Pro-Ject Debut III Phono Bluetooth SB

Debut III is back! …and now in the form of Debut III Phono SB. Debut III is the design that made Pro-Ject famous in the late 90s with thousands upon thousands sold worldwide. It was a time when discerning listeners were dissatisfied with settling for the then-prevailing compact disc, and when audiophiles were looking for an affordable way to get their vinyl spinning again.

The Debut design features a solid MDF plinth, TPE motor suspension, 8.6″ one-piece aluminum armtube and a high-mass steel platter over an anti-resonant sub-platter. Critical elements were designed and machined with precision and care. The goal here is the simplest possible design that focuses solely on the sound-enhancing aspects of a record player.

Debut III Phono SB implements a built-in phono preamp (a long-awaited feature in the Debut lineup). Importantly, the phonostage is defeat-able, meaning you can choose when to engage it based on your application. If you already use a phono preamp that you enjoy, simply switch off the built-in stage at the side of the RCA junction box beneath the plinth. Also disengage the phono preamp if your amplifier/receiver has a PHONO input that you’re using. The most common application for the built-in phono preamp is for use with systems that lack a phono preamp. This allows you to connect your player directly to any line-level input so that you can listen in a huge array of contexts.

Pro-Ject is proud to implement a sound-first design that also allows maximum compatibility with the current landscape of gear on market. Debut III Phono SB includes a dust cover and is available in gloss black or real walnut veneer. The same speed controller/stabilizer used with Debut Carbon EVO is also used here. The switch is at the front/left/bottom corner of the plinth for clean aesthetics and toggles between 33 & 45rpm (78rpm is also an option – see below). The classic Ortofon OM5e phono cartridge is factory-mounted and aligned. Everything you need to get started is in the box! With the OM5e, keep in mind that the Ortofon 78 stylus is also required for 78rpm discs.