If you're looking to upgrade either your amp's built-in phono stage or an existing external one, Pro-Ject would no doubt urge you to consider its new flagship model.
The Phono Box RS2 (£1299) is a fully balanced and discrete phono preamp that is nothing if not versatile – plenty of knobs, dials and buttons offer adjustments to help this “no expense spared” phono stage slip nicely into any turntable system.
Pro-Ject's top-line model features fully balanced circuitry, meaning the '+' and '-' signals are handled individually in the name of signal integrity. The Austrian audio brand has also split passive equalisation for both of the RS2's RIAA and DECCA curves, too, to allow for more accurate EQ curve representation and improved impedance matching.
On that matter, load impedance can be manually adjusted between 10ohms to 1000ohms according to your cartridge. There are also eight gain settings (ranging from 40dB all the way up to 70dB), eight capacitance options (allowing for better cartridge matching with MM systems) and a balance dial that promises to correct the small imbalances (in 2dB increments) that can occur between the left and right channels.
While the Phono Box RS2 is supplied with an external 20V power supply, next year will see the introduction of a new 20V linear power supply upgrade, which will feature a "purpose-designed transformer and circuitry" as well as an extra 15V output for direct connection to a compatible Pro-Ject turntable.
The Pro-Ject Phono Box RS2 will be available in black or silver finishes from January, priced £1299.
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