Pro-Ject Debut Reference 10: The Debut Series Grows Up

ducurguz
9 hours ago
3 min read

With a new 10-inch hybrid tonearm, balanced output, and premium materials throughout, the Debut Reference 10 pushes Pro-Ject’s best-selling line firmly into high-end territory.

Turntable with a silver tonearm and clear dust cover on a white round table, set against a gradient gray background. Minimalist design.

For years, the Debut range has been the foundation of Pro-Ject’s success. It’s the turntable series that made European-built vinyl playback accessible to a wider audience — simple, musical, and relatively affordable.

Now, with the Pro-Ject Debut Reference 10, the Austrian brand is aiming higher.

This isn’t just another incremental update. It’s the most ambitious Debut yet — and it signals a clear shift toward more premium design and engineering.

The Big Upgrade: A 10-Inch Hybrid Tonearm

The headline feature is an entirely new 10-inch one-piece carbon-aluminium tonearm.

Instead of choosing between materials, Pro-Ject combines them:

Carbon fibre outer layer for rigidity and low resonance
Internal aluminium tube for vibration damping
254mm effective length
16.6g effective mass
16mm overhang

It’s a serious arm, far beyond entry-level expectations.

VTA is fully adjustable via twin grub screws, allowing precise setup for different cartridges. There’s also an adaptive anti-skating mechanism designed to apply consistent force across the record surface — not just at one fixed point.

Pre-installed is Pro-Ject’s Pick it PRO Balanced moving magnet cartridge, a European-made design that supports true balanced signal transmission.

And that’s the real surprise:The rear panel features a mini-XLR balanced output — something rarely seen at this level.

For vinyl enthusiasts running balanced phono stages, this is a meaningful upgrade path.

No Plastic in Sight

One of the most obvious shifts in the Debut Reference 10 is material choice.

Plastic components have been replaced with diamond-cut aluminium wherever possible.

CNC-milled aluminium sub-platter adds rotational mass
30cm satin-finished acrylic main platter
Records sit directly on the acrylic — no felt mat required

Acrylic’s impedance is close to that of vinyl, theoretically improving energy transfer and reducing resonance reflections.

And yes — ditching the felt mat is a welcome move.

Black and silver tonearm labeled "Pro-Ject" and "Pick It Pro," with red accents, against a black background. Sleek, modern design.

Chassis, Isolation and Motor Control

The plinth is made from hand-painted MDF, supported by three height-adjustable aluminium feet with TPE damping.

Not four. Three.

Three-point support makes levelling easier and ensures stable contact, especially on less-than-perfect surfaces.

Motor isolation has also been redesigned. The belt-driven DC motor sits in a revised suspension system aimed at reducing vibration transfer into the chassis.

Speed control is electronic:

33⅓ rpm
45 rpm
78 rpm (via included belt for shellac records)

Simple toggle control, no manual belt shifting required for standard speeds.

Connectivity and Accessories

Out of the box, you get:

Mini-XLR balanced output
Gold-plated RCA single-ended outputs
Connect it Phono E cable
Record Puck E clamp
Dust cover
7-inch single adapter
15V DC power supply

There’s also an optional upgrade:The Power Box S3 Phono, which provides filtered DC power for both the turntable and a Pro-Ject phono stage simultaneously — a neat solution for those chasing cleaner power delivery.