A zillion years after its 1950 introduction, the iconic VW hippie van is still rolling off the production line in Brazil.
Elegant and Affordable Czech Turntables
By James Grahame
Pro-Ject turntables are manufactured in the Czech town of Litovel, several hundred kilometers east of Prague. Their broad range includes several stratospherically expensive models, but my favorite is the affordable yet impressive Debut III ($379).
This uncluttered manual turntable includes a straight aluminum tonearm with an Ortofon OM 5E cartridge. The steel platter includes a felt mat and the precision motor is decoupled to reduce vibration. The turntable runs at 33/45 rpm, requiring a quick pulley change. 78 rpm is optional, but you'll need to invest in a special 33/78 rpm pulley.
A turntable doesn't get simpler than this -- there is no automatic cutoff at the end of a record, nor is the motor digitally controlled (a quartz controller is an option). All you get is great sound and minimalist design. In fact, the hardest choice will be selecting the color. It's available in matte black, glossy black, glossy white, silver, red, yellow, blue and green.
Pro-Ject Audio Systems Debut III [official site]
Available in North America from The Needle Doctor
