PRO-JECT DEBUT PRO TURNTABLE REVIEW
Pro-ject Debut Pro Turntable Review by Andrew Robinson. Originally published on Jan. 13, 2022.
WHAT IS “NEW” ABOUT THE NEW PROJECT DEBUT PRO TURNTABLE?
If you’re at all into vinyl playback the Debut line of products from Pro-ject need no introduction. Today we take a look at what is “new” about the new ProJect Debut Pro Turntable and how it stacks up against the competition.
Pro-ject’s Debut turntables have been a Goldilocks design since their introduction, perfectly marrying price and performance in a way that has caught on with enthusiasts. So rather than monkey too much with the formula, Pro-ject set out to make it better –albeit incrementally –with the Pro.
DEBUT PRO TURNTABLE. PHOTO CREDIT ANDREW ROBINSON.
UPDATES TO THE DEBUT PRO TURNTABLE
So what’s so special about the Pro? For starters, the Pro gets a new tonearm, which is a carry over from Pro-Ject’s costlier X1 and X2 turntables. The carbon fibre and aluminum tonearm rests inside a new tonearm collar, providing greater levels of adjustment to allow for compatibility with a wider range of third-party cartridges –or cartridge sizes. There’s also a new, updated platter with the Pro, one purported to cut down on wow and flutter.
In true Debut fashion, the Pro is a belt-driven design that has electronic speed control with support for 33, 45 and 78 RPM records, the latter requiring the use of a separate, but included, belt. It features adjustable feet that help to keep the turntable level and free of vibration, not to mention a new satin black MDF plinth that is hand painted and finished to perfection at Pro-ject’s factory in Europe.
The Pro ships with the Sumiko Rainier cartridge, a well-known entry to mid-level cartridge among enthusiasts, pre-installed. This moving magnet design features an elliptical stylus. Now, the Pro does NOT have a built-in phono preamp, which means you may need to budget for a separate phono preamp, or you need to make sure that your existing preamp, integrated amp, AVR, processor or powered speakers have a phono preamp in order to connect and enjoy the Debut Pro turntable.
SETTING UP THE PRO-JECT DEBUT PRO
In terms of setup, the Pro comes ALMOST fully assembled from the factory. The Rainier cartridge is pre-installed, though you will still have to balance the arm once out of the box, not to mention install the anti-skate weight, which I’m not going to lie, is kind of a pain thanks to its old-school weight on the end of a piece of monofilament design. Thankfully, once you get it installed you should never have to adjust it –unless of course you switch cartridges, which may or may not require some anti-skate adjustment. But apart from the usual adjustments MOST turntables require upon unboxing, the Pro isn’t THAT different or more difficult to get up and running when compared to other belt-driven turntables.
SUMIKO CARTRIDGE ON THE PROJECT TURNTABLE. PHOTO BY ANDREW ROBINSON.
BUILD QUALITY
The Pro looks like a higher end turntable than its asking price would have you believe. All of the parts feel sturdy and well built and the act of spinning records inspires confidence that the Pro is likely to stand up to years of use! I especially liked how well dampened the built-in cue lever was, lowering the new tonearm with absolute control, never allowing the stylus to crash into the vinyl the way some levers can. The tone arm is incredibly lightweight, at least compared to the all aluminum or magnesium tone arms that I’m used to, which took some getting used to but that isn’t a knock against the Pro-ject, just an observation.
HOW WE TESTED THE PRO-JECT TURNTABLE
A turntable’s sound is derived from the sum of its parts, so when evaluating a turntable you are also evaluating the cartridge, which is often made by a third party, not to mention the phono preamp, which on the Pro, is not included. In other words, your experience may differ from my own, especially considering your ancillary gear is not likely to be the EXACT same as mine. I only listened to the Pro using the included Rainier cartridge because that is how I feel 99 percent of listeners will enjoy this table. I connected the Pro to my Audiolab 6000A Play and the McIntosh 7200 stereo receiver, both of which have phono preamps built-in. I also tested it with my standalone Pluto phono preamp from U-turn Audio connected to my Canor A1.10 amplifier. Speakers ran the gamut from our Klipsch Forte IV to the Focal K2 towers and everything in between.
DEBUT PRO SITTING ON SOLIDSTEEL MEDIA RACK WITH THE UTURN PLUTO. PHOTO BY ANDREW ROBINSON.
A WELL BALANCED SOUNDING TURNTABLE
So how does the Pro sound? This is an incredibly well-balanced sounding turntable, one that definitely puts a premium on sounding good across the widest range of source material without necessarily being the “best” in any one regard. On the whole, the Pro definitely has what I can only describe as a mildly warm and smooth midrange presentation, one that compliments female vocals, acoustic guitars or string instruments incredibly well. If you’re a sucker for a slightly enhanced, or warm, round and pleasing midrange, the Pro isn’t likely to disappoint.
THE HIGHS
Highs are relatively airy with good texture and detail, though they’re not the most extended –coming across as ever so slightly rolled off at the extremes and lacking in absolute top-end energy. When paired with the warmer, fuller midrange, this results in a silkier, smoother sound rather than an outright exacting one. I didn’t mind this as some of our older records (and even some new ones like those from Panic! At the Disco definitely became a little more palatable with the Pro’s mild top-end restraint.
THE BASS
Where the Pro didn’t quite rise to the occasion –at least for me –is in the bass. Bass notes are full-bodied and when paired with the Audiolab or McIntosh amp, relatively deep, but the Rainier cartridge isn’t quite as resolving down low as I would’ve liked from a table at this price point. I’m not suggesting the Pro is lean, there is bass, it just isn’t as agile, nor as detailed or dynamic as you might experience from cartridges like the 2M Blue from Ortofon.
DYNAMICS and soundstage
Given that critique it should come as no surprise that I didn’t find the Pro to be THE MOST dynamic table in our home. Dynamics were not lightning quick, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say they were non-existent. While my Audio Technica fitted with a Ortofon 2M Black cartridge can sometimes rival CDs and high-res audio with respect to dynamics, the Pro-ject possesses what I refer to as a more classic, analog sound, which you may prefer.
Now, in terms of soundstage the Debut Pro record player was impressive with respect to its width and depth, though due to the slight lack of top-end detail, it wasn’t quite as focused as some of our other tables. But, when it comes to long-term listening sessions, you know the kind where you just put on record after record, the Pro absolutely shines! So, if you’re one who likes to completely dissect an album and listen in order to be impressed rather than moved, the Pro may not be the table for you. But if you’re looking for a player that you can listen to for hours on end with little to no regard for whatever record you may choose to spin next, the Pro is a solid option.
pro-ject debut pro drawbacks
While the Pro-Ject Debut Pro is a perfectly capable turntable, it isn’t perfect. It’s lack of a built-in phono preamp and convenience features like auto start and stop –never mind tone arm return, may make this table less than ideal for vinyl newcomers. It is a belt driven turntable so you may have to replace the belt from time to time to ensure proper playback speeds. All that said, nothing about the Pro’s day-to-day usability is THAT different from other belt driven turntables. I will say that should you want to upgrade the Pro’s performance, switching out the included Rainier cartridge is where I’d start.
SHOP COMPARABLE TURNTABLES
DEBUT PRO VS U-TURN ORBIT
In terms of comparisons, the Debut Pro is better built and uses more robust materials when compared to my go-to entry-level turntable, the U-Turn Audio Orbit. That said, you can achieve similar levels of performance, save for 78 support, in the Orbit Special at $499, or $569 should you configure the Special with a built-in phono preamp. The Special comes with an Ortofon 2M Red cartridge as standard, which isn’t my favorite, but is similar to the Rainier cartridge found on the Pro, although the Rainier IS the better cartridge –at least to me –definitely a little richer and less analytical when compared to the Red.
PROJECT VS FLUANCE
Now, compared to the Fluance RT85, the Pro may use nicer components, be a bit more upscale in its finish and have a little more audiophile pedigree, but where it matters, PERFORMANCE, the Pro does not audibly beat the RT85. While I would rather look at and interact with the Pro over the RT85; between the grooves, where it counts, the RT85 and its included 2M Blue cartridge is simply a better one-two punch. When you toss in the fact that the RT85 is nearly half as much as the Pro, it definitely makes spending more harder to justify.
PRO-JECT VS AUDIO TECHNICA TURNTABLES
And then there is my personal budget reference turntable, the Audio Technica LP140. When fitted with an Ortofon 2M Black cartridge, which is NOT standard, the pairing is only about $170 more than the stock Debut Pro at $999. If you can stretch your budget, this combo is superior to the Debut Pro in almost every conceivable way save for maybe looks and finish quality, to which I prefer the Pro-ject. That said, at a little over $1,100 for the LP140 and 2M Black, this combo goes toe-to-proverbial-toe with rigs costing upwards of $3000 or more! When connected to the capable phono preamp inside the Technics R1000, there was little to no audible difference between this $1,100 combo and Technics own 1210GAE fitted with the same cartridge.
DO I RECOMMEND THE PRO-JECT DEBUT PRO?
So in the end, do I recommend the Pro-ject Debut Pro? Yes, I would, because I think it is a very well built, audiophile-grade turntable that doesn’t cost insane money, nor does it require you to go to ridiculous lengths in order to simply enjoy your record collection. Is it THE ONLY turntable solution under a grand worth your consideration? No, of course not. While the Pro may be a value compared to other Pro-ject turntables, it is not an outright value leader compared to the competition. So, if you’re on the market for a manual, belt driven turntable and you have a budget of about a thousand dollars, I would put the Debut Pro on your list of turntables to consider.
