Pro-Ject - Debut Carbon DC (Black)

Product Information

We might seem too enthusiastic about a player in this price range, but the truth is that for the asking price, the Debut Carbon EVO does it all so well that it is hard not to admire the merit of the Austrian company.

New for this model are a set of three height-adjustable, damped aluminium feet that will ensure the turntable always sits perfectly level on your cabinet or table, while reducing vibration. They look pretty cool, too, especially when contrasted against one of the more funky-coloured variants. It’s not the newest turntable around, and the competition may be tough, but even after a few years it has proved that it’s still among the class leaders at this price. It’s not the last word in absolute precision, and there are other similarly priced turntables that offer a little more bite and aggression. But if you value a smooth, informative ride from a beautifully engineered and nice-looking record player, don’t spend any money until you’ve heard the Debut Carbon Evo. Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo price and release date Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 28th November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.) There’s heat in the low frequencies, certainly, but they’re not overcooked and it’s certainly not at the expense of detail or texture. There’s a similarly lavish amount of detail retrieved in the midrange – it reveals so much about the glee and malevolence Nina Simone imbues her performance with it’s almost hair-raising – and while the top end is rolled off just fractionally, it’s far from a blunt instrument.

One of the best entry-level hi-fi turntables you can buy

Probably it’s the peak – bonus – prize of Pro-Ject’s decades-lasting honesty and respect towards vinyl and audiophiles. The Speaker Box 5 S2 is an unreasonably good speaker. There’s a fundamental ‘rightness’ to the way it makes music

This is a display of strength: with its construction quality and sonic characteristics, it‘s the new reference in this price category. With specs like these, it is highly recommended! It has a kind of seductive, organic richness and woodiness, that we never were aware it was hidden inside the Ortofon 2M Red moving magnet – not until now. the newest Pro-Ject’s creation outperformed tonally and once again emotionally – dare I say – pricier, older, and higher up the rank offerings. A floating sound, big soundstage, extreme attention to delivering a deep emotional connection with the music.

Controlled playback speeds

What the Pro-Ject System does so well is give you the integration, flexibility, and convenience of an all-in-one but in a manner that is entirely Pro-Ject and tremendously appealing as a result. with the Debut Carbon EVO winning clearly. It achieved a phenomenal physical impact for its category, truthful tonal colors, and soundstage height. This is more great affordable Hi-Fi but done in a way that is brilliantly user-friendly. It’s hard to see the result as anything other than a Best Buy. I was half tempted to have a change but the sound from the Evo was just right for my ears and set-up it seemed silly to change.

That’s not to say the Pro-Ject’s performance is clinical: it’s expressive, clearly displaying a good deal of subtlety and fairly wide dynamics. The system has well-controlled, articulate, and detailed bass, without overemphasis.Rhythm sections were performed with a good sense of timing, good speed, and volume, avoiding any exaggeration. The service from Richer has always been so good there was no choice where I would buy my replacement. Speed change is manual: you’ll have to take off the platter and move the belt by hand to go from 33⅓ to 45rpm.We're loath to call it a negative – some would probably welcome the more subtle approach – but it did take a little sheen off our overall experience. Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO review: The alternatives The Carbon Evo is superbly made, isolated from the outside world in a way that most affordable turntables simply aren’t and it’s a breeze to setup. The Debut doesn’t have any isolating suspension (unless you count a set of compliant feet) so make sure its support is as rigid and vibration-free as possible. When the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon launched in 2012, three things initially stood out for us: the turntable's minimalist aesthetic, the range of bright colours variations, and the fact it had a carbon-fibre tonearm (hence the name). Well, all of those attributes are still present and correct in this new version. Setting up the Debut Carbon EVO is ridiculously easy. Simply add the drive belt, platter and weights, and you'll be ready to drop that needle on the groove. Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO review: Sound

The Pro-Ject handles tempos and rhythms with equal assurance. Oh, you’ll get a straighter edge and a more martial approach from a similarly priced Rega turntable, but the Evo counters (and strongly) with its unfussy nature and the almost ostentatious amount of detail it digs out. Whether or not the Debut Carbon Evo is the best record player for you might be decided by whether you prefer its fuller, more relaxed character or the more spritely and lean alternative of its main competitor. Like any worthwhile turntable, it’s very adept and tying everything together. There’s a tangible sense of performance from the Evo, even when it’s playing cut’n’paste collages from the likes of A Tribe Called Quest. The unity of a recording, the way the midrange rides on the low-frequency underpinnings, and the way the treble balances securely on the top, allows every record to sound coherent and convincing. Even with the most processed, machine-derived recordings, this Pro-Ject glides along with the sort of casual authority of sound that can only come from a well-sorted record player. There's no built-in phono preamp with this model, though Pro-Ject goes some way towards compensating for this by including its high-quality Connect It E phono RCA cable in the box, ready for you to connect up your own device.

Right from the beginning, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO was far better: more emotional and weighty, more living-and-breathing, more detailed, more dynamic, more spacious. Also much more engaging and resolute without any distraction of harshness. Our review sample is in Fir Green, and very nice it looks too. The finish is flawlessly smooth, and as reassuring as the build quality. While it's not the cheapest record player on the shelf, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon is still an incredible value. We can’t recommend this turntable enough.