The Pro-Ject Vinyl NRS Box S3 is a dedicated analogue noise reduction processor from Pro-Ject's compact Box Design S3 series, designed to sit between your phono preamplifier and integrated amplifier or preamplifier. It uses advanced digital signal processing to reduce the surface noise, crackle, clicks, and hum that can affect vinyl playback, restoring a quieter, cleaner listen from records that have seen better days.
The Vinyl NRS Box S3 digitises the incoming analogue signal at 24-bit depth and a 96 kHz sampling rate, then applies two independent noise reduction algorithms before converting back to analogue. The De-Crackling function uses a high-frequency detection algorithm to identify and attenuate the sharp peaks caused by surface damage; the intensity of processing is continuously adjustable via the front-panel potentiometer, with a switchable basic or advanced mode to suit the condition of the record. The Vinyl Noise Reduction System (VNRS) operates separately, splitting the signal into two frequency bands and feeding each into an expander to increase the signal-to-noise ratio by up to 8 dB, eliminating background hiss and rumble without introducing the noise modulation artefacts associated with earlier noise reduction technologies.
When the unit is switched off, the inputs and outputs are galvanically linked together through a resistance of less than 0.3 ohm, providing a transparent, lossless bypass with no signal degradation. A clip indicator on the front panel warns of impending overload. The internal processing chain uses a 56-bit accumulator with double-precision arithmetic for high computational integrity throughout.
Physically, the Vinyl NRS Box S3 follows the familiar compact S3 footprint shared across Pro-Ject's Box Design range, measuring just 103 x 37 x 104 mm and weighing 340 g. Connectivity on the rear panel comprises RCA line inputs and RCA line outputs, with an 18 V DC power input for the included outboard power supply. This Black finish matches other Pro-Ject Box Design S3 components for a coordinated system appearance; a Silver version is also available.
