Four gain settings, four impedance settings, four capacitance settings and a switchable subsonic filter, in a box the size of a paperback. The phono stage that fits almost any cartridge you will ever own. The Phono Box S2 is the point in Pro-Ject’s range where a phono stage stops being a fixed converter and starts being an instrument you set up. Gain runs 40, 43, 60 and 63dB, which covers moving-magnet at the bottom and low-output moving coil at the top with a fine adjustment on each. Input impedance offers 10Ω, 100Ω, 1kΩ and 47kΩ. Capacitance offers 100, 200, 320 and 420pF. Between them, there is almost no cartridge made that cannot be loaded properly here. The settings are made with DIP switches on the underside of the case. Pro-Ject’s manual is explicit about the procedure: unplug the unit from both the power supply and the amplifier before you change anything, and set both channels identically. Turn the box over, set the switches, turn it back, plug in. It takes a minute and it is worth doing properly — loading is the single largest thing you can change about how a cartridge sounds without buying a different cartridge. The subsonic filter is on the same switch bank. It rolls off at 20Hz at 12dB per octave, which suppresses the very low frequency energy produced by warped records and turntable rumble before it reaches the amplifier and starts flapping your woofers around. Leave it off unless you need it; switch it on the moment you hear cone excursion on a warped pressing. Published figures are 85dB signal-to-noise, 0.01% distortion on moving-magnet, 0.05% on moving coil, and RIAA accuracy inside 0.4dB across the band. Pro-Ject publishes the signal-to-noise figure as one number rather than splitting it by cartridge type, which is a small gap in their documentation rather than an omission in ours. Features Four gain settings: 40, 43, 60 and 63dB Four input impedance settings: 10Ω, 100Ω, 1kΩ and 47kΩ Four input capacitance settings: 100, 200, 320 and 420pF Switchable subsonic filter at 20Hz, 12dB per octave All settings by DIP switch on the underside of the case RIAA accuracy within 0.4dB, 20Hz–20kHz External power supply Specifications Type: Moving-magnet and moving-coil phono preamplifier Cartridge support: MM and MC, switchable Gain: 40 / 43 / 60 / 63dB Input impedance: 10Ω / 100Ω / 1kΩ / 47kΩ Input capacitance: 100 / 200 / 320 / 420pF How the settings are made: DIP switches on the underside of the unit. Pro-Ject’s manual instructs you to disconnect both the power supply and the amplifier before changing them, and to set both channels identically Output level: Not published Signal-to-noise ratio: 85dB. Pro-Ject publishes a single figure and does not break it out by MM and MC THD+N: 0.01% (MM) / 0.05% (MC) RIAA accuracy: Less than 0.4dB, 20Hz–20kHz Subsonic filter: Switchable, −12dB at 20Hz, on the same DIP bank Alternate EQ curves: None. RIAA only Channel separation: Not published. Pro-Ject publishes no channel separation or crosstalk figure for any product in the Phono Box or Tube Box range. Inputs: 1 pair RCA Outputs: 1 pair RCA Power supply: External, 18V DC / 500mA. The unit draws 85mA Dimensions: 103 x 36 x 115 mm (W x H x D). The PDF gives 103 x 36 x 104mm with 115mm quoted as the depth including sockets Weight: 570g net Country of manufacture: Not published for this model Warranty: Two years from date of purchase, extendable to three years by registering the product with Pro-Ject and subscribing to their newsletter. Pro-Ject states that warranty is administered by the local distributor and that terms can vary by region; no separate United States term is published. Coverage requires purchase from an authorised dealer — The ’In Groove is one.
