My 2019 Update Thread - My final system I think.

Phono stage stuff.

Sold my Primare phono stage a while back and was without vinyl for a while, knowing "One day I'll..."
So,
Saving up now for my "final" vinyl black box.

But I missed the black stuff,
so bought a good phonostage, meets my needs but stock its severely gimped with a crappy switchmode wall wart PSU.
Sounds great as-is have to say (Running it balanced out to my Pre) but looking forward to enjoying getting the best out of it for not a lot of spend.

Pro-Ject Phono S3 B
https://i.imgur.com/7XhUaOz.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ijBIMg5.jpg
Got this one as I didn’t want to spend too much as I would be selling it on later when the new one drops.
Also,
It was getting great reviews, cartridge settings could be set from front panel (no dip switches!!) and most importantly it could be run BALANCED

The supplied power brick is an about the worst I’ve seen though?
less than 1m cable length too, it works sure, but it’s not great.

I won’t be doing any internal mods to it, but will be replacing the 18V 1A wall wart switchmode with a regulated linear supply.
Will make up a decent DC cable to hook the two up as well, have an Oyaide gold plated DC plug kicking about I can fit to it.

Sourced a really quiet regulated bench supply from CPC, and it’s on its way.
Extremely low ripple measurement and regulation +/- is spot on.

Ordered another of my favourite interconnect cables for it as well?
Another pair of Ghost+ XLRs from the States.
Currently reusing a 0.5m set of Wireworld Gold Eclipse 8 (pictured) that previously connected my preamp and Dac, until the Ghost+ XLR came in, which was noticeably better.
Bizzare given the price difference but hey ho, price isn’t always a factor.

The longer XLRs will let me place it properly in the rack too,
The half metre Wireworlds mean it has to sit next to the Preamp, and there’s a whole “Tower of Power” thing going on, looks daft, but not for long.
:)

https://i.imgur.com/57PBhrO.jpg

So more to come on the vinyl front.
👍🏻

Still,
even with the supplied brick plugged straight into the wall it sounds good.
So the plan is to enjoy as-is, and when it’s powered by a much better power supply, directly from the balanced mains unit… cool.

Theres some fun to be had in this best Bang for Buck thing. :)

I like the idea of a balanced input, since cartridges are inherently balanced sources (apart from some Shure models), but would prefer a better (and discrete) connector(s). The rest of my system uses balanced XLR interconnects.

Does purchase of the unit include a balanced lead?

Even so, I agree it's good VFM.

You dont get any leads with it Barry, just the power supply.
The packaging is ok, but not the best.
Gotta keep costs down somehow I guess.

Agree on better connectors for balanced input, theres room there to have designed discreet standard XLR connectors and I'd prefer to see those.

The 5-pin Mini XLR balanced input used on the back is a direct fit for the accompanying Project Turntable.
Think the whole package comes in at under 2K, and seems its pretty good too.
Good review of the set here.
https://www.hifinews.com/content/pro-ject-x2-bphono-box-s3-b-turntablephono-preamp
If I was starting again I'd be going for this.

You wonder why more manufacturers haven't went with balanced inputs over the past, makes sense in contect of an MC cartridge, fully balanced end to end.
Guess most tonearms aren't wired that way, and like many things the standard just stuck?

Internally too,
The Project amp shows attention's been paid to the circuit design?
looks like a discreet and symmetrical gain stage in there.

https://i0.wp.com/www.project-audio....40%2C533&ssl=1

Really enjoying playing records through this thing,
will see what it can do with a better XLR cable and cleaner balanced AC feeding it.
Sofar everything I've tried sounds better when powered balanced.

Not bad at all for 350 notes.
:thumbsup:

face is similar to mine... sure it will sound good

Hmm - looks like I would have to make up my own lead.

Mini XLR 5 pin line sockets are readily available, but if I did go that route (and it's very tempting) I would probably change the entire connector with one made by Lemo.

Do you know if the 5 pin plug, now commonly used at the tonearm base, is the same as a 5 pin mini-XLR?

Good question Barry!

Checked Project website and a couple of other places, all refer to it as a "5-pin Mini XLR"
Haven't heard a Tonearm cable connector described as anything different?
I reckon a 90% certain sure fire bet they are the same.

Would be easy to do, but Im not sure of the pinouts on it, you would need to check.
I'm not messing with my Rega arm, but if I was sticking with this phonostage I'd get AudioOrigami (J7) in Glasgow to do the work for me.

From the reviews I've read of the Pro-Ject phonostage/Turntable combo,
the improvement going fully balanced from an MC cart to preamp is not subtle.

Very interesting Gary, my experience with Pro-Ject gear especially on the vinyl replay front is that they often give very good VFM with a high SQ. You might be surprised just how good the Phono Box S3 B is if connected using XLR feed. It would be very interesting to compare it to my phono set up, I'd just need to buy the Pro-Ject 5P to Mini XLR for £89 to use it.

Adrian,
Would you perhaps need to rejig the wiring to balanced at your tonearm outputs?
Not familiar with your arm, thinking yeah you could fit a balanced cable which might physically fit, but perhaps the pinouts would be different?

Not sure m'self, just a thought.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Gazjam

Adrian,
Would you perhaps need to rejig the wiring to balanced at your tonearm outputs?
Not familiar with your arm, thinking yeah you could fit a balanced cable which might physically fit, but perhaps the pinouts would be different?

Not sure m'self, just a thought.

---

Take a look at this https://i0.wp.com/www.project-audio....6%2C1037&ssl=1

https://www.project-audio.com/en/pro...true-balanced/

My Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT uses a standard straight 5 pin DIN connection for the phono cable, up its bottom so to speak. Looking at the picture above the 5P - Mini XLR, if my understanding is correct the shiny silver one goes into the base of the arm(as does my existing Phono cable) and the other black end(the dark side mini XLR) goes into the middle XLR socket on the Pro-Ject Phono Box S3 B, it should then go from that to the Pre-Amp.

I also read somewhere on one the Pro-Ject bumf that the 5P - Mini XLR cable is good for other Pro-Ject TTs like mine. It could be well worth investigating if the reviewers comment "It was very nearly as good a as coveted £40K phono stage" is true.

Looks good!
Yeah read that review as well... :eek:

Yeah I get the cable thing Adrian,
just wondering if your turntables "inner bottom" (Xlr JACK with 5 pins) and its INTERNAL pin wiring layout inside the deck would be wired up correctly with balanced, even if the cable physically fits?
Would the Pinouts match?

I know with some tonearms theres a small circuit board connecting the wiring, and can be configured differently for single ended/ balanced.

Must admit my knowledge here runs out about now, even if there is some internal rewiring needing done, it would be easy for those than know more about it.
Its an intriguing thought isn't it?
rewire your arm for fully balanced playback, especially if the rewards are apparently THAT good.

And your Turntable would be miles ahead of the Pro-Ject...