Even those new to the vinyl world know most of the basics, such as how to play a record player, what type of speaker setup is needed, or even how to connect a turntable to a Bluetooth speaker. Earlier boards included RF interference suppression by adding a small capacitor between the two inputs of U1 (the space for this cap can be seen in the PCB photo, which is of an early board). This has now been removed, as it caused more problems than it solved - in particular, opamp oscillation with some devices. I recommend giving the filters a listen to hear if you have a preference. Also try disabling upsampling entirely, particularly if you’re using an upsampling function in Roon or another music-player app. But after a little experimentation, just choose a setting and leave it there. The Pre Box RS2 Digital has an I 2S-capable HDMI input specifically intended for use with the CD Box RS2T. Pro-Ject describes I 2S as “the perfect digital interconnect and ... the ideal solution to bypass the limitations that inherently come with other forms of digital audio connections.” For music lovers who still spin shiny discs, the Pre Box RS2 Digital and CD Box RS2T form a compelling combination.

Yes, there is also this possibility. You can buy a turntable with an integrated preamp. However, this decision only makes sense in a few cases. For example, if you only want to listen to a record occasionally or digitize old records, a turntable with a preamplifier can be a good idea. After all, this can then be easily connected to an amplifier and used directly, this also applies to the PC or the sound card. If you want to listen to a turntable for music and also the appropriate quality, then a turntable without an integrated preamplifier is the better choice. In this way, you have significantly more control over the individual components of your system and can easily retrofit or replace as required. Information About The Test And The Product Recommendations Others do not, meaning you’ll need a standalone model. Most audiophiles actually prefer to use a separate preamp, but whether or not it can actually make a difference often depends on the rest of your sound system. True hi-fi quality with a pricetag that will appeal to vinyl newcomers – that's what Pro-Ject's new E1 turntables, built entirely in Europe, are supposed to offer.There is much to recommend using pots on the inputs for CD and Tuner in particular, so their levels can be matched to the other signal sources you have. Although this option is not shown here, it is described in Project 02, and the pots would be used in exactly the same way as shown in the original hi-fi preamp schematics. Key elements of the sound picture I'd hoped would make the journey through the manufacturing process were clear and present. In a couple of cases, I pulled out the reference lacquers and was even more impressed with the balance of impact and detail the Phono Box RS2 delivered. Very loud peaks played clearly and unclipped. The circuitry is so quiet that low-level information fights only the surface noise inherent to grooved discs. So, my experience with this phono stage has been a pretty good one. Albeit subtle, it sounds fantastic and was a step up (no pun intended) from the solid state phono preamp built into my Denon receiver. Following the motto "balanced vinyl for everyone!", the turntable and electronics manufacturer Pro-Ject wants to push balanced signal transmission forward and thus introduces the new turntable Pro-Ject X8 and the two phono preamps Pro-Ject S3 B and DS3 B.

The tape output can be made variable so that the level can be fixed at the best for a given tape machine. Simply use a 10k pot (preferably linear) to set the levels. There's also a change on the PCB, which requires that R5 (L+R) is replaced by a link, and the 1.5k resistor is moved 'off-board'. This prevents the balance control from affecting the tape out level, and also eliminates any small level change when you switch between the 'normal' and 'tape monitor' positions (see Fig. 3A). Rather than use a series of dipswitches (as many rivals do), the MX-VYNL has a rather elegant control dial to manage the switch between moving coil and moving magnet inputs and their different loading requirements.

Colourful Audio System

This is nowhere near the strength of the audio signal from other components like a CD player, so it needs to be boosted. A basic preamp boosts the signal to an output of 300 mv. The audio world knows of Pro-Ject Audio Systems as a major brand of turntables, but this Vienna-based company also makes an extensive line of electronics that lately have been winning all kinds of awards. For the past three years, Pro-Ject has received awards for its turntables and its electronic components from the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA). The analog output is a buffer that is both solid state and high-quality tube. Thus, the customer can choose which of the option is preferred. The Pre Box has eight digital filters. One of them is the proprietary optimal transient digital filter from the MQA creators. With these filters, the listener can customize the sound to suit their own preferences. Pre Box RS2 Digital comes with full HW and SW support for MQA technology (Master Quality Authenticated).

While the front panel looks like you might want a trip to the owner's manual, it's actually intuitive and user-friendly. Press the tiny button on the left and it switches on, a blue LED lighting up above the button. Other LEDs come on at this point to show which input has been chosen, whether or not the subsonic filter is engaged and which loading, capacitance and gain settings have been selected by the user. I don't know how many Pro-Jects I've had in my hands over the course of my testing life. From 215 to 7000 Euro everything was there, and always they where made with love and good judgement and thus belonged to the best of their price range – or were even the absolute top. This is where the phono stage (or phono preamp) comes in. It has two jobs. Firstly, it has the reverse response built into it – one that boosts bass and flattens treble to exactly the right degree, which should result in a tonally even presentation for the audio signal.It's superb balance of attitude and refinement. If the rest of your system is up to scratch, the MX-VYNL is worth the investment. If you have a vintage amp or receiver that was produced before 1980, then it’s likely it has a built-in preamp. Engaging the subsonic filter (also available via front panel pushbutton produces less low frequency rumble, but it also takes from a lot of the energy in the music resulting in an emotionally “flat” sound. Pro-Ject lists the filter as 20Hz with a slope of 18dB/octave however, the “20Hz” part confuses me because the filter doesn’t sound like it starts to drop at 20Hz. In fact, it sounds like it drops off at around 30-35Hz. Even some seasoned audiophiles don’t know much about preamps, or the important role they can play in an audio setup. Much of Andrew Bird's My Finest Work Yet (Loma Vista LVR005557) was recorded live in Stevie Wonder's old studio in Los Angeles. The opening cut, "Sisyphus," has some studio ambience. Starting with the MC setup, with gain at 63dB and the recommended 400 ohm loading, the group seemed to be positioned between and behind the speakers. Imaging, scale, and depth of field were how I'm used to hearing them, which wasn't surprising: Bird's vocals and violin—indeed all the instruments—sounded rich, full, and substantial, yet studio-natural without oversaturated colors. All sounded complete, of a piece.