Pro-Ject Audio - Phono Box MM - MM Phono Pre-amplifier - Black

I've been slowly upgrading my vinyl setup over two years. I started with a mediocre at best Pyle Pro turntable and preamp. I got rid of it when I realized I couldn't turn the volume up anywhere near a satisfying level without starting a feedback loop. I upgraded to an ATLP120 which is still going strong. I used the built in preamp for a time, but when I upgraded to an Ortofon 2M Blue cartridge, the sound was awful. So I did the deed and took the preamp out. For the last year or so I was using the Pyle Pro preamp with the straight output from the cartridge. At this point the mains power to the turntable powered only the platter. The cartridge output went straight to the preamp. The sound was acceptable and decent, until it got really crackly sometimes. It was not due to the records being played because they sometimes sounded fine, and other times they did not. I decided it was time to upgrade to a MM specific preamp. I mostly just wanted the cutting in and out to stop, and I wanted the volume considerably loud without the increasingly annoying hiss I was noticing. I also suspected that the left channel was being slightly favored. My suspicions were confirmed when I hooked this ProJect Preamp up. Not only did it eliminate the aforementioned issues, but it improved on the sound in a way I could not have imagined!! I can't wait to go back through my Genesis and Floyd albums with this thing. Fantastic on speakers and headphones!!! Worth every penny!

I couldn't review this for a while because at the time of purchase, it didn't work with my setup. Apparently my cheap-o weak turntable already had a preamp built in.I just upgraded to the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, which requires an external preamp, and now it's put to good use. I love it.Obviously it's a bit difficult to isolate what the preamp specifically brings to the table, because to use it, I introduced a higher end TT. But I will say this: with my old TT I kept the stylus clean, and cleaned my records, so even though it was chincy, I had little to no surface noise. BUT the sound felt weak, not present. Almost flat and far away. Cranking up the volume helped.With my current setup: pioneer receiver, Bose pseudo-vintage pedistal speakers, the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon TT, and this Phono MM Preamp, I have no complaints. The clarity is insane, the presence, depth and warmth are all there. In buying just these two pieces (turntable and preamp), it's like I replaced my whole stereo setup.For the price, I really don't think you'll find a better preamp. It's very solid, metal and has weight to it, so it's not delicate. It could sustain a drop. The sound quality is great: I get no signal noise whatsoever.I love this brand, and would recommend them to anyone. And in all honesty, I almost cheaped out and bought a preamp for half the price (albeit with another brand I do like), but I'm glad I didn't. I'll be happy with my current setup for a while.

I bought a Pro-Ject turntable,the Carbon 2M, so this is like a match made in heaven. It was crazy easy to set up (plug and play pretty much) and it immediately corrected audio issues as well as gave me the power of sound that having a turntable requires. This was an afterthought for me as I had purchased a nice player and a nice sound system only to realize I forgot you needed a preamp to make it all sound great and loud. This is the most satisfying purchase i've made in years because of how easy it is to use and effective it is.

When played through this unit, my phonograph sounds very good to my moderately critical ears, but the DC input socket for the power supply was loose when the unit arrived. The socket is threaded on the outside and the plug has a ferrel that should tighten over the socket to hold it securely but attempting to tighten it over the socket just kept turning the socket. I removed the two screws to open the case and tightened the nut that should have been holding the socket tightly. It was not tight enough to compress the spring washer under the nut. That was a bad first impression, but the case is solid and it sounds good so hopefully things will stay that way.

I wanted to try this unit because I was getting a major hum from a more expense preamp. This little thing blew me away at this price point. For a starter table like a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon, I can't imagine doing any better below $100. It has good volume, good sound stage and good bass. I had order the Shiit Mani 2 and it was a better match for my needs, but it's also twice the price. But honestly the sound difference was not huge. Totally recommended for me for it's cost.

Excellent item! Amplifies the signal coming from the phonograph to the high end multi-unit receiver. I'm using a vintage Sony Linear Tracking Stereo Turntable System PS-FL7 (1982-83). The sound originally sounded very faint and quiet when I plugged into the "CD" input on my receiver. I did not have a "PHONO" option available on my unit. I'm very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend this to anyone wanting go back in time to hear the real songs as they were meant to be heard.

I listen to mostly "classical" LPs on a mostly vintage stereo system (circa '89 Thorens TT, Signet tonearm, Magnepan speakers, Hafler amp, cartridge meticulously aligned). The weak link is a lovely 50-year-old McIntosh preamp (mine has a flaky phono stage - left channel dozes off intermittently, bit of hum).Enter the Pro-ject Phono Box MM costing less than the repair shop charged me to open up my preamp and tell me that they can't service it. This sturdy metal box, no larger than it needs to be, no annoying lights, no switches, dials, or options, melted into my system and lifted the sound to wear it can be. An unexpected bonus was that record surface noise, already quite low, went completely black (wow).Thrilled over here. 5 stars.