Фонокорректоры — Pro-Ject Optical Box E Phono

The Optical Box E Phono is a compact phono preamplifier built to add a moving-magnet turntable to a system whose amplifier has no built-in phono input. It is aimed at a straightforward vinyl setup rather than a system built around cartridge experimentation, and its small footprint reflects that focused purpose.

Position in line

It sits in Pro-Ject's Box E entry tier, alongside the Phono Box E BT and Phono Box models, offering a simpler feature set than the valve-equipped Tube Box S3 B further up the range - the Box E designation across Pro-Ject's catalogue generally marks the most accessible tier of a given product category rather than a specific technical limitation.

Key specs that matter

Gain is fixed at 43 dB, in the usual range for moving-magnet cartridges rather than the higher gain a moving-coil design needs, so the intended use case is clear from this single figure alone. Distortion is specified below 0.04%, a reasonable figure for an entry-tier solid-state phono stage. At 120 x 32 x 100 mm and 250 g, it is sized to sit directly behind a turntable rather than in a rack, small enough to tuck out of sight on a shelf beneath the deck itself.

Sound and use context

Expect a clean, unshaped presentation typical of a solid-state phono stage at this size - the character comes mostly from the cartridge and turntable ahead of it rather than from the preamplifier itself, so upgrading the cartridge will likely have more audible impact than upgrading this unit alone.

Pairing

The 43 dB gain suits moving-magnet cartridges; a moving-coil cartridge needs a preamplifier with higher gain or a separate step-up stage, since 43 dB would leave a low-output moving-coil design sounding quiet and lacking headroom.

Alternatives

The Tube Box E and Tube Box S3 B move into valve-equipped phono stages further up Pro-Ject's range, for a warmer, more overtly voiced alternative to this model's neutral solid-state approach, at a price that reflects the added tube complement and output stage complexity.

Because the unit has no volume or gain adjustment beyond its fixed setting, matching cartridge type correctly at the outset matters more than it would with a more flexible, switchable design. Cable length between turntable and preamplifier should stay short given the unit's typical placement directly behind the deck, since unshielded runs of more than a metre or so can pick up hum in a system with several other components nearby.