Project Phono Box RS2 Balanced Phono Pre-Amp
The RS2 provides the two things you want most in a phono pre-amp; sound quality and versatile adjustability.
Why? Cartridges are the fine jewelry of audio: typically handmade by skilled artisans, often with materials found in jewelry stores. But they're not always perfect, and set up isn't always ideal, so
RS2 is not the result of a single designer's vision but, rather, a collective effort, with input from our manufacturing and electrical engineering team in Slovakia, the design team in Austria, and even feedback from the international distributors.
Reference class phono preamplifier with unique impedance control
The Phono Box RS2 is the ultimate phono preamplifier of the highest class. It is fully balanced from the input to the output. Electronics are fully discrete, no op-amps are in use and it uses split passive RIAA and DECCA equalization.
Discrete Circuitry
A discrete circuit is composed of electronic components which are disparate, individual devices, also called discrete components. These can be “passive” components, like resistors, capacitors, and inductors, as well as “active” components, which in our case are transistors. The opposite to this would be an integrated circuit, which uses operational amplifiers (Op-Amps) in the signal chain. Countless hours of listening tests and years of experience have shown us that even the very best Op-Amps do not tend to be so neutral, natural, dynamic, or vivid. Standard phono pre-amplifiers with integrated circuits have a few tens or hundreds of components, but discrete designs will employ hundreds or thousands of components by comparison. That makes for an extended and more costly design process but results in the best sound for your money.
Reviews
"Madeleine Peyroux's rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love," on her reissued Careless Love album (Mobile Fidelity MFSL 1-284), makes me want to foxtrot every time I hear it, so clear and tight is its rhythm section. Adjusting the impedance to about halfway between the 10 and 200 ohms settings delivered some pleasant surprises: I heard a trill I hadn't heard before. At 400 ohms, the instruments seemed better separated, with more air and expansion between them. The presentation felt more grounded and solid with better dimensionality, yet freed up with lively energy"
read the review in Stereophile
Specifications
- Input impedance - Fixed 47kohms, variable 10 - 1000 ohms
- Load capacity switchable - 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400 pF
- Gain MM: - RCA: 40, 43, 46, 50 dB (+6dB using XLR)
- Gain MC: - RCA: 60, 63, 66, 70 dB (+6dB using XLR)
- Signal to noise ratio - MM (40dB): 89dB A-wt (10mV); MC (60dB): 79dB A-wt (1mV)
- THD - < 0,0015% (MM 40dB, 1kHz); < 0,0024% (MC 60dB, 1kHz)
- RIAA accuracy - within 0,4dB/20Hz - 20kHz
- SubsonIc - at 20Hz with 18dB/octave
- Inputs - RCA & XLR
- Outputs - RCA & XLR
- Power supply - 20V/3A DC; 110 - 240V, 50/60Hz
- Power consumption - 350mA DC < 1 watt standby
- Dimensions W x H x D (with sockets) - 206 x 72 x 200 mm
- Weight - 1600 g without power supply
