PRO-JECT Debut Carbon DC

MJ17.10.2015

Analog sources

The Debut Carbon DC is a typical entry-level turntable, 'my first device' kind of a category. Anyone can buy this machine for one to two monthly salaries and my opinion is that this money buys you better sound than the very same amount of money invested into a digital gear (provided that you have the program material on hand, i.e. records).

Function and form

73%

Ease of use

68%

Sound

85%

Appearance

The most obvious improvement on the original Pro-Ject's turntable is the inclusion of a superlight 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, the overall sound quality should be greatly improved.

The DEBUT CARBON DC is offered in high-gloss black or shiny red, green, blue, yellow, silver or white as no-added-cost option.

Bass management

Weight

Slam

Articulation

The approved belt drive design offers low noise AC motor with effective motor decoupling (utilising TPE-damping) and ultra precision frequency DC-driven AC generator (like Speed Box) for ultimate speed stability without unwanted vibration. To change the speed you have to move the belt manually.

Clarity & delicacy

Detail

Air

Transparency

The Debut Carbon DC's tonality is surprisingly closer to the Xtension 9 than to the Xperience. The basic attributes of the more expensive turntable are all present; I have to highlight the fact that the Debut Carbon lets you hear the harmonic fundaments of natural instruments - something that is usually rare wth cheap digital.

Tonal accuracy

Timbre

Dynamics

Temporal resolution

Though the Debut Carbon brings nice sound in a nice package it cannot measure against its siblings - I missed the soundstage detail and scale with Mahler, for example, and found the Debut Carbon's performance a bit compact and congested.

Spatial resolution

Holography

Soundstage width

Soundstage depth

When playing Spirit of The Blues of Eric Bibb, I had to change the speed to 45rpm which was not so straightforward thing like with other Pro-Ject's turntables where it was accomplished by a single push of a button. I had to remove the record and the turntable and manually change the gear (the belt). Doing this too often may put some strain on the belt, fortunately not a lot of material that is normally listened to is recorded at 45rpm. At least there was no need to remove any clamp with the Debut Carbon DC.

Price as reviewed:11 000,- Kč

Recommended resellers

AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232

Manufacturer's website: http://www.project-audio.com

Associated components

Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M Red (MM)
Phono preamplifier: Pro-Ject Phono Box S
Analogue cable: Pro-Ject Connect It RCA-C

(Price for this set-up: less than 600 EUR incl. VAT)

Loudspeakers: Acoustique Quality AQ Donna Prima
Interconnects and speaker cables: Audioquest Rocket 44, Audioquest King Cobra
Amplifier: Arcam FMJ A49

Gallery

Sound

84%

McINTOSH MT2

The MT2 is an entry level turntable offering from McIntosh. Affordability is a very flexible word – in McIntosh’s jargon it equals the asking price of around 5.800€. The turntable is preset in the factory and equipped with all ...

Recommended resellers

E.P. Audio, Dobřejovice u Prahy, +420 323 605 088

Sound

78%

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