✅ *GET IT HERE: **bit.ly/3mj3pvz* ★ *QOTD: What’s your favorite Pro-ject turntable?* ★ *CLICK 🔝 “SHOW MORE” in the description for answers to many of your questions* ★ *RULES: Please be respectful. NO OUTSIDE LINKS, URLs, email addresses, etc.*
QOTD: Until ten minutes ago I’d never heard of the Pro-ject brand. They look great but at barely under a grand I’d have trouble justifying buying this model for its lack of user features. I hate a home turntable that doesn’t lift the tonearm at the end of the record. Ironically, my favourite deck is the Technics 1200 but it gets a pass because I only ever used those professionally. But the 1200 is stupid expensive now so if I ever upgrade from my vintage Dual 505 platter I’ll be looking at the Audio Technica because it looks and functions like a 1200 for way less.
@@KristiWright great. Their lightweight philosophy is so different, it would be interesting to see if you think it makes a difference. Nice tonearms too.
I'm currently running the Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon with the Ortofon Blue. I was able to bring in a Rega P3, also with Ortofon Blue, and to be honest, I couldn't hear much difference between the two. So, I'm happy enough with my cheaper TT at the moment. FYI, I'm using it in conjunction with the Rega Elex-R integrated, and a set of Goldenear Triton 3's. I believe you reviewed the Tritons a number of years ago Andrew. Personally, I think I'm pretty much at the point of diminishing returns with my current setup vs budget. 😉 Thanks to both of you for the informative videos!
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
Great review, thanks - and I really enjoy your channel. I upgraded to a Project Debut Pro after owning both a Rega P1 and a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, and I found there were a number of usability improvements that ended in me having much longer listening sessions: - A speed switch so I don't have to disassemble the turntable to change speeds via belts (unlike the Debut Carbon and the P1) - A grounded cable (unlike the P1) - Adjustable leveling, which the P1 and Debut Carbon don't have and I need because I live in an old house - An upgrade path for the Sumiko needle to a Moonstone without realigning the cartridge - An upgrade path for the turntable via platters, accessories, etc. To me, upgrade paths make this a true "project" turntable. Again, thanks for the reviews.
I still use the Turntable my dad purchased in 1974 which is a Technics 1200. I've added many carts throughout the years, and agree that the Ortofon Black is the end of the line. My Technics is a true work horse, and I wouldn't trade her for anything.
Great review, honest and sincere. You guys are the ultimate duo reviewers. Andrews decades of experience and technicality coupled with Christie's (sp?) down to earth everyman/woman real life experience take on these products makes for one of my favorite places to spend my time and live out my audio obsession!!Professional content and genuinely good people. We appreciate you guys!
I bought that turntable for my daughter at Xmas, along with the Ifi Zen phono. The Project is a bit less expensive in the UK (£699) and comes with the PICK-IT pro cartridge which was developed in conjunction with Ortofon especially for the turntable.. From what i've heard of it seems very good value for money and the build quality is excellent. Also Project have good upgrade options for their turntables. Great review as always Andrew. 👍
I’m two weeks into using the Audio Technical lp140/Ortofon Black LVB combo and I couldn’t be happier. I’m blown away by the combo. This video was a conveniently timed confirmation on my purchase. In a world of limitless TT and cartridge combinations, I’m very happy to be, frankly, very happy. So thanks again, guys!
I have one of these. Upgraded the stylus to the Ortofon 2M Blue. Absolutely fantastic. Better than my 1980 Pioneer PL-600/Denon DL-110 combo and my Dual 505-4 Ortofon OM20 rig. Buy the table and upgrade the stylus. Boom - you have an audiophile grade turntable that will last for decades. Done!
Kristi is right again. Once you reach a certain price point they all sound about the same. It’s then all about ascetics. I agree with this as an owner of a Technics 1200GR, it sounds great but all looks amazing
Not true. Even focussing on just the cartridge, different cartridges will make a huge difference in sound. A £5000 Rega v a £5000 Linn will sound completely different.
@@reynard.fox101 it depends on your ears really. My uncle has all that high end shit and I don't hear much of a difference from my thousand dollar setup.
Then it depends on what you listen to for vinyl. is it average quality or is it a vinyl record with very high sound quality from eg MFSL or analog Produktions
Your preamp probably also has an effect on the sound quality. One for $100 will probably sound significantly better than most that are built into a regular receiver. And one for $500 Will probably sound amazing by comparison . If you have a record player that costs about $500.! Of course you have to compare quality also on your speakers and your amplifier
Andrew a year ago I told you most of the audio gear you review is midfi not highend. I also complimented your review style as fun and entertaining. One year later I see you have begun reviewing much higher end products. Your reviewing style continues to be impressive. Having Christy give her point of view is great. I throughly enjoy your channel.
Just purchased a Pro Ject Debut Carbon EVO and so far, its been very nice. Out of the box, its great and is wonderful reintroduction to the world of vinyl. The reason I chose Pro Ject over all the other was the upgradability. Nearly every part can be changed out and upgraded so this can grow with me and this hobby (and my expectations) evolve. And the Satin Green....omg SO GOOD! A stunning turntable thats great out of the box that can grow with you? Yes, please!
I enjoy your reviews. Well articulated and you hit every point. My only criticism on this one is I don’t think it is a fair comparison. The stock cartridge in the project is not in the same league as a 2m black. I believe a turntable’s ability to play well is 75% cartridge based. The other 25% matters but it’s mostly the cartridge. As for the Fluance, it is maxed out as far as upgrades. The 2m blue is also better that the project’s stock cartridge. But the project allows for way better upgrades. Put the 2m black on the project and compare.
To add to what you said, the tonearm on the Pro has VTA and azimuth adjustments which I'm sure that the Fluance lacks. The Pro can be upgraded with a heavier platter, an aluminum sub platter and bearing, an external power supply whereas the Fluance with the 2m black is maxed out. Further, I wouldn't even try to put a MC cartridge on the Fluance, whereas I think the Debut Pro would handle something like the Sumiko Blue Point 3. Now compare the Pro with the Sumiko to the Fluance!!! No contest!!! To summarize, the Debut Pro has lots of room to upgrade whereas the Fluance is maxed out.
Great Video. My current turntable is the MoFi StudioDeck. I loved the studioTracker cart that was pre installed , but after wearing it out in a short time, I upgraded to a Hana ML cart and now I have a “new “ turntable. My suggestion is to enjoy the pre installed cartridge and then upgrade once the original cartridge wears out. The cartridge and the phonostage is what gives each turntable it’s magic.
I have the Pro-ject The Classic SB. Great turntable when paired with a solid cartidge (2M Bronze), though I haven't made the switch to a MC cartridge or 2M Black like so many other users have. Plus my wife who generally could care less about turntables loves how it goes with our mid-century look in our living room and I find her using it more often than not as we unwind from a day's work. If it was able to get her hooked on vinyl I consider it a win.
I have the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. Over time, I've upgraded a few parts. I swapped the 2M Red for the 2M Blue. Changed the aluminum platter for the Pro-Ject acrylic platter along with the replacing the plastic sub-platter to the Pro-Ject aluminum sub-platter. Lastly, I removed the stock feet and upgraded to the MNPCTech's aluminum isolation feet with sorbothane bushings.
Right on. I've bought the carbon esprit SB a couple of years ago. That one came with the acrylic platter & ortofon red included. I've since swapped the red for the black and it sounds fantastic. I'm wondering how much of a change the Alu Sub-platter would do? They are expensive.
@@Sethy22 You would use the same sub-platter as mine. I paid $159. According to Pro-Ject, it will dampen unwanted noice and resonance while improving speed accuracy.
If the cart is really the difference maker, then what about the Ortofon 2M Black on a Pro-Ject Debut Pro? Would that be better than the AT-LP140 + Ortofon combo?
I have the Debut Carbon DC but have upgraded the sub-platter, replaced the standard platter with their acrylic one, and moved to the Ortofon Bronze cart. And having done such, I love it! I guess I might be missing something, but when played through a Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra into my Musical Fidelity M5si (thank you, Andrew) and then 1984 Klipsch Cornwalls I could not be happier! I expect I have really “perfumed the pig” with the cartridge exceeding the initial price of the table, but it works. In my mind I’d have to spend $2,000+ to upgrade, and that does not seem worth it. Keep up the good video work!
the project debut pro is a great option for someone getting into turntables that does not want a low-end turntable, also does not want to spend too much money but would like to upgrade later to get to the levels of an X1. At least in Europe with its price and cartridge. That is how I see it, and why I bought one myself last month. And I am loving it! Thanks for the effort on your videos, really enjoy them
there was a turntable sold by technics in late 80´s early 90´s full automatic quatrz that was sold for around 100€ depending on the store ,they tested it with a project that cost today a bit more than a 1000€´s that in every specification is better as an example where is the ground wire , don´t have doesn´t need it but it makes a co nstant huming behind the sound and in the music less parts of the record or inbetween songs is more heardable but it´s on the music and this technics it´s an old one with that t4p system by technics released in late 70´s that was also used in pioneer and grundig turntables mostly made of plastic and with electronic speed selector so change the belt to change speed with our hands only increases distortion and noise ,the turntable you talk about i wouldn´t recomend it to my worst enemy, that´s how people say "the vinil sounds much worse than a cd" wich is wrong but beware i saw lots and lot´s of old turntables being sold on ebay for price all above 1.000€ ´s and they are missing parts and important ones like what makes the nedle ride aligned with the grooves on the vinil , so buy old but read about it first there´s lots of sites with info from most of the equipment sold till today and also blogs of the speciality where people with lots of experience can explain about what to look for, and the reords sold today are much worse quality than the ones sold in the past i bought two records in early setember they do make noise but i put to play some 80´s and 70´s records that were there stored first beneath my main equipment and they don´t make any noise but my companion like the So LP from Peter Gabriel , i have all of his lp´s till "So" and this one was bought before summer and it was released by a big company and even was those 180 grams records and in the same place doesn´t make a sigle noise, some i bought even had bit´s of paper that fall of the center label when cutted, some people say they like the noise inbetween tracks and over the music like frying batatos or making french fries well those i throw to the garbage ,regards
I have a Debut Carbon Evo, with 2M Black, acrylic platter. I adore it. This is literally my endgame turntable. It sounds great, so does everything I want it, and I love the experience of doing most of the things manually. It’s fun, it’s interesting and I’m not considering an upgrade for many years to come. Great video guys, thank you!
I’ve been using the Pro-ject Espirt SB with a Ortofon Bronze MM cartridge. It’s been absolutely fantastic. Planning on upgrading to the Pro-ject Classic Evo in a few weeks!
Using a Denon direct drive turntable I purchased in the late ‘80’s with a similar vintage Grado cartridge. Early ‘70’s McIntosh pre-amp & power-amp, discontinued NOS Revel M-22 speakers purchased 1/2 price, modestly priced cables - Monoprice rca & KabelDirekt 14 gage speaker. I used to be an “equipment junkie” - These days I spend my money on quality vinyl - I’m enjoying the MUSIC!
I own the Fluance RT85. For the price, I think it is very hard to beat. Mine has the Bamboo colored wood plinth, which I think looks fantastic. Definitely the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge ties this all together very nicely. I looked at the Pro-ject turntables but it appeared I would have to spend a lot more to get anything near what I got with the RT85.
My Debut Carbon Evo came with that Rainier cartridge and I didn’t like the rolled off highs or the slightly sloppy bass. I transferred my 2M blue from my old turntable to the Evo and was much happier. Since then I upgraded again to the 2M bronze and I couldn’t be happier. Both the 2M blue and bronze pair great with it and I imagine the same for the Pro.
“Wow and flutter seem made up”. I love vinyl but this really hits home with me, azimuth and other things are tough to navigate. For this reason I am lazy and always have my local dealer set up my table.
I have the Pro-ject Debut Pro, and love it. But I am Euro based and mine came with the Ortofon Pick-It Pro cartridge (basically an Ortofon Red). I would love to hear someone do a direct listening comparison with these two - quite different - cartridges.
So pleased my vinyl-days are behind me; I had a 5000+ LP-collection with a very expensive turntable-arm-cartridge combo, and it was nice. Having moved across the pond I left it all in Europe and haven't looked back. I used to have the time to tweak stuff, clean LP's etc, but now, I just want good music; something digital gives me. I must admit to feeling bemused by the new LP-wave, whilst I can buy CD's for dirt-cheap! So keep buying digital music pressed on vinyl, folks, while I enjoy it as it was made.
I love vinyl, but have to agree with you in regards to the vinyl pressings we are subject too. I have more than a few that honestly sound like crap. That fact really has me thinking of putting the TT up and being done with it, as I stream more than anything, and with the new lossless etc... Yep, rethinking this entire TT thing.
If your older.Like me gone to concerts for 45 yrs..Litsten to classic or hard rock all that time at fairly high volumes.. Once I crank Van Halen or Priest..Even something smoother like the Eagles or Steely Dan.. It all sounds pretty much the same..Solid ..Technics table .Pioneer sx3700 receiver..Advent speakers..Is my setup..
Well, I own a Pro-ject Debut III SE with a Pro-ject acrilic platter and an Ortofon 2M Black, connected to a Pro-ject Phonobox DS2 Pre-amp, which then connects to a (now vintage) Denon AVR 3805 Receiver and a set of AE Evo 3 loudpeakers, and I love them! 😃The Denon receiver and loudspeakers are now almost 20 years old and I don't feel the need the replace either any time soon...😉
Kristi has it exactly correct. The differences between turntables are miniscule, particularly when you reach a certain price point. They should be low-noise, have accurate and consistent speed, and should possess a tonearm that is rigid, light and tracks well. That's maybe 10% of what you hear (or don't). The remainder is the cartridge/stylus. You can't actually compare turntables unless they have identical cartridges.
I had a project debut with a basic ortofon cartridge, I now have a Technics 1500, and love it. Clearaudio, Sota, Linn, Rega, and VPI have some great tables.
I also did buy the Debut Carbon Evo last summer, weeks before the Pro was announced. I believe Kristi was referring to the Carbon Evo too, when she was talking about the color green she loved. I am not too mad about the Pro coming out shortly after my purchase. I think the Evo is really good value for the money.
Excellent review, Andrew. After many years of upgrading turntables, tonearms and cartridges, my current system is a Pro-Ject 6 Perspex magnetic suspension Turntable fitted with a Hadcock GH 242 Unipivot tonearm with a Denon DL -301 MK. 2 Moving Coil Cartridge.
Don't have a Project T/T but I do own a JBE Series 3 with an SME 3009 S2 Improved arm, a Grace 707 arm and a Goldring Unipivot arm. Carts are a Nagaoka MP50H, Auddio Technica AT3200XE, a vintage Shure V15 III, Shure M97HE, Garrott P7. Denon DL103 and an Ortofon Blue. I have had the JBE since 1983 - it is a direct drive with the same Panasonic motor as used in the Technics SL1200. Electronics are housed in a separate control box. It was an amzing piece of kit in its' day and can still kick ass today.
Hi Andrew, just wondering what results would you anticipate if you had the Ortofon 2M black on the Pro-ject Pro? It seems like your preferences steered toward the table with the better cartridge Rainier -> Blue -> Black. Thanks!
I have a Debut II with the standard Ortofon OM5E cartridge. Bought it in 2002 and it still puts on a good show. I run it through a Project Phono Box E into a Marantz MCR 611 and my Kef Cresta 1 speakers. I had a massive downsize a few years ago, but the turntable does all I need. I would upgrade, but there are more important things in life currently. Nice review, maybe I should dream for a while :)
My turntable is the Technics SL-1200GR with a Nagaoka MP-500 cartridge/stylus, and have it hooked up to a Schitt Mani phono preamp. I also added a FUNK FIRM - Achromat Platter Mat and it sits on top of a 3-inch thick, maple plinth. I may opt for the Ortofon 2M Black LVA 250 in the future, but I’m very happy with the MP-500 and the sound of my turntable setup. I was considering the SL-1200G, but I couldn’t justify spending $4K (more than twice the cost of the SL-1200GR) for just a turntable. I also read reviews that the 1200GR was not significantly behind the 1200G in terms of performance.
I find the performance of a 1200G and GR the same but the built quality of the G is way more refined and robust. (had one to play with but too expensive as the performance of other Technics' are the same)
@@jean-lucd3846 Without a doubt, the 1200G is a nicer TT. I just didn’t think it was $2.300 nicer at the time I bought the 1200GR. Had it been about about $500 to $1,800 difference, it would’ve been a no-brainer to opt for the 1200G. Part of me regrets not getting the 1200G, but I’m still very happy with 1200GR. I will eventually upgrade the tonearm, though. The tonearm is the weakest link in the 1200GR
@@hbhamilton3410 The differences between the G and GR are small, it is in the details, but won't affect the sound. If price difference was not so big I indeed would have gone for the G.
You’ll get a much better bang for your buck upgrading your phono stage instead of TT. The Mani is excellent for $150 but if you really want to put some money into improving your sound this component is your bottleneck.
Great review. I do agree the cartridge makes the most difference. I have a Project Debut Carbon with an acrylic platter...purely for style....I hear no difference in sound between the metal and acrylic platters. I also have a Rega Planar 3....love it....the design/beauty grabbed me over a Project X2.
I went in to my local hifi shop to order this last year, with a goal to upgrade it. But ended up walking out with the X2 with 2M black and could not be happier.
I've had a Pro-ject Debut III ( with the Pro-ject S-box2 preamp) for a WHILE now. I'd put myself into the 'casual vinyl listener' catagory. The Debut III has been good enough for us. I have upgraded the cartridge to the 2M Blue, which made an incredible difference. Also, I actually like how "manual" this turntable is: no auto return/start/stop. I enjoy that interaction.
Been rocking a Pro-Ject RPM10.1 with an AT440MLB for several years now and it's been a staple in my system through a number of moves and upgrades. It was a bit of a lucky ebay find and I love the sound of it
I've got a Pro-ject Xpression III, and love it. It came with a 2M Red that I upgraded with a 2M Bronze which was awesome. Recently I changed the cart again as the stylus on the Bronze was past its useful life so I went with a Nagaoka MP-150. 14 years of vinyl fun and never any issues.
Kristi - I get a cartridge makes an immediate tonal difference which is why some believe it’s the most important component. Just as a speaker cannot deliver information it doesn’t get in the first place the T/T provides the platform for musical detail recovery by its speed stability and rejection of external and internal vibrations/distortions providing a platform for the cartridge to track a groove half the width of a human hair. Another way to think about it is that it’s the turntable that pushes the cartridge through the grooves not the other way round. Therefore it doesn’t take much for information to be lost by the T/T having its own vibrations or unable to isolate from air movement from speakers and or the surface its put on. I learnt in order of priority T/T first, arm second, which has to be as close to frictionless bearings and absolute rigidity as possible and lastly the cartridge - that’s not to say it’s unimportant. It doesn’t matter how good the cartridge is if the turntable is adding vibrations/distortions and the arm adding other issues. Just try moving your T/T far away from your speakers, put it on a light but rigid table and it will almost certainly sound better. You owe it to yourselves to try out a properly set up Linn turntable, who understand this better than most, you will not believe the emotional connection to your music. It’s why for 50 years the Linn LP12 enjoys such an ardent following of music lovers, including legends in the hifi press and to boot they continue to improve it where you can have the upgrades fitted to your existing deck, even one 50 years old.
Last month I finally got my Pro-Ject Classic Evo. Apparently it had to be a special order because Pro-Ject doesn't send many of these tables to North America (or at least Canada)? So it came directly from Austria where they were still in the process of making the table, so I basically got it almost a year after ordering it. I also had the shop switch out the Ortofon Quintet it came with for the 2M Black (which apparently costs more than what you Americans pay). My previous was the Debut III in piano black that I'd upgraded with an acrylic platter, 2M Blue, etc. which i gifted to my friend who wants to get into records.
I had an RM1.3 for years, in red, with the stock Sumiko Pearl. I really liked it. Had to take it in and have a new wiring harness pulled through the arm at one point and for whatever reason it was taking way too long. I found a killer price on a red Debut Carbon table with the Speed Box and an acrylic platter so I grabbed it. I’ve since replaced the Ortofon 2M Red with a Hana EL, and I sold the RM1.3 when it came out of the shop. The 1.3, while a cool-looking conversation piece, was starting to feel like having a Patrick Nagel print on the wall. New house, will be building the theater room downstairs soon and have been considering adding a second table down there for vinyl. Satin finish required.
I wanted to go for a X2 but they had issues in their supply chain and couldn‘t sell them at the time. Then I went for a Gold Note Valore 425 Lite which I paired with an Audio Technica AT-VM95SH cartridge and I couldn‘t be happier! Please consider Gold Note for a review 😉🙋🏻♂️
What you said about the tonearms of the pro-ject Pro, X1 and X2 is not correct. The X1 and Debut Pro share the same 8.6 inch one, the X2 has a 9 inch tonearm.
According to Projects literature the wow and flutter is .16% for 33 and .14% for 45 and it has a signal to noise ratio of 68db. My 1984 Denon DP-45f has wow and flutter rated at .012% and a signal to noise ratio of 78db and it cost me 180 bucks in 2007. Still going strong and fully automatic including electronic stylus pressure and anti-skate. For a new turntable the Pioneer PLX-1000 is a much better deal, with much better specs .01% wow and flutter and 70db signal to noise ratio, direct drive, built like a tank (32lbs) and costs $650 or so new. I got one used for $360 with a Shure cartridge that still has life in the stylus. It also has a removable headshell, tonearm height adjustments, extra removable weights for the headshell and tonearm for dj use and adjustable speed also for djing. I just don't understand the attraction with Project turntables. They seem cheap and flimsy to me, no removable headshell (a deal breaker) and their specs are not good. I wouldn't touch this turntable for a 1000 dollars. My Technics SL-220 (RIP) had much better specs and it was a budget belt drive model I bought new in the late 70s for under 150 dollars. They go for peanuts on eBay these days.
Exactly. There is no way to evaluate the sound of a turntable without doing a comparison against a reference using the same cartridge. Without a reference, the only conclusions one can reach are those which can be measured (wow & flutter, speed accuracy, etc.), build quality, features, ease of operation and esthetics.
My good wife surprised me with a debut carbon back in about 2013. Since then , I've just upgraded amp (living room av reciever from onkyo) phono preamp, re coned my original 1990's warfdale diamond 9.1's and Changed cartridge, oh and put on a Cork slipmat .... every few Xmas she asks if I'd like to upgrade the table.. but i really don't need to... only thing I'm tempted by is swapping out preamp for a tube preamp.
Imma get the RT85 a great table but I still want the semi auto action and the 2m blue then upgrade to the 2m black paired to the ifi zen phono and the Cambridge audio axa35
That’s a good plan and I’d stick to it if I were you. I have the Fluance RT-85 connected to the iFi phono preamp and the results are quite amazing. The RT-85 is a very well-made, good looking, quality turntable that can be a long-term solution for many people. Even though I’m a big fan of the 2M Blue , I changed things up with the cartridge. I didn’t go with the Ortofon 2M Black, but instead I went with the Sumiko Moonstone and I was very impressed with the sound quality. At roughly $399 it’s cheaper than the 2M Black by Ortofon, but it performs noticeably better than their 2M Blue in my opinion. It’s an outstanding cartridge that’s been very well-reviewed by its customers. I love the combo. The treble is clear, airy, precise but not fatiguing. Vocals are present, lush and warm but never harsh, while the bass is full, detailed, punchy but never boomy. Good Luck in your search!
@@hvskyline1368 A Sony STR-ZA3100ES. It’s an A/V receiver that’s second only to their top-of-the-line ZA5000ES. It has no built-in phono stage so that’s why I bought the iFi. I’m a subscriber of the Cheapaudioman here on UA-cam which is how I learned about the iFi & the Fluance RT-85.
Absolutely perfect turntable. It has better tonearm from X1-X2. So why X1-X2 are better from Debut Pro? Because of the acrylic platter? Ok, buy Debut pro and upgrade it with an acrylic platter (100 euros). I believe that Debut Pro with pro-ject audio corck it ( or project audio leather it) and ortofon blue, pro-ject record puck pro is the last turntable that someone will buy in his life!!!
Sorry but X1 is just better. Thicker plinth, better bearing in tonearm, heavier table and comes with Acrylic platter that is better than the alu-TPE platter on Pro. Both can have aluminium sub-platter upgrade and you'd most likely upgrade carts on both so X1 just works out better value and sonically superior if your entire set up can match specs
I have an ProJect Debut Carbon Esprit. And I love it’s look in “walnut” with the acrylic platter. It came with an Ortofon 2M Red which I am NOT a fan of. I upgraded to an Sumiko Moonstone and buddy, I’m in heaven. At some point I will upgrade to an MC cart and that’ll be my long term table.
I have the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo, upgraded with the Ortonfon 2M Blue. I think it makes for a great turntable option for my space, and was great for my budget. Would probably look at getting the acrylic platter one day soon as well. Sounds amazing through my Cambridge Audio Evo 150 and Klipsch Heresy IVs.
I love Kristi's take here. Her ears just cut through the specs bullshit and she says, yeah, it sounds good. I think hardcore audiophiles don't do themselves any favor in that regard, we obsess about specs and meaningless marketing jargon. Kristi is like, yeah, that sounds great and looks good, I dig it. Audiophiles, we have to figure out how much further we can tweak something or honestly how much more money we can spend to just squeeze a tad more performance out of a given system. Kristi is like, yo, that sounds good, I don't care what the specs are. Be like Kristi.
I'm still running my Pro-ject Debut Carbon with stock Ortofon Red into a Cambridge CP1 photo stage into my Cambridge AXR100. I got one of the last of the older blue plinth and I love the statement that table makes. With a few years on it now, I'm thinking of upgrading the cartridge (2m Blue or Black) and maybe the platter to an acrylic. I also have a U-Turn Orbit custom that I fit with the 2M Red, acrylic platter, and cue lever (I think it's absurd that the cue lever isn't stock, but whatever) on the Ultraviolet (purple) plinth. That build is gorgeous! I have to say that I find the Pro-Ject build quality to be an order of magnitude better than the U-Turn, though. The U-Turn feels a bit cheap and the motor is not loud, but audible where the DC is silent. Thanks for this review - I'm really not sure what value the Pro brings over the Debut Carbon EVO.
@@mrpositronia I always liked the design and sound of the Regas. When it comes to ease of use I´m not so sure though. I do agree if one doesn´t change speed often (without Rega power supply) or plays around with different cartidges (which might need height adjustment), then they are very easy to use.
I use two turntables. A Technics SL-BD10 I purchased in the early 1990s and a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB (DC) I bought in 2020. I like them both, though the Technics is the easier to use as the controls are outside the dustcover. They run through two different phono preamps to two different amps. I swap back and forth on which one I use.
Thanks for your review, Andrew and Kristi. Interesting analysis. I recently purchased a Pro-Ject X1 which is simply stunning to look at, but also has the Rainier cartridge which I think is holding the turntable's sound back, which is why I've been looking to upgrade to at least the Moonstone, or maybe even the Amethyst cartridge. But I have to say I love the looks of the X1 in wood with the carbon tonearm.
@@BirdArvid We had the Grado Sonata3 Timbre MM while testing a Technics table and did not care for it. The Ortofon black was far superior in our opinion. It was cool looking though.
I've had the AT-LP120 and have been saving up to upgrade. I like the 120, but you never fully bypass the built in phono preamp. I was originally saving up for the X2, but when the Pro was announced, I thought that might be the one to get. But maybe I'm back to saving for a few more months and going with the X2.
I'm glad to see another turntable review. At the same time, I remain pleased with my Fluance RT-82 at a lesser price than the Debut Pro. But while some are ranting in the comments whether a $500, $1000, or $3000 turntable is worth the money...can we talk about the elephant in the room? The price of vinyl records in 2022! New vinyl LPs are now going from $30 a piece at Target into the $100 to $200 for audiophile quality (such as MoFi). As much as I enjoy my collection, I'm worried the vinyl hobby due to cost is about to leave behind the ones that made vinyl albums cool again, the teens and 20-somethings.
I recall paying 15-17.00 for new CDs back in the day so I guess $30 for a new record doesn't sound too far off in 2022. It's possible to pick up used records for less which makes it fairly easy to build a collection. Teens/20s are probably streaming most of their music, making the purchase of a record the occasional, specialty purchase.
@@KristiWright But I bet like the rest of us you paid for many of your new CDs at 12 CDs for the price of one (thank goodness for Columbia Records and BMG). Most of the inflated fixed prices in retail stores ended by the mid 90's after the record companies were sued. In the present, on Amazon today Adele's 30 via a CD is $10 while on vinyl its for $32. All I know is with streaming already paid for, I'm increasingly having to justify my record purchases with the family.
@@KristiWright I remember paying $7-$8 for new records back in the 80's. Made my own cassettes for portable use. Still have all my records. I kept them even when I did not have a turntable.
@@stephenbrockway5899 That's my story too. I had a number of vinyl records I only played once...to make the cassette tape (cheap stereo equipment didn't know the difference). Great records in great condition to play in the 2020's! I dropped the practice when I got my first CD player via a new car purchase. Except for a favorite band releasing a new album...most of my vinyl records back then came from the bargain 99 cent and $1.99 bargain bin.
I recently purchased the Debut PRO and was considering replacing the stock platter with the Acryl IT platter. Would this be considered an upgrade or is the stock platter of better quality? Thanks
The stock platter is unique to the Pro and is an upgrade over the acrylic. If you buy the Puck Pro to use with your current platter that’s all you need to do regarding platter upgrades, unless you want to add the aluminium sub platter - but even that is debatable regarding improvement vs cost.
I own and love the Pro-Ject Xtension 12 turntable in the olive veneer. Its a bit pricy at 4000 euro list price, and it's huge just barely fitting on top of my rack, but other than that there's really nothing you can hold against it. Everything about it screams quality, from the extremly heavy plinth sitting on the magnet dampening feet, to the huge machined aluminium platter, the 12 inch tonearm, the tight build tolerances. You can't even see it's turned on, because the platter is so perfectly centered you can't see it moving. It's paired with the Ortofon quintet black S cartridge and an entry level musical fidelity phono pre (soon to be upgraded). Sonicly it performes really well with a very quiet background, next to no surface noise and great body and prat. Dynamics and detail are ok, but I'm waiting on what my next phono pre will bring... I find it really cool how pro-ject managed to being at the one hand very successfull in the entry level market, while at the other hand having pretty expenive tables which are still quite respected and get good reviews.
I just picked up last week a Project Debut 111 on clearance 50% off. It replaces a Technics SL Q200 which is so old I can't even recall when I purchased it. I realize the new Project Debut Pro is a whole new different beast, but compared to what I had I'm happy to have scored a deal to entice me to dust of my vinyl again. I'm pretty optimistic I'll be impressed sufficiently by the difference in sound to appreciate the savings I made and not regret going all out on higher end turn table or having purchased another toy I won't use as often as I anticipated.
I have had the DC Evo for about a year and am getting ready to upgrade to a Moonstone stylus. It’s the first TT I’ve owned in 35 years and I’m very happy with it.
Love BOTH vinyl and Cd (as well all other PHYSICAL formats) I DO HATE streaming that leave you with nothing in your hands and in your ears as well the day you stop paying your subscription...GO PHYSICAL !
I was concerned about spending a lot of money on a turntable so I went with the Pro-ject T1. I’m mainly happy with the choice. I was considering a UTurn and a Debut Carbon Evo at the time and talked myself out of spending more.
As it turns out, I just picked up a Project X-1 in walnut with the Sumiko Olympia cartridge today. Hooked it up to my vintage Marantz 2216 which I acquired two weeks ago and what a combination! Fleetwood Mac never sounded better on their Rumors album! I’ll enjoy this combo for a while until I take the next upgrade path to the Ortophon 2m black. Thanks to you and Kristi for another informative video and the great advice you both give. Please keep these great videos coming!
I have a high gloss red pro-ject debut carbon with an acrylic platter and an ortofon blue cartridge. I love the color, aesthetics & simplicity. Trying out other cartridges and phono preamps was key to tailoring to the sound I wanted as well as use of a schiit EQ. Hours of late night vinyl binging because it delivers the buzz and non audiophile friends so dig the ritual of it all.
Wow and flutter is a really pro audio, an exact specification, no audiophile BS with wow and flutter. Wow means slow speed changes. Touch your thumb on the side of a playing record, what you hear, that's wow. Flutter is fast speed changes. To demo remove a tables belt, tape a piece of match stick to the belt drives motor spindle and play the record. What you hear is flutter. It's really a very useful and descriptive spec.
Was looking at possibly the pro, or the debut Evo and upgrading the cartridge. Seeing what your lp140 with upgraded cartridge has done for you, what cartridge upgrade for the debut evo would you recommend ?
I own a Project Debut Carbon Evo. I've had it for about two years and I absolutely love it. It's the gloss red with the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. I will upgrade the stylus to the 2M Blue at some point.
How does the 2M red handle IGD on your turntable? I'm in the US, and we still have the prior model, the DC, which still has the 2M Red, in addition to the Evo, which has the Sumiko Rainier. I can get the DC for about $50-100 less than the Evo, and since I haven't seen any reviews or heard any YT videos demoing the Rainier, I'm tempted to go that route.
@@cubdukat Not sure I can help here. I have never heard a Sumiko Rainier in the Evo, nor have I heard a DC compared with my Evo. The 2M Red is the standard cartridge in the Evo here in the UK. All I can say is that the difference between the Evo and my previous turntable, the Project Debut 3, is huge. I would try to audition both the Evo and DC before deciding.
This a nice turntable and good looking I got the pro and the X2 and kept the X2 but pro is an amazing table for the price. Is well made. You can get wrong with the pro.
I'm curious how the Debut Pro stacks up to the X1, as both are in the same price range. You briefly mentioned the X1 and X2 as other options above the Debut Pro. I had been looking into the X1 and hoping to pick it up on sale when I found a walnut Debut Carbon EVO for $500, just after they had raised it's regular price to $600, so that's what I scooped up.
I was interested in the black LVB edition but realized it’s back ordered and is 1k. It’s almost double the price of the original black. That is the total price of the Pro! That would be a cool video for you to make if you have access to a bunch of cartridges. Would be a little easier for you because of the removable head on the AT models.
You asked what we've got. Mine's the Pro-ject RPM Genie Mk III, that I bought to see if I fancied listening to my vinyl again. I run it through a Cambridge phono stage, and they sound pretty good. I did upgrade the Ortofon red to a Denon 110 MC cartridge though, and while I was told that was too much cart for the table, it made the world of difference. I'd been getting sibilance (inner groove distortion) off the red's stylus, and the Denon sorted that while adding more clarity and nicer bass. Every year I think about upgrading it, but then I have to admit that it sounds just great as is, and I go back to putting my records on. If I ever do change it I think it'll be so that I can get one with an integral dust cover. The RPM's are nice but the dust covers, not so much.
Is there a $200-300 table out there which is a great value. Can an inexpensive table become top notch if it sports a very good carteidge. What's more important, the table or the cartridge?
Is there a reason that straight tonearm turntables don't have a replaceable headshell feature like S shape tonearm turntables, or is it something that just doesn't happen? This may sound silly, but it's the one thing that kept me from trying out the Project. If I'm going to be in a mode where I try to learn about cartridges and their differences, it just seems like easily replaceable headshells should be the road I take. Wow, I think the RT 85 Piano gloss white and the acrylic platter look nice.
@@tomwebb7091 First of I didn't buy it because of the looks. I bought it because it is a decent turntable. I wasn't chasing after audio nirvana. Even if I did buy it because it looks good, there is nothing wrong with it because it's MY money. Even I bought it because I want to be a door stop, there is nothing wrong with that because I can. No different than the guy down the street that is happy to spend 70000 on cables for better sound. I call bull, but there is nothing wrong with him spending his money on it because he believes so. As far as swapping out the cartridges, I don't follow. Are you saying that you don't have to align the cartridge on that strait arm turntable and that putting replacing them is faster than having multiple head shells ready to go?
@@tomwebb7091 First of all I never compared , ONCE, the two turntables. Nor did I once try to say that the RT 85 was better than the Project. I don't know, I never owned one. All I did was say " I like the way the Piano white RT85 looks. "As the comment in review The RT85 could have a better look and me going "Aww man, I kinda like the wasy the Piano white one looks." I never said it's the best looking turntable of all time. All I said that I like the way it looks. Hell, I like the way the project looks. I like the way Technics turntables, look. As for my question about the tone arms, it is a legitimate ( is there a reason why straight tonearms don't have replaceable headshells? Is that becase its just because the way they are or is there some technical reason? I've always had an interest in Project turntables, HOWEVER, the one thing that kept me from going that route is the lack of replaceable headshells. Why, because, I have 2 turntables. My father's 70's technics turntable and a Audio-Technica turntable I bought when I wanted to see if I wanted to get into vinvyl. Both have s tonearms with removable head shells and if I am going to be experimenting with cartridges to see what's what, then I wont' be able to learn what's what as eaily. "If you buy something on the way it looks then something is really wrong with you." Really, where in the world did that come from? Who said that's you do for that reason.
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QOTD: Until ten minutes ago I’d never heard of the Pro-ject brand. They look great but at barely under a grand I’d have trouble justifying buying this model for its lack of user features. I hate a home turntable that doesn’t lift the tonearm at the end of the record. Ironically, my favourite deck is the Technics 1200 but it gets a pass because I only ever used those professionally. But the 1200 is stupid expensive now so if I ever upgrade from my vintage Dual 505 platter I’ll be looking at the Audio Technica because it looks and functions like a 1200 for way less.
Have you ever compared to any of the Rega turntable options?
@@bradbortner2601 Working on getting one...
@@KristiWright great. Their lightweight philosophy is so different, it would be interesting to see if you think it makes a difference. Nice tonearms too.
I'm currently running the Pro-Ject RPM 1 Carbon with the Ortofon Blue. I was able to bring in a Rega P3, also with Ortofon Blue, and to be honest, I couldn't hear much difference between the two. So, I'm happy enough with my cheaper TT at the moment. FYI, I'm using it in conjunction with the Rega Elex-R integrated, and a set of Goldenear Triton 3's. I believe you reviewed the Tritons a number of years ago Andrew. Personally, I think I'm pretty much at the point of diminishing returns with my current setup vs budget. 😉
Thanks to both of you for the informative videos!
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
Great review, thanks - and I really enjoy your channel.
I upgraded to a Project Debut Pro after owning both a Rega P1 and a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, and I found there were a number of usability improvements that ended in me having much longer listening sessions:
- A speed switch so I don't have to disassemble the turntable to change speeds via belts (unlike the Debut Carbon and the P1)
- A grounded cable (unlike the P1)
- Adjustable leveling, which the P1 and Debut Carbon don't have and I need because I live in an old house
- An upgrade path for the Sumiko needle to a Moonstone without realigning the cartridge
- An upgrade path for the turntable via platters, accessories, etc.
To me, upgrade paths make this a true "project" turntable. Again, thanks for the reviews.
I still use the Turntable my dad purchased in 1974 which is a Technics 1200. I've added many carts throughout the years, and agree that the Ortofon Black is the end of the line. My Technics is a true work horse, and I wouldn't trade her for anything.
Great review, honest and sincere. You guys are the ultimate duo reviewers. Andrews decades of experience and technicality coupled with Christie's (sp?) down to earth everyman/woman real life experience take on these products makes for one of my favorite places to spend my time and live out my audio obsession!!Professional content and genuinely good people. We appreciate you guys!
Much appreciated! Thank you.
I bought that turntable for my daughter at Xmas, along with the Ifi Zen phono. The Project is a bit less expensive in the UK (£699) and comes with the PICK-IT pro cartridge which was developed in conjunction with Ortofon especially for the turntable.. From what i've heard of it seems very good value for money and the build quality is excellent. Also Project have good upgrade options for their turntables. Great review as always Andrew. 👍
I have the IFI Zen Phono as well and it’s phenomenal for the price. Dead silent noise floor, adjustable for MCoil carts, and great dynamics.
I’m two weeks into using the Audio Technical lp140/Ortofon Black LVB combo and I couldn’t be happier. I’m blown away by the combo. This video was a conveniently timed confirmation on my purchase. In a world of limitless TT and cartridge combinations, I’m very happy to be, frankly, very happy. So thanks again, guys!
Kristi's take of "my favorite turntable is the one we use the most" really hit home for me. Great review Andrew and I look forward to the next one!
I have one of these. Upgraded the stylus to the Ortofon 2M Blue. Absolutely fantastic. Better than my 1980 Pioneer PL-600/Denon DL-110 combo and my Dual 505-4 Ortofon OM20 rig.
Buy the table and upgrade the stylus. Boom - you have an audiophile grade turntable that will last for decades. Done!
Kristi is right again. Once you reach a certain price point they all sound about the same. It’s then all about ascetics. I agree with this as an owner of a Technics 1200GR, it sounds great but all looks amazing
I like a good direct drive, and hefty base like my Optonica RP-3500.
Not true. Even focussing on just the cartridge, different cartridges will make a huge difference in sound.
A £5000 Rega v a £5000 Linn will sound completely different.
@@reynard.fox101 it depends on your ears really. My uncle has all that high end shit and I don't hear much of a difference from my thousand dollar setup.
Then it depends on what you listen to for vinyl. is it average quality or is it a vinyl record with very high sound quality from eg MFSL or analog Produktions
Your preamp probably also has an effect on the sound quality. One for $100 will probably sound significantly better than most that are built into a regular receiver. And one for $500 Will probably sound amazing by comparison . If you have a record player that costs about $500.! Of course you have to compare quality also on your speakers and your amplifier
Andrew a year ago I told you most of the audio gear you review is midfi not highend. I also complimented your review style as fun and entertaining. One year later I see you have begun reviewing much higher end products. Your reviewing style continues to be impressive. Having Christy give her point of view is great. I throughly enjoy your channel.
Just purchased a Pro Ject Debut Carbon EVO and so far, its been very nice. Out of the box, its great and is wonderful reintroduction to the world of vinyl. The reason I chose Pro Ject over all the other was the upgradability. Nearly every part can be changed out and upgraded so this can grow with me and this hobby (and my expectations) evolve. And the Satin Green....omg SO GOOD! A stunning turntable thats great out of the box that can grow with you? Yes, please!
I enjoy your reviews. Well articulated and you hit every point. My only criticism on this one is I don’t think it is a fair comparison. The stock cartridge in the project is not in the same league as a 2m black. I believe a turntable’s ability to play well is 75% cartridge based. The other 25% matters but it’s mostly the cartridge. As for the Fluance, it is maxed out as far as upgrades. The 2m blue is also better that the project’s stock cartridge. But the project allows for way better upgrades. Put the 2m black on the project and compare.
To add to what you said, the tonearm on the Pro has VTA and azimuth adjustments which I'm sure that the Fluance lacks. The Pro can be upgraded with a heavier platter, an aluminum sub platter and bearing, an external power supply whereas the Fluance with the 2m black is maxed out.
Further, I wouldn't even try to put a MC cartridge on the Fluance, whereas I think the Debut Pro would handle something like the Sumiko Blue Point 3. Now compare the Pro with the Sumiko to the Fluance!!! No contest!!!
To summarize, the Debut Pro has lots of room to upgrade whereas the Fluance is maxed out.
Great Video. My current turntable is the MoFi StudioDeck. I loved the studioTracker cart that was pre installed , but after wearing it out in a short time, I upgraded to a Hana ML cart and now I have a “new “ turntable. My suggestion is to enjoy the pre installed cartridge and then upgrade once the original cartridge wears out. The cartridge and the phonostage is what gives each turntable it’s magic.
I have the Pro-ject The Classic SB. Great turntable when paired with a solid cartidge (2M Bronze), though I haven't made the switch to a MC cartridge or 2M Black like so many other users have. Plus my wife who generally could care less about turntables loves how it goes with our mid-century look in our living room and I find her using it more often than not as we unwind from a day's work. If it was able to get her hooked on vinyl I consider it a win.
I have the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. Over time, I've upgraded a few parts. I swapped the 2M Red for the 2M Blue. Changed the aluminum platter for the Pro-Ject acrylic platter along with the replacing the plastic sub-platter to the Pro-Ject aluminum sub-platter. Lastly, I removed the stock feet and upgraded to the MNPCTech's aluminum isolation feet with sorbothane bushings.
That's an investment. Was it worth it?
@@Sethy22 It was an investment over a 3 to 4-year time frame. To me, it was worth it.
Right on. I've bought the carbon esprit SB a couple of years ago. That one came with the acrylic platter & ortofon red included. I've since swapped the red for the black and it sounds fantastic. I'm wondering how much of a change the Alu Sub-platter would do? They are expensive.
@@Sethy22 You would use the same sub-platter as mine. I paid $159. According to Pro-Ject, it will dampen unwanted noice and resonance while improving speed accuracy.
Hey Joe; Is Blue stylus worth the upgrade over the base Red that these tables come with like mine??
If the cart is really the difference maker, then what about the Ortofon 2M Black on a Pro-Ject Debut Pro? Would that be better than the AT-LP140 + Ortofon combo?
I have the Debut Carbon DC but have upgraded the sub-platter, replaced the standard platter with their acrylic one, and moved to the Ortofon Bronze cart. And having done such, I love it! I guess I might be missing something, but when played through a Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra into my Musical Fidelity M5si (thank you, Andrew) and then 1984 Klipsch Cornwalls I could not be happier! I expect I have really “perfumed the pig” with the cartridge exceeding the initial price of the table, but it works. In my mind I’d have to spend $2,000+ to upgrade, and that does not seem worth it. Keep up the good video work!
Thanks, Jim!
When you wear out your Bronze you can replace it with a Black stylus. They both use the same pickup...no need to buy a whole new cartridge.
@@stephenbrockway5899 thanks!
the project debut pro is a great option for someone getting into turntables that does not want a low-end turntable, also does not want to spend too much money but would like to upgrade later to get to the levels of an X1. At least in Europe with its price and cartridge. That is how I see it, and why I bought one myself last month. And I am loving it!
Thanks for the effort on your videos, really enjoy them
there was a turntable sold by technics in late 80´s early 90´s full automatic quatrz that was sold for around 100€ depending on the store ,they tested it with a project that cost today a bit more than a 1000€´s that in every specification is better as an example where is the ground wire , don´t have doesn´t need it but it makes a co nstant huming behind the sound and in the music less parts of the record or inbetween songs is more heardable but it´s on the music and this technics it´s an old one with that t4p system by technics released in late 70´s that was also used in pioneer and grundig turntables mostly made of plastic and with electronic speed selector so change the belt to change speed with our hands only increases distortion and noise ,the turntable you talk about i wouldn´t recomend it to my worst enemy, that´s how people say "the vinil sounds much worse than a cd" wich is wrong but beware i saw lots and lot´s of old turntables being sold on ebay for price all above 1.000€ ´s and they are missing parts and important ones like what makes the nedle ride aligned with the grooves on the vinil , so buy old but read about it first there´s lots of sites with info from most of the equipment sold till today and also blogs of the speciality where people with lots of experience can explain about what to look for, and the reords sold today are much worse quality than the ones sold in the past i bought two records in early setember they do make noise but i put to play some 80´s and 70´s records that were there stored first beneath my main equipment and they don´t make any noise but my companion like the So LP from Peter Gabriel , i have all of his lp´s till "So" and this one was bought before summer and it was released by a big company and even was those 180 grams records and in the same place doesn´t make a sigle noise, some i bought even had bit´s of paper that fall of the center label when cutted, some people say they like the noise inbetween tracks and over the music like frying batatos or making french fries well those i throw to the garbage ,regards
I agree. I was going to buy this as a living room turntable because of the looks and end up upgrading some of the components down the line.
I have a Debut Carbon Evo, with 2M Black, acrylic platter. I adore it. This is literally my endgame turntable. It sounds great, so does everything I want it, and I love the experience of doing most of the things manually. It’s fun, it’s interesting and I’m not considering an upgrade for many years to come. Great video guys, thank you!
I love Kristi’s no nonsense direct feedback ! I agree with her … once you get to a certain price point, it’s more about aesthetic
I’ve been using the Pro-ject Espirt SB with a Ortofon Bronze MM cartridge. It’s been absolutely fantastic. Planning on upgrading to the Pro-ject Classic Evo in a few weeks!
In Europe, pro-ject debut pro is delivered with the Pick it PRO cartridge, which has been developed in collaboration with Ortofon
I'm not into vinyl but damn, the whole vinyl experience is so damn beautiful.
Using a Denon direct drive turntable I purchased in the late ‘80’s with a similar vintage Grado cartridge. Early ‘70’s McIntosh pre-amp & power-amp, discontinued NOS Revel M-22 speakers purchased 1/2 price, modestly priced cables - Monoprice rca & KabelDirekt 14 gage speaker.
I used to be an “equipment junkie” - These days I spend my money on quality vinyl - I’m enjoying the MUSIC!
have had mine for 2 weeks so far flawless will start swapping cartridges soon,,,,,,but i love it so far
I own the Fluance RT85. For the price, I think it is very hard to beat. Mine has the Bamboo colored wood plinth, which I think looks fantastic. Definitely the Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge ties this all together very nicely. I looked at the Pro-ject turntables but it appeared I would have to spend a lot more to get anything near what I got with the RT85.
My Debut Carbon Evo came with that Rainier cartridge and I didn’t like the rolled off highs or the slightly sloppy bass. I transferred my 2M blue from my old turntable to the Evo and was much happier. Since then I upgraded again to the 2M bronze and I couldn’t be happier. Both the 2M blue and bronze pair great with it and I imagine the same for the Pro.
Thanks for the tip! The Rainier is the weak link in this package IMHO. Glad you found a combo that works for you!
“Wow and flutter seem made up”. I love vinyl but this really hits home with me, azimuth and other things are tough to navigate. For this reason I am lazy and always have my local dealer set up my table.
I have the Pro-ject Debut Pro, and love it. But I am Euro based and mine came with the Ortofon Pick-It Pro cartridge (basically an Ortofon Red). I would love to hear someone do a direct listening comparison with these two - quite different - cartridges.
me too i love it and i prefered it to my thorens!
So pleased my vinyl-days are behind me; I had a 5000+ LP-collection with a very expensive turntable-arm-cartridge combo, and it was nice. Having moved across the pond I left it all in Europe and haven't looked back. I used to have the time to tweak stuff, clean LP's etc, but now, I just want good music; something digital gives me. I must admit to feeling bemused by the new LP-wave, whilst I can buy CD's for dirt-cheap! So keep buying digital music pressed on vinyl, folks, while I enjoy it as it was made.
Amen to that, brother. That’s why eight crates of vinyl has been in my basement since the early 90’s. Progress.
I love vinyl, but have to agree with you in regards to the vinyl pressings we are subject too. I have more than a few that honestly sound like crap. That fact really has me thinking of putting the TT up and being done with it, as I stream more than anything, and with the new lossless etc... Yep, rethinking this entire TT thing.
If your older.Like me gone to concerts for 45 yrs..Litsten to classic or hard rock all that time at fairly high volumes..
Once I crank Van Halen or Priest..Even something smoother like the Eagles or Steely Dan..
It all sounds pretty much the same..Solid ..Technics table .Pioneer sx3700 receiver..Advent speakers..Is my setup..
Well, I own a Pro-ject Debut III SE with a Pro-ject acrilic platter and an Ortofon 2M Black, connected to a Pro-ject Phonobox DS2 Pre-amp, which then connects to a (now vintage) Denon AVR 3805 Receiver and a set of AE Evo 3 loudpeakers, and I love them! 😃The Denon receiver and loudspeakers are now almost 20 years old and I don't feel the need the replace either any time soon...😉
Kristi has it exactly correct. The differences between turntables are miniscule, particularly when you reach a certain price point. They should be low-noise, have accurate and consistent speed, and should possess a tonearm that is rigid, light and tracks well. That's maybe 10% of what you hear (or don't). The remainder is the cartridge/stylus. You can't actually compare turntables unless they have identical cartridges.
My thoughts exactly. I’d upgrade my cart before my table unless I was looking for another aesthetic
I had a project debut with a basic ortofon cartridge, I now have a Technics 1500, and love it. Clearaudio, Sota, Linn, Rega, and VPI have some great tables.
I have a Pro-ject Debut Carbon EVO with a Moonstone cartridge. I really love it.
That's awesome!
I also did buy the Debut Carbon Evo last summer, weeks before the Pro was announced. I believe Kristi was referring to the Carbon Evo too, when she was talking about the color green she loved. I am not too mad about the Pro coming out shortly after my purchase. I think the Evo is really good value for the money.
Excellent review, Andrew. After many years of upgrading turntables, tonearms and cartridges, my current system is a Pro-Ject 6 Perspex magnetic suspension Turntable fitted with a Hadcock GH 242 Unipivot tonearm with a Denon DL -301 MK. 2 Moving Coil Cartridge.
Your Mods sound sweet! Happy listening
Don't have a Project T/T but I do own a JBE Series 3 with an SME 3009 S2 Improved arm, a Grace 707 arm and a Goldring Unipivot arm. Carts are a Nagaoka MP50H, Auddio Technica AT3200XE, a vintage Shure V15 III, Shure M97HE, Garrott P7. Denon DL103 and an Ortofon Blue.
I have had the JBE since 1983 - it is a direct drive with the same Panasonic motor as used in the Technics SL1200. Electronics are housed in a separate control box.
It was an amzing piece of kit in its' day and can still kick ass today.
Hi Andrew, just wondering what results would you anticipate if you had the Ortofon 2M black on the Pro-ject Pro? It seems like your preferences steered toward the table with the better cartridge Rainier -> Blue -> Black. Thanks!
I have a Debut II with the standard Ortofon OM5E cartridge. Bought it in 2002 and it still puts on a good show. I run it through a Project Phono Box E into a Marantz MCR 611 and my Kef Cresta 1 speakers. I had a massive downsize a few years ago, but the turntable does all I need. I would upgrade, but there are more important things in life currently. Nice review, maybe I should dream for a while :)
I love that little dust thread trailing from the (blue) Ortofon stylus in one of the close-up shots. 🙂
My turntable is the Technics SL-1200GR with a Nagaoka MP-500 cartridge/stylus, and have it hooked up to a Schitt Mani phono preamp. I also added a FUNK FIRM - Achromat Platter Mat and it sits on top of a 3-inch thick, maple plinth. I may opt for the Ortofon 2M Black LVA 250 in the future, but I’m very happy with the MP-500 and the sound of my turntable setup. I was considering the SL-1200G, but I couldn’t justify spending $4K (more than twice the cost of the SL-1200GR) for just a turntable. I also read reviews that the 1200GR was not significantly behind the 1200G in terms of performance.
I find the performance of a 1200G and GR the same but the built quality of the G is way more refined and robust. (had one to play with but too expensive as the performance of other Technics' are the same)
@@jean-lucd3846 Without a doubt, the 1200G is a nicer TT. I just didn’t think it was $2.300 nicer at the time I bought the 1200GR. Had it been about about $500 to $1,800 difference, it would’ve been a no-brainer to opt for the 1200G. Part of me regrets not getting the 1200G, but I’m still very happy with 1200GR. I will eventually upgrade the tonearm, though. The tonearm is the weakest link in the 1200GR
@@hbhamilton3410 The differences between the G and GR are small, it is in the details, but won't affect the sound. If price difference was not so big I indeed would have gone for the G.
You’ll get a much better bang for your buck upgrading your phono stage instead of TT. The Mani is excellent for $150 but if you really want to put some money into improving your sound this component is your bottleneck.
@@YuengsNwings Which phono stage would you recommend?
Dope video. Right on point, Kristi. The Project T1Phono is a go-to.
Isn’t the sound largely depending on the cartridge? Now equip the Black on this, how does it compare. That would me a more honest comparison.
Great review. I do agree the cartridge makes the most difference. I have a Project Debut Carbon with an acrylic platter...purely for style....I hear no difference in sound between the metal and acrylic platters. I also have a Rega Planar 3....love it....the design/beauty grabbed me over a Project X2.
I went in to my local hifi shop to order this last year, with a goal to upgrade it. But ended up walking out with the X2 with 2M black and could not be happier.
I've had a Pro-ject Debut III ( with the Pro-ject S-box2 preamp) for a WHILE now. I'd put myself into the 'casual vinyl listener' catagory. The Debut III has been good enough for us. I have upgraded the cartridge to the 2M Blue, which made an incredible difference. Also, I actually like how "manual" this turntable is: no auto return/start/stop. I enjoy that interaction.
Been rocking a Pro-Ject RPM10.1 with an AT440MLB for several years now and it's been a staple in my system through a number of moves and upgrades. It was a bit of a lucky ebay find and I love the sound of it
Good thing about the Sumiko Ranier: you can easily upgrade the stylus to their Olympia & Moonstone options without the need to get a new cartridge.
I've got a Pro-ject Xpression III, and love it. It came with a 2M Red that I upgraded with a 2M Bronze which was awesome. Recently I changed the cart again as the stylus on the Bronze was past its useful life so I went with a Nagaoka MP-150. 14 years of vinyl fun and never any issues.
Kristi - I get a cartridge makes an immediate tonal difference which is why some believe it’s the most important component. Just as a speaker cannot deliver information it doesn’t get in the first place the T/T provides the platform for musical detail recovery by its speed stability and rejection of external and internal vibrations/distortions providing a platform for the cartridge to track a groove half the width of a human hair. Another way to think about it is that it’s the turntable that pushes the cartridge through the grooves not the other way round. Therefore it doesn’t take much for information to be lost by the T/T having its own vibrations or unable to isolate from air movement from speakers and or the surface its put on. I learnt in order of priority T/T first, arm second, which has to be as close to frictionless bearings and absolute rigidity as possible and lastly the cartridge - that’s not to say it’s unimportant. It doesn’t matter how good the cartridge is if the turntable is adding vibrations/distortions and the arm adding other issues. Just try moving your T/T far away from your speakers, put it on a light but rigid table and it will almost certainly sound better. You owe it to yourselves to try out a properly set up Linn turntable, who understand this better than most, you will not believe the emotional connection to your music. It’s why for 50 years the Linn LP12 enjoys such an ardent following of music lovers, including legends in the hifi press and to boot they continue to improve it where you can have the upgrades fitted to your existing deck, even one 50 years old.
Last month I finally got my Pro-Ject Classic Evo. Apparently it had to be a special order because Pro-Ject doesn't send many of these tables to North America (or at least Canada)? So it came directly from Austria where they were still in the process of making the table, so I basically got it almost a year after ordering it. I also had the shop switch out the Ortofon Quintet it came with for the 2M Black (which apparently costs more than what you Americans pay). My previous was the Debut III in piano black that I'd upgraded with an acrylic platter, 2M Blue, etc. which i gifted to my friend who wants to get into records.
I had an RM1.3 for years, in red, with the stock Sumiko Pearl. I really liked it. Had to take it in and have a new wiring harness pulled through the arm at one point and for whatever reason it was taking way too long. I found a killer price on a red Debut Carbon table with the Speed Box and an acrylic platter so I grabbed it. I’ve since replaced the Ortofon 2M Red with a Hana EL, and I sold the RM1.3 when it came out of the shop.
The 1.3, while a cool-looking conversation piece, was starting to feel like having a Patrick Nagel print on the wall.
New house, will be building the theater room downstairs soon and have been considering adding a second table down there for vinyl. Satin finish required.
I wanted to go for a X2 but they had issues in their supply chain and couldn‘t sell them at the time. Then I went for a Gold Note Valore 425 Lite which I paired with an Audio Technica AT-VM95SH cartridge and I couldn‘t be happier! Please consider Gold Note for a review 😉🙋🏻♂️
What you said about the tonearms of the pro-ject Pro, X1 and X2 is not correct. The X1 and Debut Pro share the same 8.6 inch one, the X2 has a 9 inch tonearm.
According to Projects literature the wow and flutter is .16% for 33 and .14% for 45 and it has a signal to noise ratio of 68db. My 1984 Denon DP-45f has wow and flutter rated at .012% and a signal to noise ratio of 78db and it cost me 180 bucks in 2007. Still going strong and fully automatic including electronic stylus pressure and anti-skate. For a new turntable the Pioneer PLX-1000 is a much better deal, with much better specs .01% wow and flutter and 70db signal to noise ratio, direct drive, built like a tank (32lbs) and costs $650 or so new. I got one used for $360 with a Shure cartridge that still has life in the stylus. It also has a removable headshell, tonearm height adjustments, extra removable weights for the headshell and tonearm for dj use and adjustable speed also for djing. I just don't understand the attraction with Project turntables. They seem cheap and flimsy to me, no removable headshell (a deal breaker) and their specs are not good. I wouldn't touch this turntable for a 1000 dollars. My Technics SL-220 (RIP) had much better specs and it was a budget belt drive model I bought new in the late 70s for under 150 dollars. They go for peanuts on eBay these days.
Where can I find the audio rack that also holds the vinyl in your videos?
It's listed under "shop our living room" in the description beneath the video.
Good morning to you both, and Katie too. Round and round we go. Off to watch that very good looking turntable. DROP THE NEEDLE!!
Morning Sean!
You need to have put the Ortofon Black on there to actually test the sound. With using the included cartridge all you can review is build quality.
Exactly. There is no way to evaluate the sound of a turntable without doing a comparison against a reference using the same cartridge. Without a reference, the only conclusions one can reach are those which can be measured (wow & flutter, speed accuracy, etc.), build quality, features, ease of operation and esthetics.
My good wife surprised me with a debut carbon back in about 2013. Since then , I've just upgraded amp (living room av reciever from onkyo) phono preamp, re coned my original 1990's warfdale diamond 9.1's and
Changed cartridge, oh and put on a Cork slipmat .... every few Xmas she asks if I'd like to upgrade the table.. but i really don't need to... only thing I'm tempted by is swapping out preamp for a tube preamp.
Imma get the RT85 a great table but I still want the semi auto action and the 2m blue then upgrade to the 2m black paired to the ifi zen phono and the Cambridge audio axa35
That’s a good plan and I’d stick to it if I were you. I have the Fluance RT-85 connected to the iFi phono preamp and the results are quite amazing. The RT-85 is a very well-made, good looking, quality turntable that can be a long-term solution for many people.
Even though I’m a big fan of the 2M Blue , I changed things up with the cartridge.
I didn’t go with the Ortofon 2M Black, but instead I went with the Sumiko Moonstone and I was very impressed with the sound quality. At roughly $399 it’s cheaper than the 2M Black by Ortofon, but it performs noticeably better than their 2M Blue in my opinion. It’s an outstanding cartridge that’s been very well-reviewed by its customers.
I love the combo.
The treble is clear, airy, precise but not fatiguing. Vocals are present, lush and warm but never harsh, while the bass is full, detailed, punchy but never boomy.
Good Luck in your search!
@@moonytheloony6516 thanks for the recommendation what amplifier are you using
@@hvskyline1368
A Sony STR-ZA3100ES. It’s an A/V receiver that’s second only to their top-of-the-line ZA5000ES. It has no built-in phono stage so that’s why I bought the iFi. I’m a subscriber of the Cheapaudioman here on UA-cam which is how I learned about the iFi & the Fluance RT-85.
The comparison would make sense if both turntables had factory built-in cartridges or if both were tested with 2m black cartridge.
In Europe this deck comes with Ortofon OOTB, which I htink sounds better, plus the upgrade to Black is easier.
Absolutely perfect turntable. It has better tonearm from X1-X2. So why X1-X2 are better from Debut Pro? Because of the acrylic platter? Ok, buy Debut pro and upgrade it with an acrylic platter (100 euros). I believe that Debut Pro with pro-ject audio corck it ( or project audio leather it) and ortofon blue, pro-ject record puck pro is the last turntable that someone will buy in his life!!!
Sorry but X1 is just better. Thicker plinth, better bearing in tonearm, heavier table and comes with Acrylic platter that is better than the alu-TPE platter on Pro.
Both can have aluminium sub-platter upgrade and you'd most likely upgrade carts on both so X1 just works out better value and sonically superior if your entire set up can match specs
I have an ProJect Debut Carbon Esprit. And I love it’s look in “walnut” with the acrylic platter. It came with an Ortofon 2M Red which I am NOT a fan of. I upgraded to an Sumiko Moonstone and buddy, I’m in heaven. At some point I will upgrade to an MC cart and that’ll be my long term table.
The Moonstone is a nice cartridge for sure!
I have the Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo, upgraded with the Ortonfon 2M Blue. I think it makes for a great turntable option for my space, and was great for my budget. Would probably look at getting the acrylic platter one day soon as well.
Sounds amazing through my Cambridge Audio Evo 150 and Klipsch Heresy IVs.
I love Kristi's take here. Her ears just cut through the specs bullshit and she says, yeah, it sounds good. I think hardcore audiophiles don't do themselves any favor in that regard, we obsess about specs and meaningless marketing jargon. Kristi is like, yeah, that sounds great and looks good, I dig it. Audiophiles, we have to figure out how much further we can tweak something or honestly how much more money we can spend to just squeeze a tad more performance out of a given system. Kristi is like, yo, that sounds good, I don't care what the specs are. Be like Kristi.
Don´t be a simp.
I'm still running my Pro-ject Debut Carbon with stock Ortofon Red into a Cambridge CP1 photo stage into my Cambridge AXR100. I got one of the last of the older blue plinth and I love the statement that table makes. With a few years on it now, I'm thinking of upgrading the cartridge (2m Blue or Black) and maybe the platter to an acrylic. I also have a U-Turn Orbit custom that I fit with the 2M Red, acrylic platter, and cue lever (I think it's absurd that the cue lever isn't stock, but whatever) on the Ultraviolet (purple) plinth. That build is gorgeous! I have to say that I find the Pro-Ject build quality to be an order of magnitude better than the U-Turn, though. The U-Turn feels a bit cheap and the motor is not loud, but audible where the DC is silent. Thanks for this review - I'm really not sure what value the Pro brings over the Debut Carbon EVO.
I'm a Project fanboy, but Rega has always and justifiably been the go to brand for thurntables.
Why?
@@BO-kh1iz because they have been easy to use and sound really good. Projects are bit more fiddly and don't always sound quite as good as Rega.
@@mrpositronia I always liked the design and sound of the Regas. When it comes to ease of use I´m not so sure though. I do agree if one doesn´t change speed often (without Rega power supply) or plays around with different cartidges (which might need height adjustment), then they are very easy to use.
@@BO-kh1iz Yes, I meant easy to use for people starting out.
I use two turntables. A Technics SL-BD10 I purchased in the early 1990s and a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB (DC) I bought in 2020. I like them both, though the Technics is the easier to use as the controls are outside the dustcover. They run through two different phono preamps to two different amps. I swap back and forth on which one I use.
Getting your music from vinyl records is like photography using film. Some like them both, despite their limitations.
Thanks for your review, Andrew and Kristi. Interesting analysis. I recently purchased a Pro-Ject X1 which is simply stunning to look at, but also has the Rainier cartridge which I think is holding the turntable's sound back, which is why I've been looking to upgrade to at least the Moonstone, or maybe even the Amethyst cartridge. But I have to say I love the looks of the X1 in wood with the carbon tonearm.
Also take a look at Grado; I had wood-bodied Grado Sonata back in the day and it was wonderful!
@@BirdArvid We had the Grado Sonata3 Timbre MM while testing a Technics table and did not care for it. The Ortofon black was far superior in our opinion. It was cool looking though.
Rega P8 and Clearaudio are the one I want to get. Just because it is beautiful. I would have stay with U-Turn (gen 1) if I can fit other styles on it.
I've had the AT-LP120 and have been saving up to upgrade. I like the 120, but you never fully bypass the built in phono preamp. I was originally saving up for the X2, but when the Pro was announced, I thought that might be the one to get. But maybe I'm back to saving for a few more months and going with the X2.
Will you sell the LP-120?
I'm glad to see another turntable review. At the same time, I remain pleased with my Fluance RT-82 at a lesser price than the Debut Pro. But while some are ranting in the comments whether a $500, $1000, or $3000 turntable is worth the money...can we talk about the elephant in the room? The price of vinyl records in 2022! New vinyl LPs are now going from $30 a piece at Target into the $100 to $200 for audiophile quality (such as MoFi). As much as I enjoy my collection, I'm worried the vinyl hobby due to cost is about to leave behind the ones that made vinyl albums cool again, the teens and 20-somethings.
I recall paying 15-17.00 for new CDs back in the day so I guess $30 for a new record doesn't sound too far off in 2022. It's possible to pick up used records for less which makes it fairly easy to build a collection. Teens/20s are probably streaming most of their music, making the purchase of a record the occasional, specialty purchase.
@@KristiWright But I bet like the rest of us you paid for many of your new CDs at 12 CDs for the price of one (thank goodness for Columbia Records and BMG). Most of the inflated fixed prices in retail stores ended by the mid 90's after the record companies were sued. In the present, on Amazon today Adele's 30 via a CD is $10 while on vinyl its for $32. All I know is with streaming already paid for, I'm increasingly having to justify my record purchases with the family.
@@KristiWright I remember paying $7-$8 for new records back in the 80's. Made my own cassettes for portable use. Still have all my records. I kept them even when I did not have a turntable.
Back in the 60's a 12 inch vinyl record sold for about $5 in Australia Today, allowing for inflation, the same record would cost about $85
@@stephenbrockway5899 That's my story too. I had a number of vinyl records I only played once...to make the cassette tape (cheap stereo equipment didn't know the difference). Great records in great condition to play in the 2020's! I dropped the practice when I got my first CD player via a new car purchase. Except for a favorite band releasing a new album...most of my vinyl records back then came from the bargain 99 cent and $1.99 bargain bin.
I recently purchased the Debut PRO and was considering replacing the stock platter with the Acryl IT platter. Would this be considered an upgrade or is the stock platter of better quality? Thanks
The stock platter is unique to the Pro and is an upgrade over the acrylic. If you buy the Puck Pro to use with your current platter that’s all you need to do regarding platter upgrades, unless you want to add the aluminium sub platter - but even that is debatable regarding improvement vs cost.
I own and love the Pro-Ject Xtension 12 turntable in the olive veneer. Its a bit pricy at 4000 euro list price, and it's huge just barely fitting on top of my rack, but other than that there's really nothing you can hold against it. Everything about it screams quality, from the extremly heavy plinth sitting on the magnet dampening feet, to the huge machined aluminium platter, the 12 inch tonearm, the tight build tolerances. You can't even see it's turned on, because the platter is so perfectly centered you can't see it moving.
It's paired with the Ortofon quintet black S cartridge and an entry level musical fidelity phono pre (soon to be upgraded). Sonicly it performes really well with a very quiet background, next to no surface noise and great body and prat. Dynamics and detail are ok, but I'm waiting on what my next phono pre will bring...
I find it really cool how pro-ject managed to being at the one hand very successfull in the entry level market, while at the other hand having pretty expenive tables which are still quite respected and get good reviews.
I own a Pro-Ject 2xperience with a Goldring 1006 cartridge and I love them both 😄
How would you compare the project debut carbon Evo vs the fluance rt85?
No contest the Project is a much better turntable.
I just picked up last week a Project Debut 111 on clearance 50% off. It replaces a Technics SL Q200 which is so old I can't even recall when I purchased it. I realize the new Project Debut Pro is a whole new different beast, but compared to what I had I'm happy to have scored a deal to entice me to dust of my vinyl again. I'm pretty optimistic I'll be impressed sufficiently by the difference in sound to appreciate the savings I made and not regret going all out on higher end turn table or having purchased another toy I won't use as often as I anticipated.
I have had the DC Evo for about a year and am getting ready to upgrade to a Moonstone stylus.
It’s the first TT I’ve owned in 35 years and I’m very happy with it.
Thanks for still reviewing turntables, great review.
Appreciate it!
Love your channel bro! keep up the awesome vids
I believe I would upgrade this turntable with a Goldring E4 cartridge or open the wallet wider with Hana EL series moving coil cartridge.
I have this table with the Hana EL MC cartridge and it is by far the best sounding turntable I have ever owned in my 48 years of life!
Love BOTH vinyl and Cd (as well all other PHYSICAL formats) I DO HATE streaming that leave you with nothing in your hands and in your ears as well the day you stop paying your subscription...GO PHYSICAL !
I was concerned about spending a lot of money on a turntable so I went with the Pro-ject T1. I’m mainly happy with the choice. I was considering a UTurn and a Debut Carbon Evo at the time and talked myself out of spending more.
As it turns out, I just picked up a Project X-1 in walnut with the Sumiko Olympia cartridge today. Hooked it up to my vintage Marantz 2216 which I acquired two weeks ago and what a combination! Fleetwood Mac never sounded better on their Rumors album! I’ll enjoy this combo for a while until I take the next upgrade path to the Ortophon 2m black. Thanks to you and Kristi for another informative video and the great advice you both give. Please keep these great videos coming!
I have a high gloss red pro-ject debut carbon with an acrylic platter and an ortofon blue cartridge. I love the color, aesthetics & simplicity. Trying out other cartridges and phono preamps was key to tailoring to the sound I wanted as well as use of a schiit EQ. Hours of late night vinyl binging because it delivers the buzz and non audiophile friends so dig the ritual of it all.
Wow and flutter is a really pro audio, an exact specification, no audiophile BS with wow and flutter. Wow means slow speed changes. Touch your thumb on the side of a playing record, what you hear, that's wow. Flutter is fast speed changes. To demo remove a tables belt, tape a piece of match stick to the belt drives motor spindle and play the record. What you hear is flutter. It's really a very useful and descriptive spec.
Appreciate this!
Was looking at possibly the pro, or the debut Evo and upgrading the cartridge. Seeing what your lp140 with upgraded cartridge has done for you, what cartridge upgrade for the debut evo would you recommend ?
I own a Project Debut Carbon Evo. I've had it for about two years and I absolutely love it. It's the gloss red with the Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. I will upgrade the stylus to the 2M Blue at some point.
How does the 2M red handle IGD on your turntable? I'm in the US, and we still have the prior model, the DC, which still has the 2M Red, in addition to the Evo, which has the Sumiko Rainier. I can get the DC for about $50-100 less than the Evo, and since I haven't seen any reviews or heard any YT videos demoing the Rainier, I'm tempted to go that route.
@@cubdukat Not sure I can help here. I have never heard a Sumiko Rainier in the Evo, nor have I heard a DC compared with my Evo. The 2M Red is the standard cartridge in the Evo here in the UK. All I can say is that the difference between the Evo and my previous turntable, the Project Debut 3, is huge. I would try to audition both the Evo and DC before deciding.
This a nice turntable and good looking I got the pro and the X2 and kept the X2 but pro is an amazing table for the price. Is well made. You can get wrong with the pro.
I went with the Pro-Ject Debut carbon evo and I'm happy with the performance for the money.
What does this run new? What kind of cartridge do you have on it?
It's $599 and it has a Sumiko Rainier.
I'm curious how the Debut Pro stacks up to the X1, as both are in the same price range. You briefly mentioned the X1 and X2 as other options above the Debut Pro.
I had been looking into the X1 and hoping to pick it up on sale when I found a walnut Debut Carbon EVO for $500, just after they had raised it's regular price to $600, so that's what I scooped up.
I was interested in the black LVB edition but realized it’s back ordered and is 1k. It’s almost double the price of the original black. That is the total price of the Pro!
That would be a cool video for you to make if you have access to a bunch of cartridges. Would be a little easier for you because of the removable head on the AT models.
Hi Andrew and Kristi! Are there pros (or cons) of a straight tone arm vs s-shaped?
You asked what we've got. Mine's the Pro-ject RPM Genie Mk III, that I bought to see if I fancied listening to my vinyl again. I run it through a Cambridge phono stage, and they sound pretty good. I did upgrade the Ortofon red to a Denon 110 MC cartridge though, and while I was told that was too much cart for the table, it made the world of difference. I'd been getting sibilance (inner groove distortion) off the red's stylus, and the Denon sorted that while adding more clarity and nicer bass. Every year I think about upgrading it, but then I have to admit that it sounds just great as is, and I go back to putting my records on. If I ever do change it I think it'll be so that I can get one with an integral dust cover. The RPM's are nice but the dust covers, not so much.
Hello Andrew: When you talk about the "sound" of the tt, don't you mean the sound of the cartridge?
I kept asking myself the same question when hearing this review
Is there a $200-300 table out there which is a great value. Can an inexpensive table become top notch if it sports a very good carteidge. What's more important, the table or the cartridge?
Is there a reason that straight tonearm turntables don't have a replaceable headshell feature like S shape tonearm turntables, or is it something that just doesn't happen? This may sound silly, but it's the one thing that kept me from trying out the Project. If I'm going to be in a mode where I try to learn about cartridges and their differences, it just seems like easily replaceable headshells should be the road I take.
Wow, I think the RT 85 Piano gloss white and the acrylic platter look nice.
@@tomwebb7091 First of I didn't buy it because of the looks. I bought it because it is a decent turntable. I wasn't chasing after audio nirvana. Even if I did buy it because it looks good, there is nothing wrong with it because it's MY money. Even I bought it because I want to be a door stop, there is nothing wrong with that because I can. No different than the guy down the street that is happy to spend 70000 on cables for better sound. I call bull, but there is nothing wrong with him spending his money on it because he believes so.
As far as swapping out the cartridges, I don't follow. Are you saying that you don't have to align the cartridge on that strait arm turntable and that putting replacing them is faster than having multiple head shells ready to go?
@@tomwebb7091 First of all I never compared , ONCE, the two turntables. Nor did I once try to say that the RT 85 was better than the Project. I don't know, I never owned one. All I did was say " I like the way the Piano white RT85 looks. "As the comment in review The RT85 could have a better look and me going "Aww man, I kinda like the wasy the Piano white one looks." I never said it's the best looking turntable of all time. All I said that I like the way it looks. Hell, I like the way the project looks. I like the way Technics turntables, look. As for my question about the tone arms, it is a legitimate ( is there a reason why straight tonearms don't have replaceable headshells? Is that becase its just because the way they are or is there some technical reason? I've always had an interest in Project turntables, HOWEVER, the one thing that kept me from going that route is the lack of replaceable headshells. Why, because, I have 2 turntables. My father's 70's technics turntable and a Audio-Technica turntable I bought when I wanted to see if I wanted to get into vinvyl. Both have s tonearms with removable head shells and if I am going to be experimenting with cartridges to see what's what, then I wont' be able to learn what's what as eaily. "If you buy something on the way it looks then something is really wrong with you." Really, where in the world did that come from? Who said that's you do for that reason.
In Sweden you can buy pro-ject Debut Pro for about $ 895 and in Sweden the VAT is 25%