Integrated amplifiers — Pro-Ject MaiA DS3

The MaiA DS3 from Pro-Ject is a small integrated unit that places a power amplifier, a digital to analogue converter, a phono preamplifier, Bluetooth reception and a headphone stage in one chassis. It offers nine inputs in total and is housed in a machined full aluminium case, available in silver or black. Pro-Ject, a company active since 1991, builds it in Europe and describes its products as made for a long service life.

Key specs that matter

Pro-Ject quotes 2 x 80 W into 8 ohms and 2 x 140 W into 4 ohms at 1% THD. THD is below 0.01% at 10 W into 8 ohms, while S/N reaches 97 dB, or 105 dB A-weighted, at 1 kHz. Frequency response deviates less than 0.3 dB at 20 kHz. The chassis measures 206 x 71 x 240 mm, or 252 mm deep with sockets, and weighs 1850 g without the power supply, which is an external 36 V 5.5 A DC unit. Standby consumption stays below 0.5 W.

Engineering and use context

The analogue side includes three RCA line pairs together with one RCA phono input that accepts MM, MI and MC cartridges. The phono stage works on the current sensing principle, with input impedance of 47,000 ohms for MM and 100 ohms for MC, and gain of 40 dB for MM and 60 dB for MC. Digital sources connect through a USB Audio Class 2 input handling PCM up to 192 kHz and 24 bits as well as DSD64, DSD128 and DSD256, plus one coaxial and two optical inputs. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD covers wireless streaming. For outputs the amplifier has variable RCA outputs for a subwoofer or an additional power amplifier, a fixed RCA output that passes the signal on unaffected by the volume control, and a headphone output rated at 2 x 430 mW into 32 ohms. The aluminium case is designed to protect the electronics from outside interference.

Pairing

The power rating into low loads covers low impedance speakers, and Pro-Ject's own Speaker Box 10 E Carbon, a low impedance floorstander with a recommended range of 10 to 150 W, sits within that window. A turntable goes straight into the phono socket, a computer to the USB port, and a TV or streamer to the optical sockets. The variable outputs make adding an active subwoofer straightforward, and the fixed output can send the signal to another device in a second room, for example a recording unit or a separate amplifier. A single box therefore replaces a separate phono stage, DAC, Bluetooth receiver and headphone amplifier.

Alternatives

The Pro-Ject MaiA S3 is the smaller sibling in the MaiA family, giving 23 W into 8 ohms and fitted with an MM phono input.