Phono Box DS3 B

True Balanced, Dual Mono & Fully Discrete Audiophile Phono Stage

A New Level of Balance

The New Phono Box DS3 B

At Pro-Ject, balanced connections were exclusive to our RS range of products until now. The Phono Box DS3 B model offers some of the high-end features of the Phono Box RS2 at an affordable price and trusted Pro-Ject quality. One of those is our new True Balanced Connection.

High-End Features and Limitless Loading Options

The Phono Box DS3 B employs a steel chassis enveloped by aluminium panels. This construction offers very high rigidity and isolation against interferences, which is essential for the new technology inside. Magnetic wooden side panels are available separately as add-ons. You can connect up to two turntables simultaneously – all parameters for each input get stored in the memory. Perfectly match the Phono Box DS3 B to a wide variety of cartridges. Load impedance can be set continuously via a potentiometer, a system invented by Pro-Ject Audio Systems, to adjust the impedance during playback and assess the impact of different loading options in real-time. No other manufacturer implements this feature as elegantly!

Balanced By Nature

Cartridges are balanced signal transducers by nature! Due to the internal wiring of MM cartridges, you'll need a MC cartridge to access the entirety of that balanced signal. Together with our new True Balanced Connection cables you'll be able to access high-end features that were previously only available on the most expensive phono stages. And the best: any Pro-Ject turntable with RCA, miniXLR or 5P output can do it!

A Technical Deep Dive

The Phono Box DS3 B incorporates a true, fully balanced gain stage design. Whether you're using a single-ended RCA or balanced connection, both times the fully symmetrical gain stage can optimize the signal-to-noise ratios, feeding the fully passive and discrete RIAA equalization stage with the cleanest signal to work its magic on. Entirely split passive equalization allows for better impedance matching and lower deviation from the ideal RIAA curve. The Phono Box DS3 B uses fully discrete audio circuitry. A discrete circuit is composed of disparate, individual electronic components, also called discrete components. Years of experience have proven that even the best Op-Amps do not come close to the neutral, natural, dynamic, and vivid presentations of discrete circuit.

True Balanced Connection

The symmetrical design is the fundamental standout feature! Connect your turntable via the 5-pin mini XLR cable or standard XLR cables and enjoy the benefits of our new True Balanced Connection. A truly balanced gain stage can extract the final musical information, effectively filtering out any noise from interferences stemming from our noisy, modern homes (household appliances, wifi & Bluetooth, power cables, audio amplifiers).

REVIEW & AWARDS

Pro-Ject X2 B, Phono Box DS3 B and Connect it Phono - Read More

"The Pro-Ject setup presented here, consisting of the X2 B with the Ortofon MC Quintet Red MC cartridge, the Phono Box DS3 B and the Connect it Phono DS XLR/Mini-XLR, represents high-end in the purest form. Elsewhere, you would have to pay many times more for the fully symmetrical and thus interference-resistant design from signal generation to the output from the phono stage. For just under two and a half thousand euros, the proud buyer acquires a fascinating and emotionally stirring vinyl chain from the record player market leader." - Carsten Bussler

System test: Pro-Ject X8 SuperPack, Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3 B - Read More

"The big surprise is the balanced phono preamp - in combination with the solid mass drive plus Ortofon pickup, you get a lot of music for your money. " - Holger Barske

Pro-Ject X8 Turntable and DS3 B Phono Box Review - Read More

"It is hard not to be impressed by Pro-Ject's new X8 turntable package and DS3 B phono stage combination. Especially when you exploit its balanced input/output options, it delivers truly high-end vinyl performance at a surprisingly reasonable price. It's also a nice turntable to use. Everything functions smoothly, and it is large and spacious without being too big – and how nice to have a turntable with a lid once again! I even like its styling and selling price. A thoroughbred in every respect, it's well worth an audition. " - James Michael Hughes

Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3 B review: A stellar turntable companion - Read More

"The Pro-Ject Phono Box DS3 B combined with the X8 turntable is by far the best listening experience I’ve had with a turntable setup that costs less than $10,000. If you’re not ready to make the investment in a balanced turntable, the DS3 B would be an excellent placeholder investment, since it does a fantastic job with the unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs.

Pro-Ject has delivered a versatile phono preamp with remarkably neutral and detailed sound. It’s worth the investment even if you’re using it with the most basic setup possible, and it becomes an outstanding value once you take advantage of everything it can do." - James Barber

TEST: Pro-Ject X8 Special Edition / Phono Box DS3 B – Record player jewel with symmetry bonus - Read More

"The Pro-Ject X8 Special Edition is of first-class workmanship, has a carbon tonearm and comes with an excellent pickup. Its smooth running is hard to beat, thanks in part to its high weight. The best ingredients for a sophisticated sound, which the X8 delivers without any limitations. But with just a few simple steps, you can make this already very good record player sound even better. Replacing a single cable is enough to upgrade to symmetrical signal transfer - assuming you have a suitable phono preamp, of course. With True Balanced, the entire sound suddenly seems finer, more dynamic and more accurate. Details are reproduced in a bit more detail. The sound also gains fine dynamics and life. This is exactly how I would recommend using the X8. The good thing is: you don't have to, you can. This leaves all options open for the future. " - Roman Maier

SPECIFICATIONS