Review on Pro Ject Phono Box Preamplifier Black by Chris Long

All right / dignified. I'm not saying it's often used in a derogatory sense - it's a legitimate decent/regular product meant to sound great to decent/regular players. A great budget option for budget turntables that goes well with anything in the $100-$150 range. . But I wouldn't buy this if your player is higher quality than this one. The sound really aims for that flat phono sound you want from classic rock (like CSNY, the Beatles, etc.). It seems that this unit may have been designed for use with powered bookshelf speakers like Edifiers or similar as it doesn't have an equalizer or volume control like preamps. All in all, it was an improvement over the Crosley multifunction I had a decade ago, but it didn't match the Rega Planar 1 I bought. Shortly after I bought it, I decided to take it a step further and to buy an old NAD stereo from the 1980's. The difference in build quality and sound is so extreme that I don't even know how to adequately describe the comparison. And yes, I understand that it's not entirely fair to compare vintage premium audio gear to modern budget gear, but oddly they cost about the same and as a consumer I think price should be the basis for comparison. The NAD stereo preamp was actually $5 cheaper than this unit, but works almost like a receiver in that I could connect multiple input devices to it, adjust volume, adjust EQ, etc. I recommend using it to anyone looking for a budget system. But if you're interested in quality sound, have a good turntable and speakers, are considering a higher price range, or are looking for top-notch vintage gear. Pro-Ject and Schiit offer higher quality amps here on Amazon, and there are plenty of quality vintage options out there. It will be the same low price but sound a hundred times better.