The seemingly controversial Pro-Ject Debut III

Bob_in_OKC

Bob_in_OKC

Addicted Member
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^That's it there^. Harmless little guy...but a player in the endless argument about the "best" entry-level belt drive turntable. Also a player in the DD vs BD battle and the modern vs vintage battle. All frequent topics not only at AK but at the other forums...you know their names.

If you've been around here for a while, you might remember I bought a minty example of the world's most popular DD turntable a while back and engaged it in battle against another of my controversial belt-drive turntables...the Music Hall mmf-5. At this point, the mmf-5 is sold and a Rega P5 is in its place.

I won't run this Debut III through the same array of cartridges in an attempt to prove to myself how it compares to the P5, the way I did in my own personal grudge match of the mmf-5 vs the SL-1200MK2. I'm just going to leave the Ortofon OMB-5E on it and hook it up. I don't think the P5 has anything to prove to me. The Debut III isn't designed to handle the weight of my heavier cartridges without upgrading to a larger counterweight and my Goldring Eroica is incompatible with the Debut III's steel platter.

That said, I'm just giving it a listen...not an analysis. So far, so good. No...it doesn't look like it should sound good...but, oddly enough, it does. More thoughts to come. Yours are welcome, too.
 
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Is the sound as lively as that shade of green? :>)
Regards,
Jim

I really like the Pro-Ject arms, I have a 9cc on my Thorens TD160
 
If it sounds good to YOU, that's all that really matters. You probably already know it, but you can upgrade the stylus on that Ortofon... all the way up to a STY40, with a Fritz Geiger stylus.

That bright green plinth is pretty cool looking.
 
I looked at one of these yesterday at Best Buy just for the fun of it. (I have the Xpression).

Definitely more solid feeling...I kinda feel let down. Mine just feels cheap and light...the Debut feels heavy.
 
vinyldavid said:
I looked at one of these yesterday at Best Buy just for the fun of it. (I have the Xpression).

Definitely more solid feeling...I kinda feel let down. Mine just feels cheap and light...the Debut feels heavy.
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Perhaps the extra weight of the Debut III is a good thing...the platter weighs over 3 pounds and that glossy plinth is very nearly a solid block...but I don't think it's going to top the Xpression III or other turntables at that level, like the mmf-5.1. To me, the important difference is in the arm. I'd really like to hear it against a mmf-2.2 or the old Pro-Ject 1.2.
 
Since I've managed to avoid ever owning one of these, I'm staying out of this, except to say:

1. That bright green would have high WAF around Casa Arkay - it's one of my wife's favorite colors! :thmbsp:

2. I look forward to more of your listening impressions of this TT.

3. I hope you find a table that you really enjoy, one that sounds great to your ears :music: ... after all, that's what matters most, in all our audio-gear auditions! :yes:
 
I love my Pro-Ject Perspective and I also really really like the Technics SL-1700 I have.

It took me a while to set up the Grado Gold on it and now it sounds great.

I think people worry too much about DD & BD, which is best.

The Pro-Ject Debut III looks like a fine turntable for anyone getting into vinyl especially at the sale price which is half of that well known DD we won't mention.
 
I got mine in April when I decided to take the plunge into vinyl and haven't looked back since. I guess i am the target demographic since an entry-level high-end TT was exactly what I was looking for. For my needs it is great and I would heartily recommend it. I haven't even started upgrading it yet and hopefully I can get a lot of mileage out of it before I start looking for another table.

And the ferrari red color is pretty cool too!
 
Bob_in_OKC,

How's the noise level? Motor noise was always the issue with the one I had, that and accentuated surface noise compared to the Rega I replaced it with.
 
factorplayer said:
I got mine in April when I decided to take the plunge into vinyl and haven't looked back since. I guess i am the target demographic since an entry-level high-end TT was exactly what I was looking for. For my needs it is great and I would heartily recommend it. I haven't even started upgrading it yet and hopefully I can get a lot of mileage out of it before I start looking for another table.

And the ferrari red color is pretty cool too!
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Well said. Oh, and I was just trying to get a dig in at Bob about the color when I said that about the 'stripper red'. :D The various colors and the fact it's a complete package make it easy to get into spinning. Ya gotta love that. And new. Don't forget it's new. That's an important consideration too for someone wanting to get into the hobby and unsure what's what with the older stuff and whether it's working the way it's supposed to. Takes out that element of uncertainty and gets to the good stuff right away: playing records.
 
I was debating whether I should get Rega P1 or the Debut. In the end I opted for the P1 however now I look at the glossy finish I feel that I should've chosen the Debut!
 
cactuscowboy said:
If it sounds good to YOU, that's all that really matters. You probably already know it, but you can upgrade the stylus on that Ortofon... all the way up to a STY40, with a Fritz Geiger stylus.

That bright green plinth is pretty cool looking.
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I figure when the 5E stylus is done it will warrant one of the models higher up the line. I really wonder what a better stylus could do for it, since I borrowed the 14 stylus from my Technics SL-7 and even that difference was an audible improvement on the Debut III.

avole said:
Bob_in_OKC,

How's the noise level? Motor noise was always the issue with the one I had, that and accentuated surface noise compared to the Rega I replaced it with.
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Mechanically, the turntable and motor are extremely quiet. I don't hear anything from it, even with my ears directly above the platter. I am aware, though, of Pro-Ject's history with noisy motors. I replaced the motor in my Music Hall mmf-5 because after extended running periods the motor could eventually be heard from my listening position across the room. The replacement motor was extremely quiet.

As for surface noise, perhaps that's partially a function of the lightweight tonearm and partially the stylus. As a test, I replaced the 5E stylus with a Pro S and ran the tracking force up to 3 grams. Surface noise was dramatically decreased. With the 5E stylus and the tracking force at 1.75 grams there is indeed more surface noise than my P5 and more than I remember from my mmf-5. Also more than the SL-1200MK2, obviously.

Arkay said:
Since I've managed to avoid ever owning one of these, I'm staying out of this, except to say:

1. That bright green would have high WAF around Casa Arkay - it's one of my wife's favorite colors! :thmbsp:

2. I look forward to more of your listening impressions of this TT.

3. I hope you find a table that you really enjoy, one that sounds great to your ears :music: ... after all, that's what matters most, in all our audio-gear auditions! :yes:
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Funny you should mention the WAF. If this turntable stays, it's for the wife. She has a room with a set of Kenwood components from the Basic series and would like a turntable. This green will be decor-friendly with her white desk, blond wood shelving units and black audio components. I have indeed found the turntable that sounds great to my ears. Now we're working on something the wife will like.
 
Thanks for the reply. I had thought as you it might be the arm which is as you say lightweight.

I worked out that the motor noise or vibration, if there is any, and it seems like you were lucky in that regard, is transmitted to the plinth by the motor suspension system, and it's that which is eventually picked up by the cartridge. I ran a simple test by removing the belt and letting the arm rest at various points on a record, and, sure enough, there was the noise that bothered me when listening to music.

Anyway, glad to hear Pro-ject have sorted this out judging by what everyone else has said. Guess I've just been unlucky in the past with their turntables.
 
avole said:
Thanks for the reply. I had thought as you it might be the arm which is as you say lightweight.

I worked out that the motor noise or vibration, if there is any, and it seems like you were lucky in that regard, is transmitted to the plinth by the motor suspension system, and it's that which is eventually picked up by the cartridge. I ran a simple test by removing the belt and letting the arm rest at various points on a record, and, sure enough, there was the noise that bothered me when listening to music.

Anyway, glad to hear Pro-ject have sorted this out judging by what everyone else has said. Guess I've just been unlucky in the past with their turntables.
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Which model Pro-Ject was it?
 
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