Many modern hi-fi amplifiers lack their own phono stage, so an external pre-amp will be needed to give a turntable's signal a boost. A new flagship device from Austrian hi-fi company Pro-Ject is due to go on sale from next month, and is designed for optimum control.
Coming up to its 30th year, Pro-Ject is perhaps best known for its range of minimalist turntables like the Debut, Elemental and X lines, but also manufactures hi-fi components, vinyl record cleaning machines and headphones. The latest product to be added to its catalog is the Phono Box RS2 reference-class phono pre-amplifier, which takes its place as the flagship of the company's 17-model phono stage line-up.
The unit supports both RIAA and DECCA recording standards, with the user able to switch between two equalization profiles via the front panel. The user can also adjust gain across eight levels to match the Moving Magnet or Moving Coil cartridge of the connected turntable, and input impedance load can be adjusted manually during playback.
The RS2 employs fully balanced, dual-mono circuitry design and offers both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs for connection flexibility, and it features a balance control range of 4 dB in total. The unit benefits from an external 20-V power supply to nip any potential magnetic interference in the bud, and the housing is designed to shield the system from unwanted noise.
The Phono Box RS2 will be available from January 2021 for €1,499 (about US$1,800).
Product page: RS2
