Re: Project Phono SE modification

[Sunsun22]

Hi, I am just rebuilding my vinyl gears after stopping for almost 20 years.

TT: Project Perspective with 9" tonearm
Cart: Shure V15VxMR
Phono pre: Project Phono SE

My sound reproduction gears as follows: -

Accruphase DV-55P CD player
Mark Levinson 38S pre
Mark Levinson 430 power
JM Lab Micro Utopia Be speaker

The sound from CD is OK for me but when I play vinyls, the bass is a bit thin although the dynamic is miles better than CD. I went through the circuit of the Phono SE and can see there could be a number of improvements: -

1. Do not use the original AC/AC adaptor and use an external AC/DC PSU with regulator. Bypass DC terminals are available on the Phono SE box.
2. Change the RIAA circuit components.
3. Place a good and suitable capacitor across the +ve and -ve main supply as decoupling.
4. Of course, the last alternative is to chage it completely to a new one (I prefer tubes).

Does anyone have experience in modifying the Project Phono SE before? Can he/she share me some clues?

Sunny
Hong Kong

[uli]

swap the complete phono pre with a unit (diy or ots) of reasonable quality as this pre plays in no way in the same league as your other components.

Uli

[Sunsun22]

Hi Uli,

Thank you. You are from the country where my Project Perspective is born. You should have preference in Project! What about Project's Tube Box? Is it a good phono pre?

Your suggestion is is my last choice. I've paid for the Phono SE anyway and the resell value is very low therefore trying has no harm. You know a DIYer would always like to solder and desolder his gear to make it the best. Not a matter of money but interest.

Sunny
Hong Kong

[analog_sa]

You know a DIYer would always like to solder

So, why don't you just solder a much better phono pre than the Project? It ain't that difficult.

[richie00boy]

I don't know if yours is the same one, but search for Phonobox as there was a thread about it all a while ago. Apparantely there are 2 kinds, one is rubbish and the other is OK. The thread was in Analogue, where this one would have been better located

[matjans]

hi

i used to own a version-1 of the project phono box which, as described above, sounds crappy. The second version, although slightly better, sounds rather poor too.

I've modded it slightly (threw in a handful of psu/bypass caps, replaced the opamps) but still it doesn't sound like a decent phono pre should.

do a search for the "very simple phono preamp" which sounds better and can be bult for a few $/EURis. i believe its in the analogue section somewhere,

/matti

[Sunsun22]

Finally decided not to do any modification on the Project Phono Box SE. Too lazy.

I bought an ASR Mini-basis phono preamp and I must say it worths every dollar when compares to the Project SE. It is very musical and frequency response is balance. Silent background and the Double Bass is very very clear. I love it.

Sunny