Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO Turntable – Satin White

The Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO Turntable. In the mid-90s, at the height of the Compact Disc, Pro-Ject set a goal. Bring back the analog sound experience with something like the debut carbon EVO. We decided to create a turntable that could deliver true analog sound at a price that a new, younger generation of record lovers could afford. It must sound great, be simple in setup and pleasing to use, then exude quality while remaining affordable.

It should also come in a range of colors so it could serve as a centerpiece in any home. The first units that came off the production line in 1999 were a runaway success. We quickly scaled up production to meet the demands of a new wave of analog enthusiasts that the industry had forgotten about. After more than 20 years, the Debut is still one of the best-selling turntables in the history of Hi-Fi with close to 1 million units sold.

The Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut made listening to vinyl an affordable option for music lovers. While its clean, minimalist aesthetic and premium finish options helped make analog fashionable again. We have continually improved upon the Debut formula, adopting new technologies and trends to ensure it was always the best option for under $500.

In the early 2010’s the Debut Carbon appeared, it stunned the high-end audio world by incorporating exotic materials such as a one-piece carbon-fiber tonearm, thermoplastic elastomer, and an audiophile grade cartridge. The Debut Carbon exploded in the US market where the resurgence of vinyl was really born. Today, vinyl playback has once again become the center of music lovers’ systems.

The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo-lution

Building a great high-end turntable requires design expertise. Building a great & affordable turntable requires not only expertise, but also skilled engineering, flawless manufacturing, advanced material sciences, and relentless passion. Creating a worthy successor to the legendary Debut Carbon required rethinking and reevaluating every component and each design choice.

The new Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO represents the epitome of Pro-Ject’s philosophy: high performance, clean aesthetics, and superb value. The elegant, simple aesthetic is unmarred by gimmicky lights, sliders, and buttons. It is a pure, high-performance turntable. Should requirements call for a phono preamp, Bluetooth or digital connectivity, USB interface, or integrated amplifier. We offer a wide range of external electronics, optimized for any application.

Good Vibrations – From the Record to You

Vinyl playback starts with the cartridge, converting what’s in the three-dimensional record groove to an electrical signal on the Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Carbon EVO. The new Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge combines superb trackability with uncanny accuracy and clarity without sacrificing smoothness. Factory mounted and aligned on an 8.6″ low-mass carbon fiber tonearm, the Rainier offers a replaceable stylus that can be easily upgraded to a Sumiko Olympia (or even a Moonstone!) in a matter of seconds. No need to replace the cartridge, reset the alignment nor rebalance the tonearm.

The signal from the Rainier transmits via a single run of high-quality copper wiring direct to RCA connectors. A completely separate ground, preserving the balanced signal from the cartridge output. The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO turntable comes with our Connect It E RCA cable: a semi-balanced, low-capacitance phono cable with superior shielding designed specifically to carry the delicate phono signal.

Modern Materials Meet Mass

The main platter upon which the record is played should be heavy and non-resonant. The Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO approaches this problem by using our proven 12” steel platter. Now lined around the outer edge (bottom side) with an anti-resonant thermo-plastic elastomer (TPE). The result is a heavier platter with minimal noise over an expertly made main bearing and sub-platter. The added rotational mass enhances the flywheel effect, yielding reduced wow & flutter and higher stability while damping resonance.

A Stable Stance

The Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO benefits from the huge range of higher-level design elements Pro-Ject Audio has to offer, incorporating the special TPE-damping height-adjustable metal feet from our award winning X1 turntable. Not only do the vibration-absorbing feet help isolate the turntable. They are easy to adjust and leveling the turntable is now as simple as can be. A perfectly leveled, solid & stable platform is crucially important for proper vinyl playback.

Vibes We Don’t Want to Hear

Motors vibrate. That is a challenge for any turntable designer to overcome as those vibrations can transfer to the tonearm and cartridge, negatively affecting sound quality. The Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO features a new motor suspension system. Decoupling the motor from the plinth to reduce the transfer of vibration. The only vibes we want are in the record grooves. Leveraging advanced damping solutions with high-mass composite construction, the new motor suspension system uses a steel plate and TPE decoupling to isolate the motor while ensuring the spindle is perfectly aligned with the sub-platter for impeccable speed stability and smooth transfer of rotational force.

No Need to Watch Your Speed

Many turntables utilize AC motors that rely on your power line to maintain the correct speed on the Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Carbon EVO. Many are so erratic they have to provide speed-control which needs monitoring and adjustment over time. Some high-end designs offer an additional, usually expensive external power controller to stabilize speed. The Debut Carbon Evolution implements a sophisticated onboard power control circuit that generates a very precise signal to ensure accurate and consistent speed regardless of power supply fluctuation.

There’s no need for adjustment nor gimmicky lights and sliders. You can simply rely on spot-on accuracy. Given the increasing popularity of 9″ and high-quality 45rpm records (due to their superior sound stage). We have incorporated electronic speed change on the EVO. The electronic speed selection switch cleverly integrates with the power rocker switch under the front left corner, which also maintains the sleek ergonomic design the Debut is known for.

Time for Evolution

The heavy, solid MDF plinth has eight coats of paint. Available in finishes that look and feel luxurious. Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO record player is crafted in traditional high-gloss black, white and red as well as in beautiful satin finishes including new soft pastel colors, satin black, and a real walnut veneer. Even the dust cover reflects a build quality beyond the typical entry-level turntable. Engineering and manufacturing are the culmination of decades of know-how, investment, and passion. We build our products for the love of music, knowing that they might be for future generations along with lovingly curated record collections. We have taken our most beloved turntable design and improved nearly every aspect of it. The result is an incredible product with a price/performance ratio that sets a new turntable standard.

Upgrade Your Debut Carbon EVO Turntable

Most Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut owners are already aware of Acryl it. A stylish acrylic platter that elevates the performance of all Debut variants via resonance control. Now you can further upgrade the platter assembly with Pro-Ject’s Debut Alu Sub-Platter. A higher-precision design that adds mass to the drive system, thus delivering improved speed stability and even more resonance control than Acryl it record platter alone. Whether you own the new Debut Carbon EVO, Debut Carbon DC, Esprit, RecordMaster, or even the older Debut III (among others!). Your analog system stands to benefit from the Debut Alu Sub-Platter.

Considerations for 78rpm Records

Pro-Ject PJ97825988 Debut Carbon EVO ships with 2 different drive belts. The flat belt is for 33 & 45rpm discs and is installed on the top/smaller diameter of the motor pulley. The round one is for 78rpm records only. It is built for use with the larger/bottom pulley diameter with the different shape slots. Installing the 78rpm belt incorrectly compromises its integrity and may lead to breakage.

Additionally, please note that it’s also not advisable to play 78rpm records with the Rainier stylus. Being an elliptical diamond meant to track the ‘microgrooves’ of 33s & 45s, it will sound poor and cause undue harm to disc (and potentially the cartridge!). Sumiko has developed a 78 stylus for this very reason – now shipping! The stylus tracks the grooves properly and reduces the risk of harm to your collection. Keep in mind that Rainier is a stereo MM phono cartridge. This means that its normal job is to transcribe 2 channels (left and right) of musical information. When using the 78 stylus with Rainier, what you’ll hear is the one channel of musical information (mono) of the 78 in both stereo channels. For audiophile purposes as it pertains to 78s, a true mono cartridge with a 78-appropriate stylus delivers the best sonics at this price point.