Pro-Ject Debut Pro turntable takes on under-$1000 competition

    
    The Pro-Ject Debut Pro
    Pro-Ject
    Hi-fi manufacturer Pro-Ject is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a follow-up to its excellent Debut Evo turntable: the Debut Pro.?
    At a $899 retail price, it’s plain to see the new Debut Pro is gunning for the Rega Planar 3’s dominance of the under-$1000 landscape. The Pro-Ject even manages to outdo the Rega in several key areas, including adjustable feet!
    The Pro features a new 8.6-inch, carbon fiber tonearm with a wrapped aluminum arm tube. The thick platter is also black-colored aluminum and, like the Debut Evo, features TPE damping underneath.
    The turntable features a preinstalled Sumiko Rainer cartridge (a $149 value) and — for the first time in a Debut model — the tonearm height and azimuth are both adjustable.
    The Debut Pro also includes a number of convenience features missing from the Rega Planar 3, including the height-adjustable metal feet and electronic speed selection. No more removing the platter to change to 45 rpm.
    In its 30 years, Pro-Ject has proved to be one of a handful of companies that can deliver tremendous bang for buck. For example, the Debut Evo and T1 turntables are my favorite models under $500 and $400, respectively. I look forward to listening to the Project Debut Pro in the near future.