Pro-Ject - Debut EVO 2 Hi-Fi Turntable

The 2024 rework of the Debut: Pro-Ject’s own Pick it MM EVO cartridge, an anti-magnetic die-cast aluminium platter, a CNC-milled bearing block, and RCA sockets built into the plinth instead of hanging off a captive cable.

Debut EVO 2 replaces the Debut Carbon EVO at the same point in Pro-Ject’s range, and the changes are more substantial than the name suggests. The steel platter of the previous generation gives way to a TPE-damped, anti-magnetic die-cast aluminium platter. The bearing block is CNC-milled. The counterweight gains a TPE damping ring. And the RCA outputs and the power socket are now let into the plinth itself, so you choose your own phono cable rather than living with whatever was soldered on at the factory.

The cartridge is Pro-Ject’s own Pick it MM EVO, a 7mV moving-magnet with an elliptical stylus, fitted and aligned before the deck is boxed. At 7mV it is a hot output by moving-magnet standards, which makes it forgiving of a modest phono stage.

One published change is worth flagging honestly rather than burying. The tonearm is still described as an 8.6-inch one-piece carbon tube, but its effective mass has gone from 6g on the Debut Carbon EVO to 10g here. That is a real, Pro-Ject-published figure, not a typo, and it changes what the arm suits: 10g is a medium-mass arm, which broadens the range of cartridges that will work well on it and moves it away from the very high-compliance end.

The other change to know about is a subtraction. Debut Carbon EVO shipped with a round belt for 78rpm. Pro-Ject publishes no 78rpm capability for the Debut EVO 2 at all. If you play shellac, this is not the Debut for you — talk to us about the X1 B or the Xtension instead.

Features

• Pro-Ject Pick it MM EVO cartridge, factory-fitted and pre-aligned
• TPE-damped anti-magnetic die-cast aluminium platter, 300mm
• CNC-milled bearing block
• 8.6-inch one-piece carbon fibre tonearm with a TPE-damped counterweight
• RCA outputs and power socket integrated into the plinth, so the phono cable is your choice
• Electronic 33/45rpm speed change
• Dust cover and 7-inch single adapter included

Specifications

• Type: Belt-driven manual turntable
• Cartridge: Pro-Ject Pick it MM EVO, moving-magnet, factory-fitted
• Cartridge output: 7mV at 1kHz
• Recommended tracking force: 1.8g (18mN)
• Stylus: Elliptical, 8/18µm tip radii
• Cantilever material: Not published
• Cartridge frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz, +3/−1dB
• Cartridge channel separation: 22dB at 1kHz
• Recommended cartridge load: 47kΩ / 150–300pF
• Cartridge weight: 7.2g
• Tonearm: 8.6″ one-piece carbon fibre
• Effective tonearm length: 218.5mm
• Effective tonearm mass: 10.0g
• Overhang: 18.5mm
• Anti-skate: Pro-Ject does not publish the anti-skate mechanism type for this deck. We checked the product page and the downloadable manual and neither describes it as magnetic or as a thread-and-weight assembly, so we are not going to guess.
• Platter: 300mm TPE-damped anti-magnetic die-cast aluminium, approximately 1.7kg, with a felt mat
• Bearing: CNC-milled bearing block
• Speeds: 33 and 45rpm, changed electronically. Pro-Ject publishes no 78rpm option for this model
• Wow and flutter: ±0.16% at 33rpm; ±0.14% at 45rpm
• Speed deviation: ±0.40% at 33rpm; ±0.50% at 45rpm
• Signal-to-noise ratio: 68dB
• Rumble: Not published
• Outputs: RCA sockets integrated into the plinth; Connect it Phono E RCA cable supplied
• Power supply: External 15V DC / 0.8A universal supply
• Power consumption: 4W in operation, 0W standby
• Dimensions: 415 x 113 x 320 mm (W x H x D). Pro-Ject does not state whether this is measured with the dust cover fitted
• Weight: 6kg net
• Supplied accessories: Dust cover, felt mat, 7″ single adapter, Connect it Phono E cable, power supply
• Finishes: High gloss, satin and real wood options
• Country of manufacture: Not stated for this model. Pro-Ject describes the Debut range generally as handmade in Europe
• Warranty: Two years from date of purchase, extendable to three years by registering the product with Pro-Ject and subscribing to their newsletter. Cartridges, styli and drive belts are wear items and are excluded. Pro-Ject states that warranty is administered by the local distributor and that terms can vary by region; no separate United States term is published. Coverage requires purchase from an authorised dealer — The ’In Groove is one.