Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo Turntable, Satin Steel Blue

I don't think the turntable that this replaced was a piece of crap but relatively speaking it makes it sound like a piece of crap. After setting it up I put on a Jackson Browne record that I bought for $5 to test it out (just in case I did something wrong I didn't want to damage my most valued records). It made that five dollar Jackson Browne record sound like a million bucks. As an analogy, I've been known to splurge on an expensive bottle of wine or booze, and it's a lousy feeling when you pay so much extra for something that's just ok. On the other hand, it's great when you take that first sip and know it was worth every penny and then some. Well this wasn't cheap but it was worth every penny and then some.

CARBON EVO WITH UPGRADED MAT AND CABLES

THE OPERATION IS EASY BUT I WISH IT HAD A ARM LIFT AT THE END OF PLAY.I BOUGHT THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO USE QUALITY CABLES (DH LABS "AIR MATRIX"). USING UPGRADED CABLES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. THIS TABLE HAS THE RCA JACKS JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE OTHER BIGGEST UPGRADE IS THE MAT. I USE THE "HERBIE'S WAY EXCELLENT TURNTABLE MAT" AND WOW ITS BETTER THAN A LEATHER MAT! DETAIL AND SOUNDSTAGE IS ELEVATED TO HEAVENLY HIGHTS! SEE THE PHOTO.I AM A BIG DIRECT DRIVE TURNTABLE FAN. I OWN THE TECHNICS 1500C (WITH AUTO ARM LIFT AT THE END OF PLAY). THE CARBON EVO CAUGHT MY EYE BECAUSE OF THE BUILT IN ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL! THE SPEED IS SPOT ON AND SOUNDS AS FOWARD AS A DIRECT DRIVE.THIS IS A WONDERFUL TABLE AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. I MAY FLIP IT IN A ... MoreTHE OPERATION IS EASY BUT I WISH IT HAD A ARM LIFT AT THE END OF PLAY.I BOUGHT THIS BECAUSE I WANT TO USE QUALITY CABLES (DH LABS "AIR MATRIX"). USING UPGRADED CABLES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN MY HUMBLE OPINION. THIS TABLE HAS THE RCA JACKS JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE OTHER BIGGEST UPGRADE IS THE MAT. I USE THE "HERBIE'S WAY EXCELLENT TURNTABLE MAT" AND WOW ITS BETTER THAN A LEATHER MAT! DETAIL AND SOUNDSTAGE IS ELEVATED TO HEAVENLY HIGHTS! SEE THE PHOTO.I AM A BIG DIRECT DRIVE TURNTABLE FAN. I OWN THE TECHNICS 1500C (WITH AUTO ARM LIFT AT THE END OF PLAY). THE CARBON EVO CAUGHT MY EYE BECAUSE OF THE BUILT IN ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL! THE SPEED IS SPOT ON AND SOUNDS AS FOWARD AS A DIRECT DRIVE.THIS IS A WONDERFUL TABLE AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. I MAY FLIP IT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR A TABLE WITH AN AUTO ARM LIFT. FOR THE GUYS AT AUDIO ADVISOR ASK THE PRO-JECT FOR A DIRECT DRIVE OR BELT WITH WITH AN AUTO ARM LIFT AND SIGN ME UP FOR ONE. OH I FORGOT TO MENTION LOVE THE COLORS! I GOT THE BLUE ONE!I LOVE THE FOLKS AT AUDIO ADVISOR MY FRIENDS AND I ARE LONG TIME CUSTOMERS! BUY HERE!

Great piece of kit..

This is a great sounding Turntable with a lovely smooth presentation ,particularly with vocals and bass much more prevalent than my previous Audio tEchnica lp60.This deck was easy to set up with a handy poster like guide supplied together with good quality interconnects and a nice steel platter .I opted for the Walnut finish which looks really classy but it also comes in various other colours as well.The tonearm and cartridge are really good quality and you also get a felt mat with 2 Drive belts for33/45 and also 78rpm controlled by a simple switch under the front left corner.This is my first Pro-ject turntable but it certainly won't be the last - thoroughly recommended.

Great update on old turntable

My old turntable no longer returned the tone arm at the end of the record so being fully manual is not a problem. The switched speed control seems a better idea than moving the belt. The three adjustable feet made it really simple to level. The big plus is that I now do not hear any motor noise when listening with headphones and the detail being picked from the vinyl seems so much crisper. One message for potential buyers is that the thread for the anti skating weight is so fine that I thought it was missing to begin with. My eyes rather than any issue with the product

High Gloss Red Really Stands Out!

Purchased this turntable to replace a Pioneer Direct Drive table that I purchased way back in 1986-1987. Objective was to replace with a belt driven table with quality components under $1k. This one checked all the boxes. The high gloss red seriously pops and stands out when placed on top of a low profile black entertainment stand against a dark grey wall. Got it all set up (it was a super easy and straight forward) and it sounded fantastic! Super pleased and looking forward to spinning some new vinyl and some older vinyl this upcoming weekend. Also added the 1mm PRO-JECT - Cork & Rubber it Platter Mat. Thanks Music Direct!!

I deeply regret purchasing this

I deeply regret purchasing this turntable. My particular table came with an extra weight under the head shell. I reached out to Pro-Ject and they claimed it was to give me more options if I wanted to install a lighter cartridge in the future. Concerned that it raised the tonearm too high, messing up the vertical tracking angle, I asked if it could be removed and they claimed it could but when I took it off the end of the tonearm wasn't heavy enough to balance out the weight at the other end. So I put it back on and the turntable is way way too bassy such that I couldn't even play albums like dub reggae recordings that have a lot of bass. Direct comparison with a Debut Carbon showed how extreme the difference was. Clearly Pro-ject messed up with a batch of tonearms ... MoreI deeply regret purchasing this turntable. My particular table came with an extra weight under the head shell. I reached out to Pro-Ject and they claimed it was to give me more options if I wanted to install a lighter cartridge in the future. Concerned that it raised the tonearm too high, messing up the vertical tracking angle, I asked if it could be removed and they claimed it could but when I took it off the end of the tonearm wasn't heavy enough to balance out the weight at the other end. So I put it back on and the turntable is way way too bassy such that I couldn't even play albums like dub reggae recordings that have a lot of bass. Direct comparison with a Debut Carbon showed how extreme the difference was. Clearly Pro-ject messed up with a batch of tonearms and had to put these weights on as a cheap fix and it messed up the tonearm weight balance. Unfortunately it was too late to return my table and now I'm stuck with it. Normally I like Pro-ject products but they messed up with this one.

Outstanding turntable, took my breath away

Lord, I've missed vinyl!The first thing is, believe the stories about the sound of Vinyl through a good system just being So Much better than digital. Yes, I've read ALL the technical docs about why digital is the better sound. But music is not purely technical. Music is about how it reaches into your heart and soul. And this turntable delivers and then some!My Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo is plugged into my Rega Brio, driving a pair of Dali Oberon 5s. Small lounge, carpets and the usual furniture. The Rega gives a gorgeous warm sound that I love for that 60s and 70's blues and soul vibe. Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here was the first album to be played. The Pro-ject Evo took my breath away. Lovely clarity without sharpness, bass that I didn't know was there and a ... MoreLord, I've missed vinyl!The first thing is, believe the stories about the sound of Vinyl through a good system just being So Much better than digital. Yes, I've read ALL the technical docs about why digital is the better sound. But music is not purely technical. Music is about how it reaches into your heart and soul. And this turntable delivers and then some!My Pro-ject Debut Carbon Evo is plugged into my Rega Brio, driving a pair of Dali Oberon 5s. Small lounge, carpets and the usual furniture. The Rega gives a gorgeous warm sound that I love for that 60s and 70's blues and soul vibe. Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here was the first album to be played. The Pro-ject Evo took my breath away. Lovely clarity without sharpness, bass that I didn't know was there and a beautifully rich and very present midrange. The soundstage is wide, the music fells alive and has lots of space to breathe. I compared this on vinyl vs streaming at 192/24 and the digital just sounded so processed (I have a Denon DNP-800NE). To me, Digital = a perfect 8K picture. Vinyl = you are actually there.In the York store I compared the Debut Evo to the Pjo-ject Primary E (a lovely entry level TT, but it was way behind the Debut Evo's ability) and to the Rega Planar 2. The Pro-ject won over the Rega by having extra clarity, presence, warmth, great midrange and the wide soundstage. Lord, I wish I'd bought a turntable years ago.The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo - outstanding.

Pro-ject Evo Carbon Turn Table

First of all the build quality of this turntable is outstanding. And it never missed a beat. Tone Arm is very straight forward to balance. The Evo feet are easily adjusted to optimise level. So overall the set up was a breeze thanks to the clear and concise instructions supplied. And it had to be as this was the 1st turntable I had set up. I am useless with instructions LOLThe Evo is teamed up with my Audiolab 6000 Amp, through my Bower & Wilkins 606. Dire Straits Brothers in Arms was the LP of choice , presentation is outstanding.The advice given by Richer Sounds is why I keep returning there. All the above has been purchased at Richer Sounds. I am no Audiophile expert. But what I do know is that its crucial in getting the correct advice when building the right ... MoreFirst of all the build quality of this turntable is outstanding. And it never missed a beat. Tone Arm is very straight forward to balance. The Evo feet are easily adjusted to optimise level. So overall the set up was a breeze thanks to the clear and concise instructions supplied. And it had to be as this was the 1st turntable I had set up. I am useless with instructions LOLThe Evo is teamed up with my Audiolab 6000 Amp, through my Bower & Wilkins 606. Dire Straits Brothers in Arms was the LP of choice , presentation is outstanding.The advice given by Richer Sounds is why I keep returning there. All the above has been purchased at Richer Sounds. I am no Audiophile expert. But what I do know is that its crucial in getting the correct advice when building the right system that suits you and your pocket. So if you are looking to buy your 1st system or upgrading then I highly recommend paying Richer Sounds a visit..

Superb turntable punching above it's price point

I purchased an Evo about 10 months ago. I was instantly impressed with the build, look and more importantly the sound.Hooked up to an ArtDJ pre phono stage and into a pioneer receiver set up is simple.After bedding in the 2M Red gave this turntable a great sound.I did upgrade my cartridge/stylus after about 4 months and although not a totally recommended upgrade to an AT VM95ML (I already had it at home) it really made the turntable sing. Awesome sound.Sadly this first one purchased through a major online store developed a ticking noise from the motor (which seems a one off issue with mine). I returned it for a refund but immediately went to Preston Richer Sounds and bought another Evo.I was half tempted to have a change but the sound from the Evo was just ... MoreI purchased an Evo about 10 months ago. I was instantly impressed with the build, look and more importantly the sound.Hooked up to an ArtDJ pre phono stage and into a pioneer receiver set up is simple.After bedding in the 2M Red gave this turntable a great sound.I did upgrade my cartridge/stylus after about 4 months and although not a totally recommended upgrade to an AT VM95ML (I already had it at home) it really made the turntable sing. Awesome sound.Sadly this first one purchased through a major online store developed a ticking noise from the motor (which seems a one off issue with mine). I returned it for a refund but immediately went to Preston Richer Sounds and bought another Evo.I was half tempted to have a change but the sound from the Evo was just right for my ears and set-up it seemed silly to change.The service from Richer has always been so good there was no choice where I would buy my replacement.Although I had an issue I'm still giving the Evo a 5star rating.