Balanced Phono Performance at the Entry Level The Pro-Ject Phono Box S3 B is an entry-level phono preamplifier built around a fully balanced design in a compact steel and aluminium case. It brings Pro-Ject's True Balanced Connection, once reserved for the flagship RS range, to a far more accessible level. Two turntable inputs, front-panel cartridge loading and a fully discrete gain stage make it a flexible hub for a vinyl system. Why You'll Love It True Balanced Connection. Paired with an MC cartridge and a balanced cable, the 5-pin mini XLR input opens a fully balanced signal path that filters out interference from household electronics, Wi-Fi and power cables. Two turntables, stored settings. Connect up to two decks at once, with all loading parameters for each input saved to memory, so switching between them needs no re-adjustment. Front-panel cartridge matching. Impedance and capacitance loading are set from the front of the unit, down to ultra-low values such as 10 ohms and 50 pF, to match a wide range of cartridges. Under the Hood Fully discrete, symmetrical gain stage. The amplifier section is built from individual components with no integrated circuits, feeding a clean signal to the RIAA stage for a strong signal-to-noise ratio. Semi-passive RIAA equalisation. A semi-passive equalisation stage handles the RIAA curve accurately, quoted at under 0.3 dB across 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Rigid steel and aluminium case. The heavier casework adds rigidity and shields the sensitive circuitry from outside interference. Handmade in Europe. CHT Insider Verdict The Phono Box S3 B is aimed at listeners ready to move past a basic built-in phono stage. Balanced in and outputs, a discrete gain stage and dual-turntable support are unusual at this level, and the payoff is clearest with a moving coil cartridge on a balanced cable. Owners of RCA-only turntables still gain a well-built, quiet and adjustable phono stage with room to grow into balanced operation later. Pro Tip: To hear what the balanced design offers, pair the S3 B with a moving coil cartridge and a Pro-Ject True Balanced cable into the 5-pin mini XLR input. A standard moving magnet cartridge over RCA uses only half of that signal path. Specifications Gain and Loading Input impedance 10, 50, 100, 1k, 47k Ω Input capacitance 50, 150, 300, 400 pF Gain 40, 45, 60, 65 dB (+6 dB using XLR outputs) Performance Signal-to-noise ratio (MM, 40 dB) 103 dBV, 110 dBV - A-weighted Signal-to-noise ratio (MC, 60 dB) 85 dBV, 90 dBV - A-weighted THD at 1 kHz
