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Pro-Ject Debut Pro Turntable with Ranier Cartridge - Black

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SKU: PRDEPRO-BLK
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Pro-Ject Audio Systems teams up with Sumiko Phono Cartridges for the Debut PRO turntable, featuring premium analog reproduction at an affordable price.

    $749.37 - $999.00
    $999.00
    Starting At $749.37
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    Recommended Component 2024 – Stereophile


    Editor's Choice Award 2024 – hi-fi+ Magazine


    Best Overall Record Player 2024 - What Hi-Fi?


    Best Designed Record Player 2024 - Rolling Stone


    Premium, "Sexiest" Analog Reproduction Made Affordable

    Since 1991, Pro-Ject has been offering high-quality hi-fi products at a reasonable price for discerning music lovers. Pro-Ject started with turntables, because they are the first choice for the most natural and affordable music reproduction. The main focus is always on the materials and technology used. The shape and design of Pro-Ject turntables are always dictated by the functionality.

    To this day, the designs have always been kept functional and clean, so the first Pro-Ject product was very simple but made from the highest quality materials: MDF, steel, aluminum, glass, and carbon. Plastic was not used for reasons of sound, durability, and the love of the environment. The result was a high-quality but simple-looking product with great sound at a low price.

    After the Debut Carbon EVO revolutionized the Debut series in 2020, the Debut PRO raises the bar even higher. Now, for the 30th anniversary, Pro-Ject is again going back to its roots in premium analog reproduction.

    "Recommended Component" Honors

    Stereophile honored the Pro-Ject Debut PRO by awarding it the magazine's coveted Recommend Component status for 2024.

    According to Stereophile, "The Debut PRO is a lively, fun, exhilarating turntable; it makes records—or rather music from records—jump, boogie, and sing… I was consistently surprised at the Debut PRO's ability to relay gobs of detail in a natural, compelling manner."

    "This… handsome-but-unassuming record player proved to me what a manufacturer with decades of experience and expertise can do when designing an analog machine to a price point. The Debut PRO bowled me over with its dynamics, detail, soundstaging, spatial depth, and scale."

    Award-Winning Performance

    hi-fi+ magazine honored the Debut Pro with an Editor's Choice Award for 2024.

    "Its prowess in handling dynamic shifts, subtleties in harmonic balance, and rhythmic expression sets a new standard in affordable fidelity.

    "The Debut Pro's remarkable performance in delivering natural timing and musical expression solidifies its position as a standout choice for the vinyl newcomer. The Debut Pro's effortless expression exemplifies its exceptional ability to reproduce music faithfully, making it a standout performer at a very sensible price."

    "The Best Value Option at This Price Point"

    "Not only a multiple What Hi-Fi? Award-winner, it's also now the best value option at this price point," notes Kashfia Kabir in a February 21, 2024 post for What Hi-Fi?, which named the Debut Pro its Best Overall Record Player 2024.

    "This Debut Pro turntable is terrific at digging deep into the production and revealing layers of instrumental textures that most at this level ignore. It sounds incredibly precise and crisp."

    "Recommended Component" Honors

    Stereophile honored the Pro-Ject Debut PRO by awarding it the magazine's coveted Recommend Component status for 2024.

    According to Stereophile, "The Debut PRO is a lively, fun, exhilarating turntable; it makes records—or rather music from records—jump, boogie, and sing… I was consistently surprised at the Debut PRO's ability to relay gobs of detail in a natural, compelling manner."

    "This… handsome-but-unassuming record player proved to me what a manufacturer with decades of experience and expertise can do when designing an analog machine to a price point. The Debut PRO bowled me over with its dynamics, detail, soundstaging, spatial depth, and scale."

    "The Sexiest Record Player Out There"

    "Sleek and sophisticated, the Pro-Ject Debut PRO turntable is perfect for the stylish audio crew," reports Rolling Stone, which honored the Debut PRO as Best Designed Record Player 2024. "It's equipped with a fully adjustable Azimuth & VTA, an aluminum tonearm for perfect tracking, and a heavy aluminum platter with a TPE ring to dampen all resonances and minimize flutter. If you’re looking for the sexiest record player out there, look no further."

    Upgradeable Sumiko Rainier Phono Cartridge

    Pro-Ject Audio Systems teams up with Sumiko Phono Cartridges for the release of Debut PRO in the United States. Sumiko Rainier is high-value moving magnet design in Sumiko's Oyster cartridge series and has great synergy with the majority of moving magnet phono stages on the market, including preamps built into amplifiers and receivers. With Rainier onboard, Debut PRO is dressed to impress casual listeners and audiophiles alike.

    Rainier achieves even-handed, honest, rich and full sonics with no sacrifice in detail retrieval. This is done through resonance control, which delivers the sonic signature of Sumiko's latest Oyster cartridges that have taken the world by storm. Consistent with Pro-Ject's advocacy for a hands-on experience for the listener, Rainier leaves plenty of room for those what want to take it a step further. Olympia and the famous Moonstone stylus upgrades are easily installed in the place of Rainier's stylus, providing increasingly wide frequency responses via reductions in the moving mass of the cantilever assembly.

    To accommodate even more listeners, Sumiko has added to their lineup the new RS78 stylus (optional, sold separately), meaning that with Debut PRO's 78 RPM capability, there are few discs the machine can't spin. Now you can enjoy a shellac 78 RPM record within minutes.

    8.6" Carbon/Aluminum Tonearm

    The Debut PRO features a one-piece carbon/aluminum sandwich tonearm. The carbon layer gives the tonearm a high degree of rigidity, while the inner aluminum tube takes over the damping of the tonearm. This super stiff and uniquely dampened tonearm construction ensures perfect tracking of the record groove.

    Adjustable VTA and Azimuth

    With the new tonearm of the Debut PRO, both the azimuth and the vertical tracking angle (VTA) can be set. The tonearm height can be continuously adjusted by loosening two set screws. These settings give you the option of adapting the tonearm to height changes, allowing the use of different turntable mats or other cartridges to always achieve the best sound quality.

    Nickel-Plated Metal Parts

    The nickel finish of the aluminum components results in a hard, resistant surface. This process enables Pro-Ject to produce very high-quality and sustainable components and avoid plastics and similar materials that continue to age over time. The precision CNC-milled parts are aesthetically stunning and lead the Debut PRO to its modern, simple, elegant, and unprecedented design.

    Always the Perfect Speed

    An onboard Speed Box electronically guarantees accurate and stable speeds. Change between speeds easily with the flip of a switch. With the supplied round belt for 78 RPM, you can also listen to your shellac records (with appropriate optional RS78 stylus, sold separately). So that no motor vibrations reach the pickup, the Debut PRO has the new motor suspension, which is responsible for the perfect decoupling of the motor.

    The Dampened Platter

    The dampened platter was specially designed for the Debut PRO. It is die-cast from aluminum to offer the optimal balance of mass and damping. This massive platter is peripherally damped with a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) ring on the bottom side. In addition to resonance damping, this ring adds extra mass, which in turn minimizes wow and flutter as the platter rotates.

    30 years of Experience - Debut PRO

    The Debut PRO brings an absolutely new design to Pro-Ject turntables. The audiophile turntable is convincing in all respects – not only visually, but more importantly also in terms of sound.

    The Pro-Ject 1 and its successor, the Debut series, revolutionized listening to music. These products brought back the love of analog playback devices – a turning point for the vinyl industry.

    The old technology has made a comeback and is here to stay. The Debut PRO is a milestone for the next decades: A cult product that celebrates the great success of analog music reproduction and the joy of stereo hi-fidelity in your home.

    Product Features

    • Pre-mounted Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge
    • NEW 8.6” one-piece carbon/aluminum tonearm
    • NEW precision aluminum platter with TPE damping
    • NEW fully adjustable VTA
    • NEW nickel-plated aluminum bearing block
    • Speed: 33 RPM, 45 RPM (electronic speed change) (78 RPM with belt and stylus change – optional RS78 stylus sold separately)
    • Drive principle: belt-drive with electronic speed control
    • Platter: 300mm, die-cast aluminum platter with TPE damping and felt mat
    • Platter bearing: high-precision stainless steel axle in bronze bushing
    • Tonearm: 8.6” one-piece carbon/aluminum tonearm
    • Motor suspension with better damping
    • Height-adjustable metal feet
    • Electronic speed switch
    • Precision belt drive with electronic speed control
    • 8x-coats hand-painted MDF chassis
    • Premium semi-symmetrical phono cable
    • Gold-plated RCA connectors
    • Dust cover included
    • Included accessories: Dust cover, 15V DC / 0.8A power supply, 78 RPM round belt, 7" singles adapter
    • Handmade in Europe

    Product Specs

    • Wow & flutter: 33: +/-0.16%; 45: +/-0.14%
    • Speed drift: 33: +/-0.40%; 45: +/-0.50%
    • Signal to noise: 68dB
    • Effective arm length/mass: 218.5mm / 10g
    • Overhang: 18.5mm
    • Power consumption: 4W / 0W standby
    • Dimensions (without dust cover): 16.63" x 4.5" x 12.63"
    • Weight (without dust cover): 13.23 lb.

    Recommended Component 2024 – Stereophile

    "The Debut PRO is a lively, fun, exhilarating turntable; it makes records—or rather music from records—jump, boogie, and sing… I was consistently surprised at the Debut PRO's ability to relay gobs of detail in a natural, compelling manner."

    "This… handsome-but-unassuming record player proved to me what a manufacturer with decades of experience and expertise can do when designing an analog machine to a price point. The Debut PRO bowled me over with its dynamics, detail, soundstaging, spatial depth, and scale."

    - Stereophile, March 15, 2024


    Editor's Choice Award 2024 – hi-fi+ Magazine

    "Its prowess in handling dynamic shifts, subtleties in harmonic balance, and rhythmic expression sets a new standard in affordable fidelity.

    "The Debut Pro's remarkable performance in delivering natural timing and musical expression solidifies its position as a standout choice for the vinyl newcomer. The Debut Pro's effortless expression exemplifies its exceptional ability to reproduce music faithfully, making it a standout performer at a very sensible price."

    - hi-fi+ magazine, 25th Anniversary Issue, April 2024


    Best Overall Record Player 2024 - What Hi-Fi?

    "Not only a multiple What Hi-Fi? Award-winner, it's also now the best value option at this price point."

    "This Debut Pro turntable is terrific at digging deep into the production and revealing layers of instrumental textures that most at this level ignore. It sounds incredibly precise and crisp. Its presentation is a little on the lean side, but the upside of such a balance is agility. It produces a stable and controlled sound too, one that retains its composure even when the music becomes dense and demanding. Stereo imaging and a spacious soundstage prove admirable and we are impressed with the sonic authority on offer."

    - Kashfia Kabir, What Hi-Fi?, February 21, 2024


    Best Designed Record Player 2024 - Rolling Stone

    "Sleek and sophisticated, the Pro-Ject Debut PRO turntable is perfect for the stylish audio crew. It’s equipped with a fully adjustable Azimuth & VTA, an aluminum tonearm for perfect tracking, and a heavy aluminum platter with a TPE ring to dampen all resonances and minimize flutter. If you’re looking for the sexiest record player out there, look no further."

    - Rolling Stone, February 20, 2024


    Recommended Component 2023 – Stereophile

    "The Debut PRO is a lively, fun, exhilarating turntable; it makes records—or rather music from records—jump, boogie, and sing… I was consistently surprised at the Debut PRO's ability to relay gobs of detail in a natural, compelling manner."

    "This… handsome-but-unassuming record player proved to me what a manufacturer with decades of experience and expertise can do when designing an analog machine to a price point. The Debut PRO bowled me over with its dynamics, detail, soundstaging, spatial depth, and scale."

    - Stereophile, April 1, 2023


    "The Pro is the most ambitious and sophisticated Debut model we’ve heard. It is a superb sounding package that’s built well and is easy to set-up. If you are looking for a record player at this level, ignore this one at your peril. Highly recommended."

    - What Hi-Fi?, October 12, 2022


    Recommended Component 2022 - Stereophile

    "The Debut PRO is a lively, fun, exhilarating turntable; it makes records—or rather music from records—jump, boogie, and sing."

    "I was consistently surprised at the Debut PRO's ability to relay gobs of detail in a natural, compelling manner."

    "If you're in the market for a $1000 turntable, the Debut PRO is an easy choice."

    - Ken Micallef, Stereophile, December 30, 2021


    The 10 Best New Audio Products of the Year - Gear Patrol

    "It's stunning to look at, obviously, but it also has some key upgrades — redesigned tonearm, Sumiko Rainier cartridge, heavy aluminum platter — to further eliminate resonance and ensure it sounds spectacular. You're not going to find a better turntable for less than a grand."

    - Tucker Bowe and Eric Limer, Gear Patrol, December 9, 2021


    "Having lost count of the Debuts I've tried, I'll confirm one thing: each new model delivered an advance on its predecessor. If, as CEO Heinz states, the PRO is the ultimate expression of the Debut concept, and further gains mean moving up to the next range in the catalogue, he couldn't have come up with a more fitting way to mark Pro-Ject's 30th anniversary. Simply stated, the Debut PRO is a knock-out."

    - Ken Kessler, Hi-Fi News, October 25, 2021


    "With the Debut Pro, Pro-Ject Audio Systems has introduced an outstanding product to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. Companies often launch flagship products to mark special occasions, but what I like about this turntable is that it’s in keeping with the company’s tradition of making high-quality vinyl playback accessible to the masses."

    "Although the Debut Pro sits a rung above entry level on the high-end ladder, its asking price seems like a bargain given all that it offers. For the money, one gets a European-made turntable fitted with an excellent cartridge, plus a gorgeous tonearm made from aluminum and carbon fiber, with nickel-plated parts throughout. Furthermore, the Debut Pro offers an excellent platform to experiment with cartridge upgrades and better phono stages to elevate its performance even more, making for a package that could easily serve as the backbone of an analog system for many years. Even for a tweaky audiophile, the Debut Pro is likely the only turntable one would ever need—so recommending it is a no-brainer for me."

    - Philip Beaudette, SoundStage! Hi-Fi, October 1, 2021


    EISA Award - Best Value Turntable 2021-2022

    "Launched to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary, this very refined version of Pro-Ject’s entry-level turntable comes with a raft of improvements, not least of which is a new one-piece alloy/carbon fibre tonearm. The platter is now more heavily damped and non-magnetic, the suspension of both arm and motor have been enhanced, and a new Pick it Pro cartridge comes pre-fitted for near instant set-up and use. Described as ‘the ultimate expression of the Debut concept’, it sounds assured and involving – it’s an absolute knock-out, and a new champion for the entry level."

    - Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), 2021


    "There is simply no discipline that the Debut PRO is weak in, and that is what makes it so good. If I had to highlight particular strengths, it would be its pressure and its low-frequency pull, which almost reminds me of old Garrard-style friction wheel players."

    "...this new Pro-Ject Debut PRO fulfills old HiFi criteria such as resolution, freedom from discolouration and spatiality with flying colors, but it also offers that special something, that emotional kick, which turns HiFi into high end. To be honest, I wouldn't have surprised me at twice the price of this device."

    "...a fine-mechanical, very coherent device, designed with a lot of experience and attention to detail, which is a visual and haptic delicacy. In terms of sound, it sets new standards in its price class, which the competition will have to nibble on. Powerful and dynamic, fun to play and colorful, it shows no weaknesses in fulfilling all HiFi standard criteria and thus shows how cheap real high-end can be in the meantime. This Pro-Ject is going to be a classic!"

    - Carsten Bussler, HIFISTATEMENT NETMAGAZINE, August 3, 2021

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