Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 High Gloss Red

The Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 sits at the heart of Pro-Ject's turntable range, slotting above the entry-level T1 series and below the Debut PRO. It builds on the multi-award-winning Debut Carbon EVO with a redesigned platter, upgraded motor suspension and a new cartridge developed in collaboration with Ortofon.

Platter and Drive System

The steel platter of the original Debut Carbon EVO has been replaced with a 300 mm die-cast aluminium platter weighing 1.7 kg. A ring of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is bonded around its perimeter to damp resonance. The platter rides on a stainless steel axle seated in a bronze bushing, providing low-friction, low-noise rotation.

Drive comes from a high-quality AC motor fed by a DC/AC power generator that creates a clean sine wave for enhanced speed stability. A sophisticated suspension system with a metal decoupling plate isolates the motor from the plinth. Electronic speed switching between 33 and 45 RPM is controlled via a rocker switch on the plinth; there is no need to lift the platter and reposition the belt.

Tonearm

The 8.6-inch one-piece carbon fibre tonearm has an effective length of 218.5 mm and an effective mass of 10.0 g. The bearing block is CNC-milled from aluminium and damped with TPE to minimise resonance transfer. An adaptive anti-skating mechanism adjusts force across the record groove for consistent tracking from lead-in to run-out.

Cartridge

The Debut EVO 2 comes pre-fitted with the Pick it MM EVO, a moving-magnet cartridge developed with Ortofon using their split pole pins technology. It delivers a high dynamic output with a flat frequency response that Pro-Ject describes as comparable to moving-coil designs.

Construction

The plinth is precision-machined from MDF for controlled resonance behaviour. Gold-plated RCA output sockets are integrated into the rear of the plinth, and a semi-balanced Connect it E Phono RCA interconnect cable is included. All four rubber feet are height-adjustable to allow levelling on uneven surfaces. A dust cover with hinges is supplied as standard.

Connectivity and Setup

The Debut EVO 2 features gold-plated RCA outputs connected directly to the tonearm output, bypassing a grounding point to reduce hum. The power supply is a separate 15 V DC unit. The Pick it MM EVO cartridge is pre-aligned at the factory, so the deck is ready to play straight from the box with only stylus pressure and anti-skate adjustment required.

Compatibility

The built-in phono stage is not included; a separate phono stage or amplifier with a phono input is required. The Debut EVO 2 is compatible with Pro-Ject's own Phono Box range as well as third-party phono stages. Pro-Ject's True Balanced option is supported via the built-in 5-pin output socket, allowing the use of a balanced phono stage for further noise rejection.