Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO Audiophile Turntable Instructions
- June 5, 2024
- Pro-Ject
Table of Contents
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO Audiophile Turntable Instructions
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO
Controls, features and connections
- Motor with TPE damped flange
- Stepped drive pulley
- Drive belt
- Sub-platter
- Platter TPE damping and felt mat
- Tonearm counterweight 6a Downforce scale
- Tonearm lift lever
- Tonearm rest and removable transport lock
- Tonearm tube 9a Tonearm base
- Lid
- Lid hinges
- Hinge fasteners
- Phono output sockets and earth connection
- Power supply socket
- Anti-skating weight
- Anti-skating weight support hoop
- Anti-skating weight adjustment scale
- Height adjustable feet with TPE damping
- Speed selector
- Headshell with finger lift and fitted Ortofon 2M RED or Sumiko Rainier cartridge
- Single adapter
Signal cable Connect IT E RCA (not shown)
78 rpm round belt (not shown)
Dear music lover,
Thank you for purchasing a Pro-Ject Audio record player.
In order to achieve maximum performance and reliability with this record player you should study these instructions for use carefully.
Warning of a hazard for the user, the unit or possible misuse.
Important notice.
The following instructions for adjusting the cartridge are provided in case
the cartridge is replaced by a different model at a later date.
During assembly and adjustment of the deck small parts could be lost if not
carefully placed in a suitable receptacle. Before starting to assemble, get
familiar with the parts listed above and correspondingly numbered in the
technical drawings above.
Safety instructions
The power supply is used to connect and disconnect the unit from the mains.
Make sure that the plug is easily accessible at all times. Hold the plug when
unplugging the power cord. Never handle the power cord while your hands are
wet or damp.
Avoid letting liquids enter the device. Never place any item containing
liquid, like a flower vase, on or near the device. Never spill any liquid on
the device. Never place any naked flame sources, like lighted candles, on or
near the device. The product shall not be used in damp or wet locations, next
to a bathtub, sink, swimming pool or any other similar conditions.
Keep plastic bags away from children to prevent any risk of suffocation.
Set-up
The deck is supplied partially disassembled and carefully packaged for safe
transport. Carefully remove all parts from the transport packaging.
Make sure the surface you wish to use the turntable on is level (use a spirit
level) before placing the turntable on it.
Remove the transport lock (8) from the tonearm. Store it in the original
packaging so it is available for any future transportation.
Fit the drive belt (3) around the hub (4) and the smaller diameter part of the
motor pulley (2). Avoid getting sweat or grease on the belt as these will
deteriorate the performance and reduce the belt’s lifespan. Use absorbent
kitchen paper to remove any oil or grease from the outer edge of the hub and
the belt. Fit the platter (5) and felt mat over the spindle of the hub (4).
Cartridge downforce adjustment
The counterweight (6) supplied is suitable for cartridges weighing between 5 –
8.5g ( Ortofon 2M Red, Sumiko Rainier – weight no. 08 ).
Pushing carefully, turn the counterweight (6) onto the rear end of the tonearm
tube (9), so that the downforce scale (6a) shows towards the front of the
player. Lower the armlift and position the cartridge in the space between arm
rest and platter. Carefully rotate the counterweight (6) until the armtube
balances out. The arm should return to the balanced position if it is moved up
or down. This adjustment must be done carefully. Do not forget to remove the
cartridge protection cap if fitted.
Once the arm is correctly balanced return it to the rest. Hold the
counterweight (6) without moving it, and gently revolve the downforce scale
ring (6a) until the zero is in line with the anti-skating prong (17). Check
whether the arm still balances out.
Rotate the counterweight counter clockwise (seen from the front) to adjust the
downforce according to the cartridge manufacturer’s recommendations. One mark
on the scale represents 1 mN (= 0.1g / 0.1 Pond) of downforce.
Please note: Adjust the downforce prior to installing the anti-skating weight.
The recommended downforce for the Ortofon 2M RED cartridge is 17.5mN.
The recommended downforce for the Sumiko Rainier cartridge is 20mN.
Anti-skating force adjustment
The anti-skating force must be adjusted corresponding to the downforce as follows:
Slip the loop of the anti-skating weight’s thread over the second groove of the stub to set the correct antiskating force for the factory-fitted cartridge. Feed the thread through the loop of the wire support (15).
Connection to the amplifier
The record player has gold plated female RCA Phono sockets (13) so you can
substitute the interconnect cables supplied with higher quality cables such as
the Pro-Ject Connect IT C, CC or Si interconnect cables for connection to
the amplifier if you wish.
Use the Phono input (sometimes labelled gram, disc or RIAA) on your amplifier.
Make sure that the phono input offers correct matching and amplification for
the type of cartridge used. Line inputs (such as CD, Tuner, Tape or Video) are
not suitable.
Take care to connect the left and right channels correctly. The right channel
is usually marked red, the left channel black or white. Check the manual
supplied with your amplifier for relevant information. The earthing wire of
the tonearm lead should be connected to the earth terminal on your amplifier
(if provided).
If your amplifier does not have an input suitable for phono cartridges you
will require a separate phono amplifier stage for MM or MC cartridges which is
then connected between the record player and a free line level input of the
amplifier.
For detailed product information regarding Pro-Ject Audio interconnect cables
and phono amplifiers please refer to the Pro-Ject web site www.project-
audio.com.
The recommended load impedance for the factory fitted cartridges is: 47kohms /MM-input
Mains power connection
The turntable is supplied with the universal power supply with 3 exchangeable
sockets adapters suitable for all countries. Select the correct adapter for
your country and insert the adapter to the exchangeable part of the power
supply.
Connect the low voltage plug from the power supply to the socket (14) on the
rear of the record player before connecting the power supply to the mains.
Fitting the lid
Fit the lid (dust cover 10) carefully over the hinge prongs and adjust the screws (12) until the lid stays open where you want it to without being too stiff to open or close.
Switching on and off, changing replay speed
The turntable is equipped with a three-position switch for ON/OFF and
electronic speed change. To play records at 33 r.p.m. press this switch (19)
to the left side. To play records at 45 r.p.m. press this switch (19) to the
right side. To be able to play 78 r.p.m. the flat drive belt has to be removed
and the round drive belt has to be fitted around the sub-platter (4) and the
larger diameter part of the motor pulley (2). To do so, the platter (5) has to
be removed.
After the round drive belt, has been fitted, pressing the ON/OFF switch to the
right selects 78 r.p.m.
Useful tips
The record player should be positioned on a low-resonance surface such as wood or multiple layer ply board to avoid structural vibrations disturbing replay.
Adjusting the azimuth
** The cartridge needle must be vertical in the record groove in order to
trace the groove wall modulations correctly.
A small screw at the bearing end of the arm allows incorrect azimuth to be
corrected if your needle is not mounted exactly perpendicular to the cartridge
body (which is often the case).
Slacken off the screw just enough to be able to revolve the arm tube without
applying force. Please note: do not remove the screw completely!
With the aid of a good magnifying glass adjust the needle until it is vertical
in the groove (i.e. perpendicular to the record’s surface). Ideally this
should correspond to the top surface of the cartridge body being parallel to
the record surface.
When you are satisfied that the needle is vertical retighten the screw
carefully.
Please note: Under no circumstances should the arm tube be adjusted with the needle still in the record groove! Irreparable damage may be caused to the cantilever suspension! The arm must be lifted to make each adjustment and lowered afterwards to check it.
Fitting and connecting the cartridge
** All cartridges with half inch mounting holes can be fitted. Leaving the needle’s protection cover on, fit the cartridge to the headshell using the screws supplied with the cartridge by passing one screw through each slot in the headshell (20). Do not tighten the nuts yet.
Connect the tonearm wires to the cartridge pins as follows:
white left channel positive (L+)
red right channel pos. (R+)
green right channel return (R -)
blue left channel return (L -)
The full sound quality of the record player can only be achieved if the cartridge is correctly adjusted. Particular tools like the Pro-Ject alignment tool are required to accomplish this job properly.
If you are not well acquainted with the adjustment of cartridges you are advised to call upon the willing help of your Pro-Ject dealer to accomplish this task for you.
Please note: Adjusting a cartridge and tonearm calls for the greatest care in order to avoid damaging the cartridge or tonearm bearings. Leave this work to your dealer if you are in any way unsure of the necessary steps and precautions to be taken.
Maintenance and cleaning
Your record player requires little or no regular maintenance. Remove dust with
a slightly moistened antistatic cloth. Never use a dry cloth because this will
create static electricity which attract more dust! Antistatic cleaning fluids
are available at specialist stores but must be applied sparingly to avoid
damage to rubber parts. It is recommended to fit the needle cover before
cleaning or maintenance is carried out to avoid damage.
If the player is not used over a long period of time the drive belt can be
removed to prevent unequal stretching.
Always disconnect the record player from the mains power supply as a precaution before maintenance!
Technical specifications Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO/ Pro-Ject 8.6cc
Technical specifications MM-Sumiko Rainier
Technical specifications MM-Cartridge Ortofon 2M Red
Potential incorrect use and fault conditions
Pro-Ject turntables are manufactured to the highest standards and undergo strict quality controls before leaving the factory. Faults that may possibly occur are not necessarily due to material or production faults but can sometimes be caused by incorrect use or unfortunate circumstances. Therefore, the following list of common fault symptoms is included.
The platter doesn’t turn although the unit is switched on:
The unit is not connected to the mains power supply.
No mains at the socket.
Drive belt is not fitted or has slipped off.
No signal through one or other channel or both channels:
No signal contact from the cartridge to the internal tonearm wiring or from
that to the arm lead or from that to the phono box or between that and the
amplifier. This could be due to a faulty plug, broken wire or solder joint or
simply loose plug/socket connection.
Phono input not selected at amplifier.
Amplifier not switched on.
Amplifier or speakers defective or muted.
No connection to the loudspeakers.
Strong hum on phono input:
No earth connection from cartridge or arm or arm cable to amplifier, or earth loop.
Distorted or inconsistent sound from one or both channels:
Record player is connected to wrong input of amplifier, or MM/MC switch
incorrectly set.
Needle or cantilever damaged.
Wrong r.p.m., drive belt overstretched or dirty, platter bearing without oil,
dirty or damaged.
Service
Should you encounter a problem which you are not able to alleviate or identify despite the above information, please contact your dealer for further advice. Only when the problem cannot be resolved there should the unit be sent to the responsible distributor in your country.
Guarantee repairs will only be effected if the unit is returned correctly packaged. For this reason we recommend keeping the original packaging.
Never return a record player without making sure that is it safely disassembled and correctly packaged in the original packaging according to the diagrams on the last page of this user guide. Please remove these parts and pack them separately: lid (10), counterweight (6), anti-skating weight (15) platter (5) and belt (3). Fit the cartridge protection cap. Insert the transport lock for the tonearm (8) prior to carefully packaging the record player.
Warranty
The manufacturer accepts no responsibility for damage caused by not adhering to these instructions for use and/or by transportation without the original packaging. Modification or change to any part of the product by unauthorized persons release the manufacturer from any liability over and above the lawful rights of the customer.
PRO-JECT is a Registered Trademark of H. Lichtenegger.
This guide was produced by: Pro-Ject Audio Systems Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.
The information was correct at the time of going to press. The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the technical specification without prior notice as deemed necessary to uphold the ongoing process of technical development.
References
- Pro-Ject Audio Systems – Turntables and hifi stereo components since 1991 | Handmade in Europe
- Pro-Ject Audio Systems – Turntables and hifi stereo components since 1991 | Handmade in Europe