Pro-Ject releases Debut Pro turntable to celebrate 30th anniversary

(Image credit: Pro-Ject)

Pro-Ject turns 30 this year and the company is launching a new addition to its mid-range Debut turntable series to celebrate.

The all-new Debut Pro is the latest model in a range that began life in 1998 with the release of the original Debut deck, and which has since seen various iterations come and go. It comes into the range above the 2020-released, five-star rated, Debut Carbon Evo.

Capable of playing 33, 45 and 78rpm records, the Debut Pro is very much built on the Debut design but, Pro-Ject says, improves on every aspect, with each component having been re-engineered to achieve a higher-quality performance.

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For example, the Debut Pro is the first Debut deck to feature the company's Carbon-Aluminium one-piece tonearm technology. The use of these two materials in the 8.6in tube results in an arm that's both light and rigid, well-damped and shielded. The tonearm can also be adjusted for azimuth and VTA (vertical tracking angle) settings, allowing for user adjustment, and is supplied with the new Pick-IT Pro moving magnet cartridge pre-installed and aligned.

The Pick-IT Pro cartridge is the result of Pro-Ject's close collaboration with Ortofon and is based on the classic Ortofon 2M body. Pro-Ject says its sound has, however, been inspired by traditional SPU designs with its lower compliance, lower capacitance and slightly higher output.

Finally, the in-house designed and manufactured AC drive motor is decoupled from the main chassis by a mounting plate with TPE-damped fixing points, to reduce interference and consequent noise. To further minimise the possibility of noise, the turntable plinth also sits on three height-adjustable, damped metal feet.

Dressed in a black satin finish, the Pro-Ject Debut Pro will go on sale in September, priced £699 (about AU$1300).

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Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.