Pro-Ject Debut III – HIGH QUALITY ENTRY LEVEL CLASSIC WITH A VERY LOW PRICE No other analogue hi-fi product was more often honored to be a real "Best Buy" than the Pro-Ject Debut III. A real bargain with outstanding sound quality!
Stereophile Recommended Component Pro-Ject Debut III: $349-$379 $$$ It offered surprisingly quiet backgrounds, along with impressive image stability, and dynamics.
The Pro-Ject Debut III is our top-selling budget-friendly turntable. It's dedicated solely to optimizing the sonic reproduction of your records; no bells, no whistles. The sleek and simple design yields a classy appearance and hassle-free operation. Since it's so stripped down, there's very little that can go wrong with it. Another strength is its versatility. It sounds stunning right out of the box, but if you want to tweak it, Pro-Ject's Acryl-It platter and Speedbox MKII are simple, affordable, and effective upgrades. The Debut III can also be outfitted to accommodate 78rpm discs. All you need are a 33/78rpm motor pulley and a 78 stylus for the Ortofon OM5E. Additionally, the stylus can be upgraded in a snap. The Ortofon 20 (nude elliptical), 30 (nude Fineline), and 40 (Gyger line-contact) styli all fit the stock-cartridge. Considering the price, this package is quite possibly the best sonic performer in its class. The Pro-Ject Debut includes a pre-mounted Ortofon OM-5E moving magnet phono cartridge and is an excellent choice for the audiophile seeking a cost effective vinyl playback solution. A felt-covered steel platter mates to a chrome plated stainless-steel axle running in a brass bearing housing for exceptional speed stability and accuracy. The aluminum tonearm employs inverted hardened stainless-steel points for superior tracking with the supplied phono cartridge. A silicone-damped armlift is supplied. Matte Black finish. 16.5”w x 4.5”h (dust cover down) x 13.25”d. 14 lbs
Stereophile Recommended Component Pro-Ject Debut III: $349-$379 $$$ Every aspect of earlier Debuts is taken a step in the Debut III, which comes equipped with a Pro-Ject 8.6 tonearm and Ortofon OM5E MM cartridge. It offered surprisingly quiet backgrounds, along with impressive image stability, and dynamics. Its slight lose bass was tightened considerably by the addition of the Speed Box Mk. II ($119) which allows for electronic switching between 33 1/3 and 45rpm. "The inexpensive Debut III suddenly had swagger," said MF. "The combo is laughably good." Version with USB data output costs $499 and adds a moving-magnet-only version of Pro-Ject's Phono Box II USB phono pre-amp. For digitizing LPs, Sumiko Recommends the Audacity recording software, which can be downloaded for free at http://audacity.sourceforge.net. The Debut III USB "makes pleasing-sounding recordings and also serves as a fine entry-level audiophile turntable," Said MF. "An easy recommendation." BJR agrees: Though it lacked ultimate dynamics and low-level resolution, The Debut III provided and open, natural sound across the audioband, with exceptional tonal balance and forceful tunefulness. "The Debut III would be an excellent first turntable to suck an incipient if not quite budding audiophile into the hobby." Custom colors add $30.
Stereophile Pro-Ject Debut III Record Player by Robert J. Reina, February 2010 Suffice it to say that the performance of the Pro-Ject Debut III startled me with the level of musical realism possible at this price. Its shortcomings vs more expensive gear were clearly audible, but the Debut III would be an excellent first turntable to suck an incipient if not quite budding audiophile into the hobby. So listen up, youts: Bag those MP3s and get into vinyl. But don't be tempted to upgrade the cartridge on this baby—the Ortofon OM 5E is just fine. Instead, take the cash you've saved, buy a record-cleaning machine, and hit those used-vinyl stores and yard sales!
Hi-Fi Choice Pro-Ject Debut III by Dominic Dawes, December 2004 "... but the Debut is no slouch; it resolves ambient detail better than affordable CD players and recreates plenty of space and 'air' around cymbals and other high notes...All in all, this is a capable and entertaining deck which gives you more than you've a right to expect at the money. 4 Stars."
AudioEnz Pro-Ject Debut III Heat and Eat No turntable? No Phono stage? No Problem! By Greg Fleming, June 2002 Finally the Debut Phono is the ideal solution for those who have a few LPs tucked away in the closet or for those who are totally new to the format. Think of it as an easy to use no-BS starter kit. It gives a hint of how good analog sound can be - and although many will find the Debut all the turntable they’ll ever need - a few will continue on up the analog ladder, until like me their living-room floors are stacked high with LPs!
"The Debut Phono offers a wonderful introduction to analogue’s joys at a truly unbeatable price, opening up a whole new world of music in the process."
Home Theater Pro-Ject Debut III USB Turntable by Mark Fleischmann, May 2008 The Pro-Ject Debut III USB serves several functions. First of all, it’s a musically reliable yet affordably priced turntable. Thanks to the built-in phono preamp, you might well be tempted to place it atop your surround system rack—try doing vinyl in the Dolby Pro Logic II music mode. And the USB jack brings it right up to date, serving as a bridge between a vinyl music library and the digital reality of today. I loved having this turntable on my desk. I miss it already.
