Предусилители — Pro-Ject Pre Box S3

The Pre Box S3 is a stereo preamplifier that Pro-Ject Audio Systems calls an all-in-one control centre, bringing analogue, digital and wireless sources together in one compact unit for systems that include a turntable, a streamer and a TV. It combines a preamplifier, DAC, headphone amplifier and MM phono stage, and it is designed and manufactured in Europe. Launched for February availability in Europe and North America, it sells for USD 699, GBP 499 or EUR 599, ships with a remote and comes in a black or silver aluminium housing.

Key specs that matter

Analogue inputs are two RCA pairs plus an MM phono input on RCA. Digital inputs cover coaxial RCA, two Toslink, asynchronous USB-C, HDMI eARC with CEC and Bluetooth 5.0 including aptX and aptX HD. On the output side there are a variable RCA pair, a fixed 3.5 mm jack and a dedicated subwoofer RCA. Line gain is 4.5 dB and phono gain is 45 dB. Frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz stays within -0.4 dB, channel separation is -72 dB at 10 kHz, and the quoted S/N figure is 110 dB, or 120 dB A-weighted. THD is below 0.007%. The headphone output supplies 2 x 70 mW into 32 ohms at 1% THD and accepts headphones from 16 to 600 ohms.

Engineering and use context

In the maker's words, both the analogue and digital circuits are engineered for signal purity. Digital conversion uses a Cirrus Logic CS4344 at 24 bit and 192 kHz, with precise internal clocking for low jitter. Pro-Ject keeps the digital and analogue sections strictly separated and uses short signal paths in a low-noise layout. Volume is set by a motorised analogue potentiometer, and the DAC section follows a dual-mono design. A 12 V trigger output and an RS232 connector are provided for custom installation work. The unit is powered by an external 18 V, 500 mA DC supply that works on 100 to 240 V mains at 50 or 60 Hz, and it uses under 0.5 W in standby. The case measures 206 x 55 x 153 mm, or 176 mm deep with sockets, and weighs 1020 g without the power supply.

Pairing

A moving magnet record player plugs straight into the phono socket, and the HDMI eARC connection brings television sound into the stereo chain. The variable RCA output connects to an external power amplifier or active monitors, while the subwoofer output drives a powered subwoofer, so the unit can serve as the centre of a small office system or a space-conscious main system with TV, laptop, phone and record player all connected at once.

Alternatives

Pro-Ject's Pre Box S2 Analogue is a smaller line-only model in the Box Design series with three analogue inputs.