Pro-Ject Phono Box E, Hi-Fi Moving Magnet Phono Stage (Black)

This sounds great - as good as a couple of Rotel hi-fi amps I have that were considered good models back in the day. I have compared recordings made via the Rotel phono stage and that of the Pro-Ject Phono Box E and found no discernible difference either through hi-fi speakers with a Sub or very decent headphones.Soundstage is wide and dynamic, and I can't really see why you'd pay more for what is a pretty simple, standard RIAA curve circuit. Shame these need power as I use them for two turntables in to 2-channel mixer that I DJ with (the mixer phono stages are not very good on the mixer so that is why I use these pre-amps into the line-ins).Good for archiving/ripping my vinyl to digital line-level inputs.

If you're just starting out with turntables and you're currently using a built in phono stage, buy this! For the price, it's amazing and really opens up the sound stage and bring the record to life.

I'm a bit of a newbie in the audiophile world and this is my first venture away from an integrated amplifier. I have read that separate phono pre-amp and power amp is the way to go, but it is very confusing as pre-amp prices vary from about £10 up to hundreds and even more. This Pro-Ject pre-amp had good reviews so I thought I'd dip a toe in the water and replace my Onkyo 9010 integrated amp with this pre-amp and a Crown XPS 1002 power amp (based on reviews I'd seen). So, do they sound better? Well, yes, I'd say that they deliver higher resolution and drive better bass response out of my Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speakers. I'm using an Ortofon 2m Blue mm cartridge. Earthing the turntable to the Pro-Ject pre-amp doesn't eliminate the quite loud hum - I don't know why it would as the pre-amp power supply doesn't have any connection to earth at all. However, connecting both turntable and pre-amp to the case of the Crown power amp eliminates hum completely as the Crown has a three core power cable with a proper earth. I also got a Nobsound passive volume control to put between this pre-amp and the power amp as the power amp only has separate left and right volume controls and once the balance is adjusted correctly a separate volume control makes it much easier to adjust. Would a more expensive pre-amp sound better? Probably. No doubt in time I will invest in a more expensive one. Only 4 stars because the earthing arrangements as supplied are ineffective in reducing hum and the power lead supplied is ridiculously short - not much more than 1m, so long RCA audio leads are needed to link the other components.

Works perfectly in the background. Vinyl sounds great with a Project T1.

Great price from a respected name.Big improvement on my old unit,and a bit smaller.Very good value

Well known brand, easy to install, sounds quite decent although the output was a little below the unit it replaced. Sound quality good for the money.

Previous preamp was very cheap. Hummed!! This is the real thing from well respected audio designers/manufacturers in Austria. Solid little thing. It’s an older model of their current base model but I needed something to a budget and this is fine. Seems to clean up the signal from my old Pioneer turntable from the 70’s as well as adding the voltage gain. Provides a nice clean signal to my old Sonos Zone Player.

I have decided to revise the review below, as I was a bit hasty.I have since put the originally supplied turntable leads between the turntable and the Phono Box E and purchased a Vinyl disk stabiliser and also think the the new amp and cartridge have bedded in, what a difference, amplification and bass are now adequate and sound is very clean and no earthing issues although I have earthed independently to a good ground, via my radiator. Great entry level phono stage. Will upgrade to a valve phono stage at some point as I think I will get more warmer tones. But happy with results so far.Old review: Bought this as I have a ProJect Carbon Evo with Red cartridge and bass is virtually nonexistent with my Marantz PM6007 amp and Focal Chora 806 speaker set up.I am very disappointed in the product.The quality of sound is good but amplification is very poor (no difference at all when compared with amp phono stage) and needs earthing properly (separate and attached to a good earthing point in your home) or you will get very annoying hum.Feel I waisted my money to be honest.