Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO Turntable - Satin Black

Recommended Component 2023 – Stereophile

Five Stars – What Hi-fi? Magazine

Sets New Standards in Value and Performance

Pro-Ject's most beloved turntable, the Debut Carbon, has been refined in every aspect for the brand new Debut Carbon Evolution. This high-performance turntable features Pro-Ject’s famous one-piece carbon fiber tonearm technology, electronic speed selection, suspension elements from the EISA-award winning Pro-Ject X1 turntable, and a factory-mounted Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge.

"Recommended Component" Honors

Stereophile honored the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evolution by awarding it the magazine's coveted Recommend Component status for 2023.

According to Stereophile, "AH summed up his time with this turntable by saying 'If there's a design parameter more crucial than a hi-fi component's ability to hold our attention and enable us to feel things, I don't know what it is. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO does this consistently, emphatically, at an attainable price.'"

From the very beginning, Pro-Ject has believed in the power of analog music. During the mid-1990s, at the height of the CD market dominance, Pro-Ject gained a global reputation for its phenomenal sound quality and premium build at an affordable price. After more than twenty years, the Pro-Ject Debut is one of the best-selling products in the history of hi-fi, with close to one million units sold.

The Debut made listening to vinyl an affordable option for music lovers. Thanks to its minimalist aesthetic and premium finish options, it also helped to make analog fashionable again. The Debut series sets a new standard for value and performance once again with the new Debut Carbon Evolution.

"A Must Listen"

"For those in the market for a deck costing less than half a grand, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo is a must listen," reports England's What Hi-fi? magazine, which honored the Evo with its top rating of Five Stars. "Where competitors might beef up their sound in an attempt to disguise a lack of real insight, Pro-Ject here welcomes you to explore its vast sonic range, proving its aptitude for making a deck that is both easy to listen to and prepared for deeper, more analytical sessions."

"Honestly, at this price point, there’s not a single thing this turntable should do better than it does," reports Mike Conklin in his review for InsideHook, August 17, 2020.

8.6" One-Piece Carbon Fiber Tonearm

The Debut Carbon Evolution's 8.6" one-piece carbon fiber tonearm with integrated headshell is highly unusual at the price. Carbon fiber increases stiffness, decreases unwanted resonance, and eliminates coloration. This material normally is extensively used in high-end tonearms, and due to its high cost is seldom seen in products at lower price levels. But it's here with the very affordable Debut Carbon Evolution, and you'll love the performance boost.

Inside the tonearm is one-piece continuous run, high purity copper internal tonearm wiring connected to a shielded termination box.

Push-button Electronic Speed Change

Ultimate convenience is achieved thanks to the built-in electronic speed change. This allows you to change speeds with the push of a button instead of having to fuss around with the turntable belt and pulley. And the electronic speed control gives you extremely accurate speed control at both 33-1/3 rpm and 45 rpm, so the Debut Carbon Evolution is great for LPs and 45s.

Heavy, TPE-Damped Platter

Contributing to the stable, accurate-speed playback of your vinyl is a heavy 1.7kg (3.75 lbs.) diecast aluminum platter with TPE Damping for resonance control. The platter uses low-friction precision sapphire tonearm bearings, and the turntable motor uses TPE-damped motor suspension.

Includes Sumiko Rainier MM Cartridge

The Debut Carbon Evolution is ready to start enjoying right out of the carton. Included is a factory-installed Sumiko Rainier Moving Magnet Cartridge, which continues the bestselling Sumiko Pearl’s ability to deliver smooth, natural sound reproduction. The ability to upgrade the stock stylus to the Sumiko Olympia or Moonstone models makes Rainier the perfect entry-level cartridge that will not disappoint for years to come.

Dustcover and Cable Included

Also included is a hinged adjustable dust cover to help you're your Evolution free of airborne dirt and dust. You also get a 1.23M semi-balanced phono interconnect with dedicated grounding wire, which connects to premium gold-plated, chassis-mount RCA jacks. The height-adjustable TPE-damped aluminum leveling feet facilitate set-up and help minimize external vibration.

Choose from Nine Finishes

Pro-Ject didn't hold back on the externals, either. The Debut Carbon Evolution is made to suit any home environment, allowing the passion for music on quality vinyl to take center stage. Choose from a generous range of nine finish options, including varieties of eight-coat, hand-painted high-gloss, beautiful matte pastel colors, or elegant walnut veneer.

Product Features

Overview

8.6" one-piece Carbon Fiber tonearm with integrated headshell
Low-friction precision sapphire tonearm bearings
Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge, factory mounted and precision aligned (U.S. only)
Heavy 1.7kg die cast aluminum platter w/ TPE Damping
Electronic Speed Selection for 33-1/3 RPM and 45 RPM
TPE-damped motor suspension
Premium gold-plated, chassis-mount RCA jacks
One-piece continuous run, high purity copper internal tonearm wiring, shielded termination box
Height adjustable TPE-damped aluminum leveling feet
Hinged adjustable dust cover included
1.23m semi-balanced phono interconnect with dedicated grounding wire
Eight coat lacquered finish in 3 high gloss colors, 5 satin matte finishes, or real walnut veneer
Manufactured in the European Union
Manufacturer's limited warranty: Two Year parts and labor from Pro-Ject

Included Accessories

Adjustable acrylic dust cover
Drive belt for 33-1/3 RPM and 45 RPM
Drive belt for 78 RPM
Adapter for 7" singles
Connect it E phono cable with attached external ground wire
Multi-voltage power supply

Product Specs

Speed: 33, 45/(78) (electronic speed change)
Drive principle: belt drive, electronic speed control
Platter: 300mm, 1.7kg heavy die cast aluminum alloy with
TPE damping ring and felt mat
Main bearings: stainless steel, brass and PTFE
Wow & flutter: 33-1/3: +/-0.19%; 45: +/-0.17%
Speed drift: 33-1/3: +/-0.6%; 45: +/-0.7%
Signal to noise: 68dB
Tonearm: 8.6" carbon fiber one-piece tonearm tube
Effective arm length: 218.5 mm
Effective arm mass: 6.0 g
Overhang: 18.5mm
Power consumption: 4W / 0W standby
Dimensions: 16.3" wide x 4.4" high x 12.6" deep
Weight: 13.2 lbs.

Product Manual

	Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO User Manual (PDF Format)

	Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO Setup Guide (PDF Format)

Recommended Component 2023 – Stereophile

"AH summed up his time with this turntable by saying 'If there's a design parameter more crucial than a hi-fi component's ability to hold our attention and enable us to feel things, I don't know what it is. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO does this consistently, emphatically, at an attainable price.'"

- Stereophile, April 1, 2023

Five Stars – What Hi-fi? Magazine

"For those in the market for a deck costing less than half a grand, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo is a must listen."

"Where competitors might beef up their sound in an attempt to disguise a lack of real insight, Pro-Ject here welcomes you to explore its vast sonic range, proving its aptitude for making a deck that is both easy to listen to and prepared for deeper, more analytical sessions."

- What Hi-fi? magazine, October 6, 2020

WIRED Magazine's 19 Delightful Gifts for Music Lovers and Audiophiles

"...if you're looking to give the gift of even higher fidelity, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo is the way to go. This no-frills turntable comes with a carbon fiber tonearm for even better sound quality, and it also can be had in a wide assortment of gorgeous colors. It comes with an Ortofon Red cartridge and with a special new motor that is supposed to increase fidelity via better acoustic damping."

- Parker Hall and Michael Calore, WIRED Magazine, October 20, 2021

"The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO offers everything you want in a player for the money: excellent sound quality, ease of setup and use, and striking looks."

- Ty Pendlebury, CNET, October 19, 2021

"...what impressed me the most was the easy setup, something that seems more and more necessary for an entry-level deck. Turntables are tweaky, and yes, very inconvenient, but the best entry models distill that set-up process into something manageable, something that won’t frustrate and completely annoy a first-time future audiophile. It’s an interesting dance of packaging and instructions, but Pro-Ject got it right. The EVO took me under ten minutes to set up, and everything felt dialed-in and ready to go almost immediately. Since I’ve installed more than a few of these entry-level ’tables at this point, I didn’t have to refer back to the manual over and over again; nonetheless, Pro-Ject did a fantastic job of making the steps as simple and straight-forward as possible. Kudos to the designers on that one."

"By the time I finished with this review, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO had disappeared into my system. It sounded terrific, and for a while there I was totally content with a turntable that costs a fifth of my main deck. That’s almost astonishing, but not quite, not really, since I know Pro-Ject makes great-sounding gear at reasonable prices. The EVO is no exception, and I can easily recommend it to anyone looking for an entry-level turntable that’ll perform for years to come. It’s the sort of turntable that a first-time audiophile could build a system around, and not need to upgrade for a long while. To my ears, this is the one to beat."

- Drew Kalbach, The Absolute Sound, June 3, 2021

Recommended Component 2022 – Stereophile

Stereophile Product of the Year Awards 2021 Finalist

"If there's a design parameter more crucial than a hi-fi component's ability to hold our attention and enable us to feel things, I don't know what it is. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO does this consistently, emphatically, at an attainable price. Recently I spent several months living with a $24,000 DAC that sounded wonderful but nonetheless failed to do this, reminding me that music always trumps sound. That's a reason why—in our age of high-rez streaming services that offer millions of perfect albums in the cloud—we still buy turntables and records. Highly recommended."

- Alex Halberstadt, Stereophile, February 23, 2021

"Not only was this sub-£500 analogue package a joy for the money, it also provided a reality check. While the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO is entry-to-mid-level, its performance through a system 200x its price revealed it to be punching wa-a-y above its weight. So while long-term readers may have moved beyond such budget esoterica, if asked by one of the 'new generation' then we can recommend this unreservedly."

- Ken Kessler, Hi-Fi News, January 26, 2021

"...the Debut Carton Evo is so fine a turntable for the price that its lack of convenient auto-stop would not be a deal killer for me. Its combination of absolute ease of setup, rock-steady platter speeds, amazing tonearm, and its overall look comprise a package that’s an incredible bargain, and a fine addition to an Access-approved system. Its low price belies the high quality of its engineering and construction. It’s a winner."

- Thom Moon, SoundStage! Access, December 1, 2020

"...I was mightily impressed by the fact that the Pro-Ject kept rewarding me when it seemed that other tables had reached their limits."

"...I feel confident saying the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO offers quite a lot of value for the money."

- Grover Neville, Part-Time Audiophile, October 30, 2020

"Despite its relative beer-budget price, Pro-Ject's Debut Carbon EVO sounds closer to a mid-level turntable than a super-budget one – and that's its genius. A self-assured sound with no nasties, allied to an easy-going yet engaging personality will win it many fans. Factor in the ease of set-up and use, and if you're in the market for great vinyl value, you simply must hear it."

- Jay Garrett, SteroNET™ UK, October 29, 2020

"Honestly, at this price point, there’s not a single thing this turntable should do better than it does. You may have noted that the Evolution is priced at $499, up from $399 for the previous version. There are many reasons for this, but we think the upgrades more than justify the extra cost."

- Mike Conklin, InsideHook, August 17, 2020