The Phono Box S3 B is a compact, affordable moving magnet and moving coil phono stage with dual-mono layout, discrete circuitry and balanced inputs and outputs. With its spacious, minimalist design layout, it is easily customisable to suit any connected cartridge, and offers unrivalled value for money and performance when connected to any matching analogue hi-fi system.
The Pro-Ject design team took the decision to employ fully symmetrical and discrete circuitry in the gain stage of the Phono Box S3 B. Discrete circuits involve no operational amplifiers (op-amps), and the result is a more neutral, natural, dynamic, and vivid sound. They are more complicated to put together and involve a greater variety of components, but the result when utilised in a well-organised electrical layout is a true high-end sound.
The Phono Box S3 B is extensively customisable so suit the moving magnet or moving coil cartridge it is connected to. With five Impedance (Ω), four Capacitance (pF) and four Gain options on offer, there are very few cartridges this box of tricks cannot accommodate.
As the Phono Box S3 B is equipped with both balanced inputs and outputs, it is also part of Pro-Ject’s True Balanced Connections concept. By connecting to a turntable with a moving coil cartridge and using one of Pro-Ject’s balanced connection cables, your analogue system can benefit from increased dynamics, less noise and improved signal-to-noise ratios. Going true balanced is like hearing parts of your music that were not there before.
This requires engineering that has never been seen at this price point and opens up iconic mid-level turntables, such as the Debut Pro, to the benefits of True Balanced Connections.
Elsewhere in the Phono Box S3 B design, the semi-passive RIAA equalisation stage is optimised for absolute accuracy and signal integrity. Depending on the outputs you are using, this stage is then either directly fed to the output stage (when using RCA outputs) or is connected to a balancing stage for onward balanced connections.
The Phono Box S3 B is finished in a steel chassis, covered by silver or black aluminium panels, for extreme rigidity and good electrical isolation. The neat minimalist aesthetic allows for good spacing between controls on the front panel and connections on the back panel, despite its smaller size. It also features an external power adapter, to keep the sensitive internal signals free from any interferences.
True Balanced Connections
The interconnect cable between a record player and a phono stage is prone to pick up noise on the way. That noise and interference can stem from a lot of unavoidable sources, such as household applicances, wi-fi and bluetooth devices, other power cables and audio amplifiers. Unshielded (i.e. RCA) interconnects can amplify the picked-up noise and make it audible through your speakers, interfering with the pure musical signal.
Balanced (typically XLR) cable connections double the wires carrying the musical signal – with one side inverted. In this case noise still gets picked up by both wires, but with one side reversed. When the signals are re-joined at the phono stage, the picked-up noise is cancelled out by the opposing signals. The benefit of this is a louder, cleaner musical signal that has doubled in size with almost no remaining noise.
For more information about 'True Balanced Connections' click here.
Key Features:
- NEW 5-pin mini XLR balanced input
- NEW balanced XLR outputs
- NEW fully symmetrical & discrete gain stage
- NEW easy settings adjustment on the faceplate
- MM & MC capable
- Dual mono design
- Semi-passive RIAA equalization
- Superior low noise / low distortion
- Aluminium casing protects against interference
- Available in silver or black
- Made in Europe
Thank you for considering Yorkshire AV for your next investment in your AV or HiFi setup.
We are an approved retailer for all brands sold on our website, which means full manufacturers warranty and support as well as detailed product knowledge within our small business.
We use an inventory tracking system which states if item(s) are in stock and if not, what are the likely lead times.
Who do you use for delivery?
Our primary delivery agent is DPD. Where orders are shipped directly from Yorkshire AV, we always use DPD who offer a fabulous service at competitive rates.
If we drop ship (i.e. direct from the supplier) then the delivery agent is out of our control. It is generally DPD or UPS however - we rarely see other carriers used.
Selecting "Next Day" delivery does not mean you'll receive your item the next day in some cases. It's the next day from when the item(s) are in stock with us. If there is an urgent need then please contact a member of staff via the Live Chat or telephone (01757 826111) to check on live stock levels.
Certain product(s) are delayed in manufacturing due to semi-conductor shortages across the Globe. We'll keep you informed as to your order progress and a likely ETA once we get updates from the manufacturers.
Returns
Standard Returns
Our returns policy lasts for 28 days for all items in our store except those defined in section (1) below.
To be eligible for a refund, your item must be unused/unopened and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging. If you return the item to us within 14 days of purchasing, you will be offered a full refund or exchange.
If your return comes to us after 14 days of purchasing and is opened, we will refund the full amount less 20%. Unused items returned up to 28 days after purchasing will be fully refunded.
It's the responsibility of the customer to return the items at your cost.
Yorkshire AV are able to arrange collection - please contact us for a quote.
You must ensure goods are shipped in their original packaging if they are damaged/not working.
Manufacturers will not accept returns and Yorkshire AV can not be held responsible for any damage in transit.
Several types of goods are exempt from being returned.
(1) Examples of non-returnable items:
- Gift cards HiFi Racks
- Second hand units / clearance products
- Headphones (due to listener hygiene)
- Custom cables
- Special order items (items that we order in for you/were not in stock at the time of order)
To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase.
Please do not send your purchase back to the manufacturer.
To start to return - please email us: info@yorkshireav.co.uk along with your order number and we'll take it from there.
When will orders be dispatched?
- Orders placed Monday - Thursday before 1pm and are in stock will be dispatched the same day for next day delivery. This relates to product that state 'In Stock for immediate dispatch' on the product page.
- Orders placed over a weekend and are in stock will be dispatched on Monday.
Orders for items not in stock
Given the vast amount of variations of each product (e.g. AudioQuest cables) or Pro-Ject Audio Turntables - we keep the most common options in stock (i.e. gloss black finish, or 1.5m RCA cables) whereas longer cables or cables with terminations that are less frequently ordered will be ordered as required.
Generally speaking - we receive orders within 2-3 days for UK suppliers and 3-4 days for European suppliers (i.e. AudioQuest, DALI).
We want you to be 100% satisfied which is why we'll give you an email/call if item(s) aren't in stock and give you the option of changing the order, cancelling or if you're happy to wait a few days, we'll get it out as soon as possible.
If an item states 'Available to Order' - this means the item is not in stock but we are able to order in. Lead times average 2 days but in some circumstances, delivery times may be longer and is outside of our control. Please contact us to get an estimate on delivery times if orders are urgent.
Warranty
By default, our brands follow their standard manufacturers warranty terms and length.
For extended Warranty (should this be offered with your product), please ensure you complete the Extended Warranty registration form that was emailed to you.
Warranty claims within the warranty period are underpinned by the manufacturer. With any extended warranty claims - Yorkshire AV act as your agent to the authorised repair centre.
Shipping charges are excluded from any warranty claim. Original packaging and receipts must be provided else the claim will be rejected.
For any questions or issues - please contact us directly.
Financing your purchase
We’ve got you covered, as we have finance options available for people with varying circumstances. Yorkshire AV believes that you shouldn’t have to pinch your pockets to be able to purchase our products. You can pay in affordable monthly instalments to better suit your needs and budget.
To help you purchase from Yorkshire AV, we have partnered with Kandoo, a regulated credit broker to offer all our customers a range of highly flexible finance options. Kandoo is a comparison service that searches to find you the best Personal Loan option that’s right for you.
