Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Belt-drive turntable Review
| Product Code | B00856L1J0 |
| Product Rating |  |
| Price | $399.00 |
| Where To Buy | See More Details |
| Customer Review | See More Reviews |
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #9841 in Consumer Electronics
- Brand: Pro-Ject
- Model: Debut Carbon Gloss Black Turntable
- Dimensions: 1.00" h x
1.00" w x
1.00" l,
Features
- 8.6" carbon tonearm
- New sorbothane motor suspension
- Precision belt drive with synchronous motor
- Magnetic cartridge options from Ortofon 2M red
- 8.6" carbon tonearm
- New sorbothane motor suspension
- Precision belt drive with synchronous motor
- Magnetic cartridge options from Ortofon 2M red
Product Description
The new DEBUT Carbon has been designed to set new standards in this category for the coming decade - perfectly timed as analogue today is again a respected source, while the demand for good turntables is growing again!
The most obvious improvement is the inclusion of a CARBON TUBE for the tonearm, which increases stiffness and decreases unwanted resonance. This material normally is extensively used in high-end tonearms, but - because of cost reasons - was never used in products at lower price levels. Together with other improvements like an increase in platter size and weight to realize even smoother rotation and new design in motor suspension, the overall sound quality is greatly improved.
The DEBUT CARBON will be offered in high-gloss black or shiny red, green, blue, yellow, light grey or white as no-added-cost option.
8,6" carbon tonearm
Increased platter size with more weight
Precision belt drive with synchronous motor
New sorbothane motor suspension
Felt mat
Magnetic cartridge options from Ortofon 2M red
7 high-gloss colours
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful.
Great turntable!
By Michael Sherman
I had been looking for a turntable for about 2 months, after deciding to get back into vinyl. In anticipation, I bought a bunch of records form MoFi, and other labels.I ordered he table from Amazon the first day it was available (Vann's was the first retailer). Well, it came last night, about a week after placing the order, and I am very happy!It came in the standard "box within a box", and the external box was badly damaged in one corner, which had me worried. However, the Pro-ject box withing was in good shape, and the table/parts were in perfect condition.Set up took about 15 min, going slowly. Very easy. Pop the weight on, take the stylus cover off, balance, return to the rest. Pop on anti-skate weight, dial up 1.75 grams (2M RED), then belt, platter, cover and felt. Connect it up to the preamp and you are done. I verified the weight with a Shure stylus gauge and it was spot on.So, how does it sound? Wonderful! My wife and I listened to about 8 sides last night. We started with Sonny Rollins, Way Out West, which was magical. I had never heard it before, but it got top reviews, and I really got back into vinyl to learn about Jazz. The sound stage was amazing. The imaging superb. I closed my eyes and the band was in my living room, and I could pick out every instrument. It was incredibly life-like.Next up was Nora Jones's Come Away with Me. The recoding was so detailed and involving, We listened to the whole album twice. There was a bit of sibilance in the extreme high end noticeable, but it was not that bothersome. As I understand it, as the cartridge breaks in, this will get better.Then we played some Louis Armstrong, from a 1947 recoding. Black and Blue. amazing that such an old recording, on a record bought at a used vinyl show for $2 could sound so good. And the song is so beautiful.We kept on, with Sarah Vaughn (poor quality used record, need to get a new one), Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, which, from 1958, sounds just amazing.Well, in short, I can't recommend this table enough. For $400, I think its a great place/price to get back into vinyl. It strikes me that if the record is in good shape, and the recording and mastering is of good quality, this table/cartridge combination can do a fantastic job of bringing the music to life.PS: My system is: North Creek Audio Borealis speakers (build from kit in 2003, Adcom GFA-555 Amp (bought new in 1985) and a Sone TAE-9000 ES preamp.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful.
Great starter setup for either new or just returning to Vinyl
By PCGuy
I have now owned the Debut Carbon for about a month. So far I'm very pleased and it sounds great. I haven't owned a turntable in about 15 years and my old record collection was given away when I got rid of my turntable, no loss there since it was all 80's Pop. I also had purchased the Pro-Ject Xpression III and fitted with the same cartridge, I could not tell a difference between it and the Carbon. That being said, I would have kept it but I had a problem with the sub-platter, it had a bad wobble to it so I returned it and kept the Carbon and spent the extra money I saved on some new vinyl (and the spent some more, and some more again).I wanted to share a few things that I learned so far in my vinyl journey:1. Put on a decent album, preferably new and you'll be stunned how much bigger vinyl sounds on your system. The soundstage is just huge compared to digital. (Diana Krall Live in Paris is highly recommended)2. Unless your ready to spend two to three times more money, you are not going to get a huge step up in sound quality from the Carbon. It's in the sweet spot of price vs performance.3. $400 for the turntable is just a drop in the bucket, plan on spending double to triple that to get EVERYTHING you need. Nice phono preamp, carbon fiber brush, alignment tools, decent plastic lined sleeves for all that new vinyl you about to buy, tweaks, gadgets, cleaning supplies, etc......4. Skip the Speed Box, it might be convenient but watch out for rumble/woofer pumping. I tried it on both the Carbon and Xpression III and as soon as I removed the Speed Box, the rumble went away and my woofers are happy again!5. The only thing the tonearm is missing on this turntable is VTA adjustment. Don't worry about it and just get a Ortofon 2M Blue Stylus and put it on the 2M Red Body and that should be all the cartridge you need with this turntable. (The 2M Red and 2M Blue use the same body, just a different stylus).6. The Acrylic platter upgrade is really only necessary if you are going to use a MC cartridge. I found that the Steel/Felt combo actually sounded better with standard vinyl. Audiophile 180/200G I would say it's a tie, maybe a little tighter base on the Acrylic. It does look cool though and is a little less prone to static. I did keep it.7. Plan ahead and budget for a record cleaning machine, after you own a few albums you will want it. Even brand new sealed vinyl has dust and will crackle and pop.8. When buying new vinyl, shop around, prices are all over the place.9. 50 year old used records sound like.........50 year old used records.......10. This will become an addiction and is a VERY expensive hobby, don't be shocked when you get that first credit card bill, you've been warned.Update 11/02/2012I no longer own the Debut Carbon, I have moved up to the Music Hall MMF-5 and can say it was a nice incremental upgrade. I really like the split plinth design and it seems much quieter with background noise. I was able to get one with the Goldring 1012GX cartridge and it's a departure from the Ortofon 2M series, very mellow and laid back. At some point I will try the 2M Blue on the Music Hall but want to give the Goldring time to break-in. That being said, at twice the cost, I can't say the Music Hall sounds twice as good but definitely sounds better. I still feel the Debut Carbon offers allot of bang for the buck in sub 1K turntables.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful.A True Sonic and Build Upgrade from the Debut III
By D. P. Sweeney
I got my new Debut Carbon today by accident. I had accidentally severed the slaved tonearm wire in my Debut III while removing a dud cartridge (beware that some early run Audio Technica AT-440 MLa stylus/cartridges emit a terrible hum). Anyhow, I called Music Direct and they referred me to Sumiko (the importer) who then referred me to a shop in Monrovia, CA called Brooks Berdan, Ltd. Long story short, the quote to replace the wire with superior Cardas would have run me $275. That seemed like a lot, but I knew they are pros, however, I am planning to spend up to $2,000 later this summer on a new turntable, and did not want to be without being able to play my lovely vinyl. Then, the salesman proposed that I trade my damaged table for the newer model for $350 out the door. They had my favorite color, red, to replace the broken model too.Because I had the Debut III, setting up the Carbon was a cinch. In fact, it was even easier as the motor has a sorbothane buffer rather than the III's suspended position. The Wal-Wart power supply is smaller than the Debut II's as well, which means it will take up less space in your power conditioner or power strip. I also admire the sleek carbon tonearm, stated at 8.6" with a fixed headshell and pre-mounted Ortofon 2M Red cartridge. I had experience already with this particular cartridge, so hearing it in this new rig revealed many wonderful things. First of all, the background is far more "black," meaning less vibration noise from the motor and spinning platter. The new platter is a full 12" over the previous model's 10" setup, and the extra weight contributes to the sound. I played a high-end jazz reissue by Classic Records, and the band Horace Parlan led really had great separation and depth. Despite the unbroken stylus, the tones came though. in my opinion, as good as the Red is, it can never really track silently without some crackle no matter how clean a record is, or even with static removed. You know there is static when your arm hair stands up, and the felt mat wants to come along with the LP.I then played the 180 gram reissue of the Red Hot Chili Pepper's album, "Mother's Milk" and actually heard some things in the mix I never noticed before. The turntable and cartridge are capable of 3D-holographic soundstages. While someone else's stereo is sure to affect this, it is what audiophiles strive for: silent backgrounds and surround sound from two channels. The new Rush album, "Clockwork Angels," roared from my speakers. Since I had just listened to it the day before on my old table, I appreciated the carbon tonearm's superior tracking and vibration absorption. As the stylus breaks in the sound will improve even more, but I am already impressed.Make sure the table is level, and use a stylus force gauge to dial in the tracking force. The Shure model is fine, and fairly cheap from Amazon. I also recommend the following accessories that have enhanced the performance of my old Debut II, and are now involved in the Carbon's trial run. First, a nice record clamp will keep the vinyl anchored to the stock felt mat (keep that for sure). I have a KAB model that slips over the spindle and stays in place without screwing anything. The other good choice is the Clearaudio Clever Clamp. Both are fantastic upgrades for this table. The other suggestion is to improve the vibration control with at the very least four Vibrapods, the Model 1 or 2 will be fine for the weight of this table. if you want to increase the verticle and horizontal vibration absorption, then add Vibracones, but only use three, paired with the aforementioned Vibrapads. This setup works well, and you can use paper shims if leveling proves a challenge. To keep your stylus in good health, there are "lubes" that clean it with a soft brush (always go from back to the front of the stylus). I especially like the Mobile Sound Fidelity Labs LP #9 stylus cleaner. At $25 it may sound expensive, but it comes with an extra dust bunny brush, and because you use so little, it will last a really long time. I use it after playing each record, and sometimes between flipping sides. It will ensure more hours from the stylus, and less wear and tear on the LPs too. The last accessory, and a must-have, is the Audioquest carbon brush, which doubles as a mild anti-static remover.The only decision you need to make is which color. There are seven to select from.
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