Fully symmetrical, dual-mono phono preamplifier for both MM and MC systems with an unbeatable performance/price ratio

Unlock the full potential of your vinyl collection!

Free your Hi-Fi stereo system from unwanted noise and interference. Get closer to the music you love and take your music experience to the next level. With the new Pro-Ject PHONO BOX S3 B fully symmetrical preamplifier, you have all the tools to do so, at a price that is unrivalled in its class.

ThePHONO BOX S3 B is the ultimate flexible phono preamplifier suitable for both MM and MC phono cartridge systems. The letter B in the name stands for "Balanced", i.e. SYMETRIC. It is thus a phono preamplifier with a fully symmetrical design. When connected to a turntable using a 5-PIN mini XLR cable, you get a truly fully symmetrical signal path and maximum sound from your turntable.

A truly symmetrical preamplifier

In a symmetrical path, both signal wires effectively transmit the same musical information with one reversed phase. When the source signal enters the symmetrical input, one phase of the signal is rotated 180°, preserving only the usefulsignal, because the interfering signals are in opposite phase to each other before summing and are of the same level, so together they cancel out. When the two waves are summed in a phono preamplifier, the final musical signal will be at twice the level and the noise will be removed.The fully symmetrical PHONO BOX S3 B can extract the final musical information from the +/- signals and subtract, removing any noise that could potentially be added to the transmission. Because there are two separate signal chains, two separate amplifier sections are also required.

Fully discrete circuits

The Phono Box S3 B uses fully discrete audio circuitry for amplification. A discrete circuit consists of electronic components that are disparate separate devices, also called discrete components. Countless hours of listening tests have shown that even the best operational amplifiers are not perfectly neutral, natural, dynamic or lively. Standard phono preamps with integrated circuits contain a few dozen or hundreds of components, but in comparison, discrete designs use hundreds or thousands of components.

Semi-passive EQ

Symmetrical signals are processed by a semi-passive and discrete RIAA equalization stage after re-summing. Because the gain stage is fully symmetrical and the signal-to-noise ratio is optimized, the EQ section is given the best source to work with. Fully separated passive equalization allows for better impedance matching and less deviation from the ideal RIAA curve. For symmetrical XLR outputs, the discrete stage generates a fully symmetrical signal. RCA outputs have their own fully discrete output stage for each channel, controlled directly by the RIAA EQ.

Perfect with any transmission

With customizable input impedance, capacitance and gain, this phono preamplifier is user-friendly and versatile, making it a leader in its price category. Simplicity is one of its main strengths.You can even connect two turntables (or a turntable with two arms) and make all settings for each cartridge separately right on the front panel.One turntable can be connected to the RCA inputs and the other to the balanced XLR inputs. You can then switch between them using the INPUT button on the front panel. The settings for each input are stored separately in memory. In addition, because the symmetrical design also allows for high gain levels, the settings can also have a large range from 40 db to 65 db.The PHONO BOX S3 B can thus be perfectly adapted for each transmission and optimally integrated into the rest of your Hifi system, while the úvolume levels will exactly match other sources such as CD players or streaming devices. The option to set ultra-low values such as 50 PF or 10 Ω allow the PHONO BOX S3 B to be used for special applications, for example in conjunction with higher capacity cables. The result will always be unrivalled in its class.

Practical and elegant design

ThePHONO BOX S3 B has a very robust and vibration-resistant chassis made of aluminium panels.The design is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also provides excellent protection against unwanted electromagnetic interference and vibration.

The component is offered in black or silver.

True Balanced Ready (true symmetrical connection)

To take advantage of a true balanced connection, your turntable must have a Moving Coil (MC) transmission installed. True Balanced Ready turntables are ready for symmetrical signals, but come standard with an MM (Moving Magnet) type cartridge.

Virtually all Pro-Ject turntables have symmetrical connectors. The industry standard, however, is to use a conventional RCA unbalanced connection, as it is cheaper and much more widespread compared to a truly symmetrical connection. If you want to take advantage of all the benefits of symmetrical connections, choose a Tre Balanced Ready turntable - these turntables are marked with the letter B (Balanced) in their name, e.g. X1 B, X2 B or DEBUT PRO B.

With a balanced connection you will get details from your cherished records that were previously impossible to hear.

BENEFITS

• - NEW - symmetrical XLR inputs and outputs
• - NEW - 5-Pin mini XLR symmetrical input
• - NEW - fully symmetrical and discrete amplifier stage
• - Ideal for MM & MC transmissions
• - Dual mono design
• - Infinitely adjustable input load impedance
• - Semi-passive RIAA equalization
• - The perfect partner for MC transmissions
• - Very low noise/distortion
• - Heavy-duty aluminum chassis resists vibration and protects against interference
• - Available in silver or black
• - Made in Europe

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• -Input impedance:10, 50, 100, 1000 Ω and 47 kΩ
• -Switchable capacitance:50, 150, 300, 400 pF
• -Signal to noise ratio:MM (40db): 103 dBV, 110 dBV / MC (60db): 85 dBV, 90 dBV
• -Gain: XLR:40, 45, 60, 65 dB
• -THD (total harmonic distortion at 1 kHz):< 0.001% MM, < 0.005% MC
• -THD (total harmonic distortion at 20 Hz - 20 kHz):< 0.008 % MM, < 0.01 % MC
• -Subsonic filter: - 18 dB @ 20 Hz
• - Inputs: RCA + 5-PIN mini XLR
• - Line level signal outputs: XLR + RCA
• -RIAA Accuracy:< 0.3 dB / 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• -External power supply: 18 V / 500 mA DC (included)
• -Power consumption: 18 V / max. 170 mA DC, < 0.5 W in standby mode
• - Dimensions: 206 (W) × 55 (H) × 153 (D) mm (164 mm with connectors)
• - Weight: 930 g (without power supply)