Many of Pro-Ject Audio's turntables are textbook examples of minimalist design, but the latest addition to its Debut line takes things even further thanks to a distinct lack of visible switches or labels and everything in view treated to a matte black finish.
Pro-Ject celebrated its 30th anniversary last year with the launch of the Debut Pro turntable, and the new Pro S model rocks a plinth that's the same thickness as its sibling but much wider at 465 mm (18.3 in) to match the footprint of the company's X8 True Balanced Connection vinyl spinner, and to provide "an even sturdier foundation for your record playback."
That bigger MDF chassis is designed to accommodate a bigger tonearm. But instead of the familiar straight tonearm present on other Debut turntables – and indeed many other models in the company's range – the Austrian hi-fi specialist has opted to take a curvier approach with a new 10-inch pre-adjusted S-shaped aluminum tonearm ending in a SME-style connector to make it easy for listeners to swap out the supplied Pick it S2 C cartridge for something else.
The motor drives a belt that turns an aluminum sub-platter, upon which sits the main TPE-damped cast aluminum platter. The listener selects 33, 45 or 78 rpm via a toggle out back, and "highly accurate and table speeds" are promised thanks to included electronic speed control. Then the tonearm will need to be manually moved over to the appropriate groove on the record before being lowered for playback.
Pro-Ject says that only premium aluminum parts are used for construction to ensure optimum sound quality – no hollow spaces or plastic components here. And as mentioned earlier, just about everything here comes in matte black, including the height-adjustable metal isolation feet – the exceptions being the polished spindle, gold-plated RCA connectors and playback speed selector.
The Debut Pro S is on its way to Pro-Ject dealers this month for a suggested retail price of US$1,199.
Product page: Debut Pro S