may have cooked their cartridge wiring.
There’s no heat around or in an arm. You’re silly.
@@keithb6717 You must to heat up heat shrink tubing to get it to shrink over the tone arm. Hence the name "Hear Shrink" Some people use a flame to do this instead of heated air. Probably only works with tone arms with removable head shells. And yes, I am silly.
Lol. You'd need to use a blow torch to melt wiring inside an aluminum tube and by that time the shrink wrap would be completely burned off! Yes you are silly.
@@shawnbailey9778
I bake my entire turntable every year to tighten the belt and reflow the solder joints. 30 minutes @ 650f
It makes a noticeable difference.
@@keithb6717 lol
Hi Paul have you reviewed the marantz tt-15s1 at all? What are your thoughts and likes dislikes about the turntable? Thanks steve
I haven't. That one - and it's been out for a while now hasn't it? - passed me by I'm afraid.
It has Paul, supposed to be a cracking table
I just upgraded from the Pro-Ject RPM-1 Carbon to the Debut Pro. The best part is that I got it for the price of an EVO! I tried a Rega P3 a few months ago, and didn't really find it better than my RPM-1, using the same Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge. I found there was a slight speed control issue with the P3. Here in Canada, the P3 is normally $680 more than the Debut Pro. So, I definitely got a bargain. Also using the 2M Blue on the Pro, I do find the sound to be more dynamic, and cleaner. The speed stability on the motor is way ahead of the RPM-1, and the P3 in my opinion. I'll probably get the High Power It, for even more stability, but I'm not sure how much difference I'll be able to hear. My TT is played through a Rega Elex-R integrated, out to a set of Goldenear Triton 3 speakers.
Hey! I'm in Canada too, would you kindly share where you found your Debut Pro at an Evo price please? :)
Love your reviews, thank you so much :)
May I pick your brains..... I currently have a Schitt mani and 2m red only 1 hrs use and a blue stylus again 1 hours use, but i'm looking at a new table as I'm done with moving belts onto different belt pulleys :) Im looking at this (Pro-Ject Debut Pro) as I like the speed switch on the face of the table very convenient, the Technics SL-1500c or the Fluance rt85. Ive had an Rega Planner 3 current model and wasn't keen. I listen mainly to 80's music so the sound has to make me toe tap and want to sing along and get up and dance and i didn't find the planner to do that.
Your help would be more than appreciated thank you :)
Hi Steve and yes, the Pro sounds ideal for you. There's also options for upgrading later on, if you get the itch :)
Great Video!
Can you tell me please, what do you think about this model. Pro Ject Debut II.
Thank you
It's a decent design. What's the context of your question, though? Why do you ask?
@@TheAudiophileMan i want to buy a turntable, but I'm thinking in 2nd hand, used. Andio tecnica, Thecnics, etc....I don't know the brand, and this pro ject debut II , maybe its the 1st level, it's just to listen vinyl and have a great quality. Do I need a pre amplifier? Or just speakers. Tks
All of that depends on your budget but the EVO is highly recommended as a source. You will need a phono amplifier (either external or fitted inside your main amplifier), a main amplifier and speakers plus cables to connect the lot.
This one or nad c 588?
Thanks for your videos
I haven't done an A-B because my NAD had to go back from whence it came. From *memory* (so take from this imperfect comment what you will), the Pro is a more cultured, more incisive deck of the two with smoother mids and better clarity. I still love the NAD though so it's 'up there' in quality terms.
@@TheAudiophileMan thanks
Hi, I had a question about anti-skating on this turntable. I set it following the indications of the parent company but the wire with the weight once the arm approaches the innermost tracks tends to slip out of the notch, forcing me to reinsert it every time. How can I solve?
But late to the party sorry, but if you have not resolved it yet, very slim slices cut from the ink tube on a cheap ballpoint pen work perfectly and just fix the line in place whilst being easily movable.
Does it bother anyone that the tone arm doesn’t lift off at the record end side? Do you want the expensive stylusrubbing the label until you pick it up? I have this problem with Pro-Jects and Rega,s. Pro-Ject sells a gadget you can stick on the TT deck that lifts the tone arm at the end of the side, but is that best way to handle this issue? Dose anyone know why semi-automatic TT aren’t more common in the $400 - $600 price range?
Project now make a fully automatic turntable if you're still interested.
Dont hesitate to use the Q Up the tonearm lifter! I'm the owner of both Debut Carbon-tweaked with the 10mm glass platter-especially ordered at glass workshop + the Q Up. This pair works more than normal. Good.
Highly recommeded!
Anyone else getting a hollow hum from the project debut when the volume is up ?
Excellent review, as always... I have debut pro and I am very satisfied... I would like to ask you something... Do you believe that an upgrade with ortofon 2m blue cartridge and leather it mat or cork it mat would make this turntable even better? Thank you in advance!!!
I’ll need to do some tests before I can comment on the cart. As for the mat? That depends on your budget. Of the two listed, I prefer the cork.
@@TheAudiophileMan Thank you!!!😀😀😀😀🏅🏅🏅🏅👏👏👏👏🍺🍺🍺🍺
I’m auditioning this tomorrow alongside the Rega p3 50th Anniversary and the Rega P6 & exact. My ears will be the judge, not my wallet.
Hi! I am cross shopping these exact tables. What did you choose in the end? Thanks!
@@williambroth7784 hi, I bought the P6 with the Exact MM cartridge. The P3 50th (also with same Exact and Neo power supply as the P6) came very close indeed, but I felt the P6 had a touch more vocal clarity and I preferred the plain black look when compared to the Walnut of the P3. The 50th anniversary P3 model is no longer available, however, there is now an even better new P3 RS version that comes with the Neo supply and an upgraded plinth, so that is worth a look. Also the new ND range of cartridges which replace the older exact are supposed to be great. The p3 RS vs P6 would be a great comparison (not cheap though)
@@mrkitewine7700 Thanks for the infos! I missed the last P3 50th at my local dealer. I wasn't sold on the Walnut either. The P3 RS seems like a good upgrade, but I am not sure about the look of the plinth, cosmetically. I would have to see it in person if I went this way. I am leaning toward the P6/ND7 right now. I am getting a good deal, but still expensive. Lol.
Lots of info 😊
Question from a noob here, I’m trying to get the best manual direct drive turntable on a budget as pure as possible that is no integrated extras like amps. Problem is I’m college broke :/ any good suggestion for me ?
Check out the Pro-Ject Primary E which ca be had for £179, £189. Ish.
@@TheAudiophileMan thanks mate appreciate it ;)
Is your debut pro completely silent?
and for fun - late here ' first, I found long ago ( I'm 73 ) auto T'tables are way better , machine just does the critical needle / disc contact better, especially if 'enhancements ' are used. I've had a mid '70's Pioneer full auto since mid '70's still working fine. ( Stanton 681eeeS (stereohedren ?) and now my main t'table Thorens 240-2 full auto, 2 mBlue. gotta say I don't hear any difference and if I did, I'd credit the Cartridge not the T'table. joke - Hey, why don't Ya use the same cartridge on all of em ) side note - my hands now shake, but my fingers are stiff. So when I recently wanted to change Cartridge, I couldn't do the 4 tiny wires, had to take it to a shop.
Hi Rick - I use the same cart on turntables that don't with come with one installed. Most new decks for this price and down - tend to arrive with a cart installed so I'm reviewing the 'package'. Most people will buy the package and never change the cart in that product's life so I want to review the 'out of the box' experience, as it where. And sure, I have no problem changing the cart and reviewing that but that is then an upgrade feature video. A separate thing. I did that with the Pro's cheaper sister, the EVO, for example.
@@TheAudiophileMan very shocked anyone read this from a 5 month old review.... super minor, I specifically said ' Joke ' in the next to last sentence to note your extensive explanation of different cartridges .. certainly a viable point. when folks do reviews of individual t'tables I believe they are actually reviewing the cartridge, discussing things like ' soundstage' ' bass clarity' whatever point is being made. that's just me. oh, to drag this on - I can't hear over 8000 hz on CD or Utube frequency tests so I don't really have any comment on ' sound'. > some things are T'Table oriented like speed stability / accuracy, Wow/ Flutter, hum could be t'table or cartridge..... anyway, always enjoy your essays.
I still do not understand why Rega keeps on proposing no removable RCA cables on their turntables!!!
As an current owner of the evo is this worth the upgrade or would my money be better spent on upgrading the platter and stylus on my current turntable.
You buy the EVO because you can’t afford the Pro in the first place. Then you upgrade the EVO a little at a time when funds allow. If you have the cash from the off, then grab a Pro. If you experience a cash windfall as an EVO owner then you buy an Attessa.
@@TheAudiophileMan thanks for taking the time to reply. Good advice I think I will upgrade my evo
Within the last week I have sold some unplayed records which funded an upgrade to the aluminium sub platter and acrylic platter on my evo. It’s not an immediate mind blowing upgrade but it is a worthwhile investment and I’m listening to details never heard before. I would say, for an example, rather than hearing a cymbal sound , you are hearing a cymbal being hit. I know what I mean!!!
Would have liked a comparison with Technics 1500-C
I wouldn’t though. I struggle to keep my videos to a manageable length so wanted to keep the comparisons to three. The three I chose reflected a goodly and varied array of price and performance characteristics. As for the (unmodded) 1500? I prefer the performance of the Pro.
@@TheAudiophileMan I understand. Too many turntable in this price rang to compare them all. What sound characteristic of the Pro-Ject you preferred over Techincs?
@@mustang37v6 You should check Darko Audio's review, he compares it to his Technics.
Actually, Paul, until your review, I'd been quietly lusting after this turntable, mainly for its sexy toggle switch speed changer, however, I've now gone off the idea a bit. Pro-Ject seem to've been a bit stingy in terms of the still-plastic sub platter and cartridge that's the equivalent only of the Ortofon red? Also, I hadn't noticed before how they've managed to squish everything over to the left while leaving acres of space at the other end of the plinth (maybe that's just my eyes though). Nah, I think I'll stick to my NAD C388 (with nice ali sub platter) and Fluance RT85 (that I bought mainly for the Ortofon 2M blue, to be honest).
The RT85 is nearly impossible to beat for the money.
I prefer this cart to the Red, I have to say. And you shouldn't underestimate the difference a decent arm makes to a turntable. The Rega Planar 1 at £299 is all arm, for example. Everything else on that design is bland in sonic terms. That arm makes the Planar 1 one of the finest budget decks out there. The money for the Pro has been largely spent on the arm upgrades which makes a significant difference to its performance compared to the EVO, for example. Saying that, though - if you're happy with your turntables then go for those. As long as you're happy with your music then that's all that matters.
@@TheAudiophileMan the last comparison you made between Rega and Fluance was between the RT83 and the P1, which I'm not sure was a fair comparison with the 83 costing far less money. At about a hundred dollars less than the P1, while not getting its tone arm you gain an acrylic platter and the Ortofon 2M *Blue with the 85. I think it's a better comparison. The P1 is a great turntable and money well spent, and its tone arm IS superior to the Fluance models. I've enjoyed listening to them. I prefer the RT85 side by side, but that's subjective. I will say that the Rega has a better esthetic and build quality overall.
@@TheAudiophileMan also just wanted to say I appreciate your videos. I recently watched your video about upgrade paths for moving coil. Just what i needed :)
Turntable wobbles like a washing machine in 78rpm mode.
Just up my street still not deasided what I'm getting yet. But you enjoyed saying package to much 😉
Just emphasising my point to those who might be a little confused about my review structure (judging by past comments from other, earlier reviews). So I think the repetition was necessary in this one case.
@@TheAudiophileMan I went with the gold ring e3 in the end on sale from richer sounds any suggestions for a bare turntable ie no cartridge I know I've done things back to front
That would depend on your budget.
@@TheAudiophileMan £400-600
The EVO from Pro-Ject would be my choice. Check out my other video on EVO upgrades for future enhancements too.
I also disagree with you. You should have also done a cartridge change to get the apples to apples comparison.
I want both out of the box and a fair comparison.
I don't know you know, I think for me personally and what I've heard, the RP3 really takes the cake. Now Brandon I haven't heard the roksan But I've heard the new debut pro and to me it just suffers the same faults that all project turntable suffer. It has this very liquid thick mid-range that comes across is very analog sounding but also comes across as very ill-defined. The RP3 on the other hand, and it's new brethren the plain r3 both have a more even handed approach to the frequency response and you just can't beat that PRAT that happens with Rega turntables. The only negative I have with Rega is their turntables can come across as having not so great build quality, especially in regards to the tone arm and sometimes the fit and finish. I think that's one place where the project might outpace it, but I'd rather have the sound quality of the Rega and have to deal with its finicky nature
I find it Noisy watching your video at night...
I had the old project debut Carbon. Had no tíme for it. Sold it. Now I am thinking of buying a new tt. I dont like the look of pro. I like the look of evo. I would rather buy evo and a better cart than the pro. Is this (for me) ugly looking tonearm of the pro such a big sound diference compared to evo?
I’ve covered the Pro v EVO points in the review. Here’s a website link (theaudiophileman.com/debut-pro-turntable-review-pro-ject/) if that’s quicker to search. Check out the EVO upgrade vid for my advice on enhancing the EVO sound.
Ortofon used to mean quality ,now they have a lot of bad cartridges the early 80´s OM´s were perfect with 5x times more hours of use, now just garbage as the 2m till the before the black
Hi Paul I know you have stated that your rega is a good comparison to the latest model , but I think Its still not the deck that is currently available . Which seems counter intuitive when comparing like for like . If the cartridge on your rega was different to the one fitted as standard to the current P3 , then this would further exasperate the situation . No disrespect intended. Best wishes as always. 😀👍
As I've already stated, the Planar 3 does improve upon the RP3 in sonic terms but, having heard both, the Planar 3 is hardly out of sight, it's mostly there while the personality remains the same so the inclusion of the RP3 is a valid one.
i really don´t understand the pro-ject having such a bad sound i think the rega would be a better choice not that i lked it but in sound is much better at least the one i heard and the roksen attessa is maybe the first roksan i heard and it was like a turntable
Pro whit MM cartridge 😂
It depends. The £10k McIntosh MT5 is (or at least was when I reviewed it) sold with a MM cart. Also the Goldring 1042 is a MM. It outperforms some low cost MCs I could name. It's not necessarily the tech but its implementation. Also, some packages feature lower-cost parts to keep costs down, to get you up and running and then can be upgraded when funds allow.
The Roksan has some ugly motor noise and a cheap, flimsy arm. The Rega and Pro-Ject are much better.
I can understand - although cannot agree - with your aesthetic comments here. Also, you say nothing about the sound. And that’s why I buy hifi. To me, hifi is a sound tool. Nothing more. Music is my priority.
The arm is a unipivot. All unipivots are flimsy in nature. That’s their inherent design basis and also why they offer such superlative treble and midrange. Give me a choice between this arm and a bulky £3.5k SME IV (an arm I also own) and I’ll have the low mass Roksan any day.
Also my £15k Origin Live Sovereign could be said to have a noisy motor. Yet it offers one of the best performing turntable sounds the world has ever seen.
The motor noise never infects the sound. Neither does the Roksan’s.
Thank you for your answer. No critic on your review, sound comes first.
Roksan deserves praise for the unipivot arm. I was underwelmed of the build quality compared to the price, especialy the noice when it started turning.
At first glance I thought it was around 400.-.
Well I enjoyed your review.
Hello Sir. i am a happy owner of the DC Evo. Watched your video on thw uogrades and did all of them. my questiom is, which better sounding? Pro out of the box? or the Fully upgraded Evo? thank you in advance.
This is not a relevant review. The RP3 has long been discontinued. The Planar 3 it’s replacement has been out for at least 4 years. I’ve owned pro-ject turntables. The Rega arenas are
Rega arms are far superior
To damn an entire review based upon the couple of minutes on a related issue you find moot is a little extreme, doncha think? :) Also, as I've already stated in these Comments, the Planar 3 does improve upon the RP3 in sonic terms (I've tested both and am familiar with the performance of both) to some extent but the personality remains the same so the inclusion of the RP3 is a valid one for this particular test. At least I believe it is. I can see you're a Rega fan and I'm not criticising the design at all. It remains an excellent turntable and one I highly recommend.