Pro-Ject expands budget E-Line phono range with digital-friendly models

With the ongoing vinyl revival, we’ve seen ‘best of both’ solutions for combining analogue and digital sources: USB turntables that can both spin albums and record them digitally to a laptop or computer, and, at the other end of the modesty scale, the likes of Wrensilva's Sonos vinyl systems.

Pro-Ject seems to know the importance of such coexistence. It has recently launched new 'FlexiRange' Bluetooth-friendly decks featuring digital connections, and has today introduced two new phono stages with additional features for integrating a turntable into a digital system.

The Phono Box E BT can stream any input music signal – including that from any record player with a moving-magnet cartridge – to Bluetooth speakers or headphones at a range of up to 10m from the box.

The Optical Box E Phono, meanwhile, has an optical output for playing your vinyl or connected sources through, say, a soundbar or soundbase.

Both phono stages use the same phono pre-amplification circuitry. They have RCA inputs and a 3.5mm output, and can send a signal through the analogue and digital outputs simultaneously.

The Phono Box E BT and Phono Box E have the same black or white housing, which has been shielded with a metal interior for, Pro-Ject claims, protection against vibrations and radio-frequency interferences.

The Phono Box E BT and Optical Box E Phono cost £90 each and will be available in late November.

Read more:

Pro-Ject builds on Essential III turntable with feature-packed FlexiRange

Record-breaking turntables category for What Hi-Fi? Awards 2017

Best turntables 2017

Listen to the What Hi-Fi? playlist

The best turntables of the 21st century

Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.