Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 Turntable Review
The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 combines a simple design, innovative technology, and the promise of outstanding sound quality. What’s behind this turntable that’s supposed to be equally interesting for beginners and experienced analog fans?
It sounded like a crazy idea to launch a new turntable model at the end of the 1990s, when the whole world was shouting “CD”.
But Heinz Lichtenegger, Managing Director of Pro-Ject, and his British distributor and longtime friend Laurence Armstrong were not deterred by the “roaring” of the hi-fi industry. They knew that more and more people were longing for the analog sound of a record, but in correspondingly high quality.
So, the two gentlemen set about designing a new record player that would get as close to high-end sound as possible, yet remain at a moderate price—affordable even for young people who were becoming increasingly curious about analog audio. Thus, in 1998, the Pro-Ject Debut EVO was born, initiated by Jiri Kroutil, a friend of the two men and the original product technician at Pro-Ject. To this day, the Debut EVO is one of Pro-Ject’s best-selling turntables, rightly considered a true classic of its genre.
This summer, we received the surprising news that a new Debut EVO was coming out: the Debut EVO 2. And we are glad to be able to test it.
Setup
Anyone who has ever set up a new turntable knows how sweat-inducing it can be. You have to tighten a screw here, adjust the tonearm there—and so on… However, the new Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 makes things easy for us. We lift it out of the box, quickly stretch the belt over the motor spindle and drive pulley, place the platter on—and we’re almost done. Just hang the anti-skating weight—which is admittedly a bit fiddly—and set the tracking force.
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We’re ready to go. The cartridge and tonearm are already mounted.
And normally the tonearm is so perfectly aligned that no azimuth adjustment is necessary. If it should be adjusted after all, we simply loosen the small grub screw at the rear of the tonearm bearing and align the top edge of the cartridge housing horizontally. We can use a protractor as a guide. Then tighten the grub screw again and that’s it. But as mentioned, the tonearm is usually perfectly aligned at the factory.
Design
The design of the Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 is just as exciting yet simple as that of the other series models from the company. We’re looking at a heavy, solid MDF body with a beautifully lacquered surface. Our test unit shines in high-gloss red. High-gloss is also available in white and black. If you like matte finishes, you can get the Debut EVO 2 in black, white, yellow, blue, green, or burgundy. Since there are no control buttons or LED lights on the top, it looks appealingly clean and puristic. A colleague summed up the design in one word: “clean.”
We’re pleased that Pro-Ject has included a dust cover for the Debut EVO 2.
We simply attach it to the back, and that’s it. The cover fits perfectly into this understated design that still draws so much attention. In other words: The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 is a turntable that truly fits into any living space.
Technical Features
As mentioned under “Setup,” we’ve put on a belt—the Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 still relies on belt drive. The motor is suspended in the chassis and, compared to the EVO, features improved damping. In addition, we can electronically control the motor speed. We can choose between 33 1/3 and 45 revolutions per minute. The 78 rpm speed is no longer provided by the Debut EVO 2.
One of the highlights of the new Pro-Ject is certainly the platter. It’s made of aluminum, formed by a die-casting process. It weighs 1.7 kg, which is significantly more than the 300 or 400-gram platters used by competing systems in the same price range. Inside the platter, we find a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) ring. This helps dampen resonances and minimize wow and flutter. In addition, the platter is anti-magnetic, which is useful if you want to use an MC cartridge.
Besides the platter, the tonearm is also noteworthy. It measures 8.6 inches and is made of carbon fiber. This gives it high rigidity while keeping the weight very low. To ensure the tonearm operates smoothly and precisely, it’s mounted in a high-precision aluminum bearing. The headshell is part of the tonearm, which is meant to prevent unwanted resonances. Furthermore, the counterweight is damped with TPE, which also reduces resonances. Pro-Ject claims a reduction of up to 50 percent. Since this is a turntable you can start playing right away (plug & play), a Pick it MM EVO cartridge is included. It’s already mounted on the headshell and is, as the name suggests, an MM cartridge. It features an elliptical stylus and a flat frequency response that’s said to resemble MC systems. It’s manufactured for Pro-Ject by Ortofon.
At this point, we must say a few words about the power supply. The included power adapter doesn’t appear high-end at first glance, and we might think it negatively affects the motor’s smoothness. However, Pro-Ject has integrated a premium DC/AC power generator inside the turntable. The switching power supply we plug into the outlet is only the first part of the power supply. Inside, this precise, DC-powered AC generator creates a completely clean new sine wave. Thanks to this, there are fewer motor vibrations and thus better sound reproduction.
Operation
The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 is a fully manual turntable. We have to take care of every step in the playback process ourselves. If we pick up the phone during record playback and get carried away, it can easily happen that the stylus bounces over the run-out groove at the end of the record and happily grinds away. Semi-automatic or fully automatic turntables handle this better by lifting the tonearm at the end of the record. However, true turntable fans swear by manual operation since no mechanical parts of an auto-lift disturb the record playback. We can understand both sides. Pro-Ject does give us a bit of convenience though. We don’t have to move the belt to switch between 33 1/3 and 45 rpm. Just flip the switch under the chassis to the left (33 1/3) or right (45). That’s practical. If the switch is in the middle, the platter rests.
The TPE-damped counterweight at the end of the tonearm is designed so we can use cartridges weighing between 6 and 8.5 grams. The already installed 7mV Pick it MM EVO cartridge is designed for a tracking force of 1.6 to 2 grams. The recommended setting is 1.8 grams (18 Newton meters).
The small anti-skating weight can be adjusted in 3 steps. The anti-skating force depends on the tracking weight of the cartridge. At 10 to 14 NM, we should use the 1st groove as the largest anti-skating force. For our Pick it MM EVO cartridge, we use the second groove, as it’s intended for 15 to 19 NM. For cartridges with more than 2 grams or 20 Newton meters of tracking force, the 3rd groove is reserved.
In addition to these fine adjustments on the turntable, the general alignment of the device is important. The EVO 2 must be level. We can adjust its three feet to achieve perfect horizontality.
Upgradability
Many vinyl fans start small, maybe with a Debut EVO 2. But at some point, they realize it’s not enough. They want to get more out of the system. That raises the question of upgradability. Pro-Ject doesn’t put obstacles in the vinyl fan’s way. Even when buying the Debut EVO 2, you can configure it individually. For example, instead of the aluminum platter, you can choose an acrylic platter or order an additional cork or leather mat that you place between the platter and the vinyl. Depending on the material, you can noticeably influence the sound. You also have the option of installing a sub-platter that sits under the main platter. Of course, Pro-Ject offers various record pucks. These are placed on the record to increase its stability and compensate for any imbalances.
What we really like is the ability to convert the unbalanced system into a balanced one. Although balanced operation doesn’t necessarily extract more sound quality from the turntable, the signal transmission is more stable and a bit louder, which can be perceived as better sounding. To make this upgrade, Pro-Ject offers the Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge for an additional $100. Together with the Phono Box S3 B, you can enjoy balanced sound output. And you’ll need an appropriate cable, which costs about $70 at Pro-Ject. Naturally, you can also use another phono preamplifier that “speaks balanced.”
We already mentioned the Debut EVO 2’s power supply earlier in the text. If you want to optimize it even further, consider the Power Box S3 Phono. It supplies both the Debut EVO 2 and a Pro-Ject phono preamplifier with power. The two outputs of the Power Box are specially designed for operation with Pro-Ject turntables and phono preamps. Thus, we find that a keen vinyl beginner can truly become a full-fledged sound optimizer with the Debut EVO 2. The new Pro-Ject is a turntable that grows with you. Great!
Sound
The Debut EVO 2’s running smoothness is undoubtedly one of the best in this price class. At no time did we detect even a hint of irregularities or fluctuations. You can tell Pro-Ject really knows its craft. However, at the beginning, there was a rhythmic but very quiet noise that we attributed to the platter not sitting properly. After re-seating the platter, the noise never appeared again.
The cartridge impresses with a very powerful sound image and a really well-balanced detail resolution—especially considering the complete price of this turntable, it’s impressive.
The cartridge (in this case, the stylus) is somewhat sensitive to minor impurities on the vinyl. We can really hear every speck of dust or small scratch. A stylus with a steeper side-cut that goes deeper into the groove might help here. Fortunately, it’s an MM system, so changing the stylus is usually not a problem.
Specs
General
Device Class: Turntable
Price Category: Mid-range (5/10)
Manufacturer: Pro-Ject
Model: Debut EVO 2
Dimensions (W/H/D): 42 × 11 × 32 cm
Weight: 6 kg
Technical Data (according to the manufacturer)
Cartridge (mounted): Pick it MM EVO
Motor: AC motor
Drive: Belt
Control: Manual
Connections: RCA
Integrated Phono Preamplifier: No
Integrated DAC: No
Bluetooth: No
CONCLUSION
The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 proves to be a successful evolution of the original Debut EVO and is aimed at both vinyl beginners and discerning enthusiasts. With its simple yet elegant design, easy handling, and solid technical features, it convinces in this price class. Particularly noteworthy are the resonance-damped aluminum platter and the lightweight yet stable carbon fiber tonearm, which enable high sound quality. The possibility of individual customization and upgrades makes the Debut EVO 2 a long-lasting companion for vinyl fans.
SPECIAL FEATURES
• Resonance-damped aluminum platter
• Lightweight carbon fiber tonearm
• Very high-quality connecting cable
Advantages
+ Easy handling
+ Excellent sound quality
+ Versatile upgrade options (balanced)
Disadvantages
– Sensitive cartridge
EVALUATION
Playback Quality: 9.3/10
Features/Build Quality: 8.7/10
User-Friendliness: 8.7/10
Up-/Downgrades: none
Intermediate Result: 9.1/10
Price/Performance: excellent (10/10)
Final Result: 9.2
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