At a glance, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo turntable looks just like every other record player - certainly it looks enough like the original Debut Carbon from 2017 to make you wonder why the price has risen from the original's $400 / £349 / AU$550. A record player is a rectangle with a circle on it – and, if you’re feeling adventurous, a plastic dust-cover on top. That’s how it is with the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo.

Nobody in their right mind messes with the design of a turntable, do they? Ever since the record player did away with the need for a trumpet horn, they’ve all looked the same (apart from those self-consciously ‘wacky’ designs that are odd for the sake of it). The likes of Rega (with its Planar 2) and Thorens (and its TD190-2) are ready to turn your head – but Pro-Ject’s reputation is the equal of that of any competitor, and the company is always an option at this sort of money.

That makes it far less of an entry-level proposition than 1999’s original Debut – but then Pro-Ject has covered off the entry level with its Elemental and Primary models, while the Debut Carbon Evo is a much better specified device than the original Debut could dream of being. At this price, the Pro-Ject goes up against some very capable and very well-regarded alternatives.

The Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo is on sale now, and priced at $499 / £449 / AU$879. If you value a smooth, informative ride from a beautifully engineered and nice-looking record player, don’t spend any money until you’ve heard the Debut Carbon Evo. It’s not the last word in absolute precision, and there are other similarly priced turntables that offer a little more bite and aggression.

Pro ject debut carbon evo turntable