Is This New Audiophile-Grade Turntable Now the Best Value in Vinyl?

Pro-Ject’s Debut turntables date back to 1999, and since then, they’ve been incredibly popular — the Austrian hi-fi touts them as its “best-selling” line of turntables. They’re belt-drive turntables with high-end components and a minimalist design. They’re also quite upgradable.

Once the go-to turntables for anybody wanting to make the “step up” to a true audiophile-grade turntable, Pro-Ject has diversified its turntable offerings in recent years. Now that it has more affordable turntables lines, such as the “E” and “T” lines, the Debut line has been elevated to a more “mid-range” status.

Released in 2020, the Debut Carbon Evolution has been the flag-bearer for the Debut for the last few years. Sure, Pro-Ject has since released higher-end Debut turntables — such as the Debut Pro and (most recently) Debut Pro B— but, starting at $599, the Debut Carbon “Evo” has been the most accessible.

Now, after nearly four years, Pro-Ject is finally updating its star turntable. The Debut Evo 2 is a new and improved version of the Debut Carbon Evolution (which Pro-Ject no longer sells). It has several key upgrades — most significantly, you can buy it in one of ten different finishes.

Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2

Pro-Ject

Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2

Specs

Turntable	Belt-drive, manual
Cartridge	Pro-Ject Pick it MM EVO
Built-in Phono Preamp?	No

• $699 at Pro-Ject USA

Familiar look, upgraded hardware

The Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2 isn’t a wholesale change from the Debut Carbon Evo. It still looks quite similar and has a lot of the same components. Specifically, it has the same 8.6-inch carbon-on-aluminum tonearm, low-friction precision tonearm bearings, DC/AC power generator and height-adjustable metal feet.

As for upgrades, the Debut Evo 2 borrows higher-end hardware from its newer sibling, the $1,099 Debut Pro B. It features the same tonearm bearing block and non-magnetic aluminum platter (instead of the previous steel platter).

Pro-Ject

The Debut Evo 2 comes with the company’s Pick It MM Evo moving magnet cartridge (which Pro-Ject co-designed with Ortofon). Interestingly, thanks to its new non-magnetic aluminum platter, the Debut Evo 2 can also support a higher-end moving coil (MC) cartridge, too, giving you more wiggle room upgrade in the future.

Unlike Pro-Ject’s more affordable turntables that require manual switching for speeds — meaning you have to lift the platter and physically move the belt — the Debut Evo 2 features electronic switching for 33 1/3 rpm and 45 rpm records. (It can play 78 rpm records, too, although you’ll need to buy a separate belt and pulley change.)

Pro-Ject

Beautiful in all 10 finishes

One of the best things about the Debut Evo 2 is that, well, you have a ton of options when it comes to its appearance. Pro-Ject is offering the Debut Evo 2 in 10 different different finishes.

Of the ten different finishes, six are satin (medium gloss), three are high glossy and is one real wood walnut veneer.

The exact finishes that the Debut Evo 2 comes in are as follows: satin red wine, satin black, satin white, satin walnet, satin blue, satin green, satin yellow, gloss black, gloss red and gloss white.

Pro-Ject

Price and availability

The Pro-Ject’s Debut Evo 2 turntable is available now for purchase. You can buy it directly from Pro-Ject or an authorized retailer. Each model — no matter the finish — costs $699, which is a $100 increase over its 2020-released predecessor.

Pro-Ject doesn’t offer the Debut Evo 2 with a built-in phono preamp, so you’ll need to pair it with an external one with a mini XLR input, such as Pro-Ject’s Phono Box S3 B, Phono Box DS3 B, Tube Box DS3 B.

Pro-Ject

Pro-Ject Debut Evo 2

• $699 at Pro-Ject USA

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