Pro-Ject Debut III — Neat Sound with Minimal Setup

This budget vinyl record player has just the necessary set of appliances and controls. However, its solid construction and high-quality sound make it a worthy purchase. The turntable produces very low motor noise, and the vibration is well grounded by the rubber inclusions separating the motor from the plinth. The turntable is well-balanced and provides an exact tonal picture of the record, going neutral with regard to the audio coloring. At the same time, the turntable reproduces the record with a large range of colors and nuances.

Design

The Pro-Ject Debut II specs show it is made of steel and metal. While bringing a slight resonance at highs, it does a good job creating a flat background to the sound at lower tones. The platter is felt-covered and very nice to the touch (and caring to the records). The tonearm is single aluminum piece. There are inverted steel points ensuring the stability of motion.

The turntable doesn’t have any controls on the front. The start / stop switch is located underneath, which isn’t too handy.

Setup

The minimal design accounts for the minimal setup. All the crucial elements are already assembled and aligned, so, there is a no-brainer in getting the turntable to play out of the box. The supplied Ortofon cartridge is already installed, so I applied the counterweight and set up the weight load and anti-skating feature. The motor is secured from shipping damage by the screw. To start the turntable, it must be removed. Upon that, I put the record on the platter (it goes down softly onto the felt), led the tonearm onto the record and turned on the start switch.

Features

The Pro-Ject Debut III review reveals that the turntable doesn’t have a preamp built in. Still, it isn’t too demanding and plays well even with the low-budget amp.

The cartridge is build of moving magnets and features a replaceable diamond stylus. The headshell is quite heavy (about 5 grams), which corresponds with the needle’s pressure requirement (3.5 grams).

There are two-speed options — 45 rpm and 33 ⅓ rpm. The player goes steadily on both, there is no skipping or extra noise.

Conclusion

The Pro-Ject Debut III is perfect for vinyl newbies who wish to test the ground. It is affordable and reliable, keeping well with both high-pacing rhythmic tracks and fluid instrumental compositions. It also features a high signal-to-noise ratio thanks to the inventive motor placement and efficient vibration dampening. The rubberized and silicone-treated parts additionally protect from any hum and interference.