Pro-Ject Tube Box DS3 B True Balanced Phono Preamplifier - Black - Mint

Control & Adjust Your Phono Cartridge Settings On The Front Panel!

• Brand/Model/Finish: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS3 B Phono Preamplifier - Black
• Condition: Demo unit with approximately 30 hours use, mint condition, barely broken in!
• Retail: $1,099 
• Configuration: True balanced tube phono stage with XLR and RCA connectivity
• What's Included: Complete with external power supply, cables, tubes(installed), manual, original packaging
• Warranty: Full Pro-Ject 2-year manufacturer's warranty

Pro-Ject - Vienna's Analog Renaissance

Pro-Ject Audio Systems has championed analog playback since 1991, when vinyl was supposedly dead. Founder Heinz Lichtenegger's vision proved prophetic as Pro-Ject became the world's largest turntable manufacturer. Their electronics, designed specifically for vinyl playback, share the same obsessive attention to signal purity. The Tube Box DS3 B represents their pinnacle phono stage achievement, combining classic tube warmth with modern balanced topology.

The Best of Both Worlds - Tubes Meet Balanced Design

The DS3 B achieves what few phono stages attempt: true balanced operation from input to output while maintaining pure tube amplification. This isn't a hybrid with solid-state compromise - it's fully balanced tube circuitry that eliminates common-mode noise while preserving the dimensional soundstage and tonal richness only tubes provide. For turntables with balanced outputs like Pro-Ject's flagship models, VPI, or modified Technics, this creates the shortest, purest signal path from cartridge to amplifier.

Premium Tube Implementation

At the heart of the DS3 B glow four selected ECC83 (12AX7) tubes, chosen for their low noise and musical linearity. Unlike budget tube phonostages that use tubes as mere buffers, the DS3 B employs them throughout the gain stages where their harmonic richness matters most. The result is that elusive combination of detail and warmth - the micro-dynamics that make performances feel alive coupled with the tonal density that makes instruments sound real.

Ultimate Component Selection

• Balanced Circuitry: True differential topology cancels noise and interference
• Dual-Mono Design: Separate left/right circuits eliminate crosstalk
• Adjustable Loading: Precise impedance matching for any MM/MC cartridge
• Variable Gain: Six gain settings from 40dB to 65dB accommodate any cartridge output
• Subsonic Filter: Switchable rumble filter preserves amplifier headroom
• External Power Supply: Isolates sensitive circuits from transformer interference
• Premium Capacitors: Audiophile-grade caps in RIAA and coupling positions

The Balanced Advantage for Vinyl

Balanced operation brings professional studio standards to home vinyl playback. By carrying the delicate phono signal as a differential pair, the DS3 B rejects electromagnetic interference, ground loops, and cable-induced noise that plague single-ended designs. This is especially critical with low-output moving coil cartridges where every microvolt matters. The balanced XLR outputs then maintain this purity all the way to your amplifier, revealing layers of detail previously masked by noise.

Flexibility Meets Simplicity

Despite its sophisticated circuitry, the DS3 B remains refreshingly straightforward. Front panel switches provide instant access to all adjustments - no flipping the unit over or removing covers. Impedance loading and gain settings for your cartridge are right at your fingertips, making cartridge changes or fine-tuning a breeze. Both balanced XLR and single-ended RCA inputs accommodate any turntable, while XLR and RCA outputs connect to any amplifier. The subsonic filter, essential for warped records and reflex speakers, engages via front panel button. This is sophisticated engineering made genuinely user-friendly.

The Tube Difference You'll Hear

The DS3 B doesn't just amplify your cartridge signal - it enhances it with tube magic. Surface noise seems to recede while music emerges more vividly. The soundstage gains depth and dimensionality impossible with solid-state. Instruments have body and texture, voices convey emotion more convincingly. This isn't euphonic coloration but rather the preservation of harmonic information that solid-state strips away. Your familiar records reveal new layers of musical enjoyment.

Professional Recognition

• Stereophile Recommended Component: "The DS3 B combines tube warmth with balanced clarity - a remarkable achievement"
• The Absolute Sound: "Pro-Ject's balanced tube design extracts maximum performance from any high-end cartridge"

Demo Unit Advantage

This demonstrator unit represents exceptional value with only 15 hours of careful use in our showroom environment. Professionally repacked in the original carton with all original packing materials, manuals, and accessories, this unit is in perfect condition. Like all our demo units, it includes the full original manufacturer's warranty, giving you near-new performance at significant savings.

Complete Package Includes

• Tube Box DS3 B in mint condition with installed premium tubes
• External low-noise power supply
• Connecting cable for power supply
• Set of replacement tube damping rings
• Comprehensive setup manual
• Original double-boxed packaging

The Vinyl Renaissance Amplifier

As analog playback systems reach new performance heights, the DS3 B provides the critical link between cartridge and amplifier. Its balanced tube topology offers the ultimate in noise rejection and musical engagement, elevating any turntable to reference status. For serious vinyl enthusiasts ready to hear what their cartridges are truly capable of, the DS3 B opens a window into the master tape that digital still can't match.