Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC review
Mar 28, 2019
The Austrian company Pro-Ject, one of the leaders in the market of vinyl players, has presented its cutting-edge budget turntable – the Debut Carbon DC. See price Article navigation Design Se...
Read MoreModern turntables – Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC vs Audio-Technica AT-LP120
Features & Performance
The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC vs Audio-Technica AT-LP120 comparison shows that the AT-LP120 is a great ready-to-use solution since it has a built-in pre-amp - 2.5 mV nominal at 1 kHz phono pre-amp. These turntables use different types of cartridges – the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC has the moving magnet type cartridge while the Audio-Technica AT-LP120 features the dual magnet type cartridge.
The AT-LP120 supports three-speed options – compare its 33.3, 45 and 78 RPM options with the Carbon DC that supports 33.3 and 45 modes only. It uses the belt drive method and the AT-LP120 uses the direct method.
Design & build quality
The Audio-Technica AT-LP120 vs Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC design solutions shows that the Carbon DC manufacturers wanted to keep it simple, while the manufacturer of the AT-LP120 wanted to make it look more professional.
The Carbon DC features a straight lightweight carbon tonearm. The motor suspension keeps the rotation speed stable.
The AT-LP120 features various knobs, buttons and sliders and the S-shaped tonearm. It stands stable on four feet and it has a dust cover.
The dimensions are 12.6x16.3x4.7 in for the Pro-Ject Debut versus 13.9x17.8x6 in for the AT-LP120. The weight is 12.35 and 23.5 pounds respectively.
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon DC
Pros:
- The output sound is clear and distortion-free. The platter is heavy enough.
- The tracking feature is very precise.
Cons:
- Assembling the turntable may take some time. Adjustments can be challenging, especially if you have not used a turntable before. It is difficult to adjust the counterweight since it is not accurate.
- It does not have the auto return feature.
- You may start getting the bearing noise after a relatively short period of exploitation. The motor can produce some noise which you can hear during quiet parts of songs.
Audio-Technica AT-LP120
Pros:
- This model is very versatile in terms of the ports – it has a high-grade USB port. The output sound is deep and clear.
- It is easy to assemble – the manual is very detailed. It is built well, the weight is enough to keep it stable on a surface.
- Many extra features and functions to satisfy the needs of experienced turntable users.
Cons:
- You may have issues with anti-skating – adjustments do not help at all. A unit can also start skipping.
- The noise produced by the motor can become louder after a certain period of exploitation.
