Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3 B
Balanced phono stage
The Phono Box DS3 B exudes sophistication with its steel chassis and meticulously crafted screwed aluminum panels, providing impeccable rigidity and shielding against interferences. Offered in silver or black, this audio gem can be enhanced with magnetic wooden side panels, available separately. Distinguished by a true fully balanced gain stage design, the Phono Box DS3 B elevates your turntable experience. Whether connected with a 5-pin mini XLR cable or standard XLR cables, the balanced signal path ensures symmetrical transmissions, effectively carrying identical musical information through hot and cold signal chains.
The ingenious balanced gain stage extracts the pure musical essence, eliminating potential noise along the transmission. Setting itself apart, the Phono Box DS3 B employs fully discrete audio circuitry, eschewing integrated circuits for individual electronic components. Extensive listening tests and experience reveal the superiority of discrete designs over even the best Op-Amps, delivering unparalleled neutrality, naturalness, dynamics, and vividness. The magic continues with a fully passive and discrete RIAA equalization stage, ensuring optimal signal-to-noise ratios. The balanced XLR outputs benefit from a discrete balancing stage, while the single-ended RCA outputs have their own fully discrete output stage directly served by the RIAA EQ.
Practicality meets sophistication as the Phono Box DS3 B accommodates two turntables simultaneously, easily configurable on the front plate with memory-stored input settings. Amplification levels ranging from 40dB to 65dB become feasible due to the fully balanced design, allowing seamless integration with various cartridges and precise volume matching with other audio sources. A unique feature is the continuous adjustment of load impedance via a potentiometer, an innovation by Pro-Ject Audio Systems. This allows on-the-fly optimization during playback, enabling users to assess the impact of different loading options and find the ideal load impedance for their cartridge—a distinctive feature not found in other manufacturers' products.
The Phono Box DS3 B is a testament to craftsmanship, marrying elegance with cutting-edge technology for an unparalleled vinyl listening experience.
| Measurements | 20,6 x 7,2 x 19,4 cm |
| Weight (net) | 1.48 kg |
| Input, Stereo RCA | 1 |
| Input, Stereo XLR | 1 |
| Input, mini XLR | 1 |
| Output, Stereo RCA | 1 |
| Output, Stereo XLR | 1 |
| MM Compatible | Yes |
| MC Compatible | Yes |
| DECCA compatible | No |
| Subsonic filter | Yes |
| Capacitance load adjustment | Yes |
| In the box | Power supply, Users guide |
| Power consumption when standby | <0.5 watts |