Personally, I think I would rather go for the Nobesound Little Bear T11 or spend the extra money and get a Pro-Ject Tube Box S2. While others (you will find many on Steve Hoffman’s music forum) think it sounds muddy and isn’t a real and authentic sounding tube phono preamp. Curve Selection (most phono stages are designed with RIAA equalisation in mind, but there are other options available - such as DECCA)

So, my experience with this phono stage has been a pretty good one. Albeit subtle, it sounds fantastic and was a step up (no pun intended) from the solid state phono preamp built into my Denon receiver. If the Pro-Ject Tube Box and the Rega Fono MM is a bit pricy for your budget, the Rega Fono Mini A2D that sells for about half the price is the one to choose. If you are a beginner audiophile and want to add an entry-level tube phono preamp to your vinyl setup, the Fosi Audio Box X2 is probably your best bet. In the category of high-quality and authentic tube phono preamps that does not cost a fortune, the Vincent PHO 701 is a product that should be at the top of your short-list.Pro-ject generally uses a JFET/triode cascade as the first stage on their better preamps, similar to that used by Manley in the Chinook, and others that support MC gains in their tube preamps. They usually follow that with passive EQ, then the other triode section in the tube as the second gain stage, and then some type of low output impedance buffer. I think the buffer on the DS2 is an opamp, whereas the S2 may be another JFET, not sure. If you want something that is very good and very solid straight out of the box, I still think think it is worth it to spend the premium and get the Pro-Ject Tube Box S2. It gets a bit upset at 20 Hz and rises a bit at highest frequencies. For the most sensitive part of our hearing (2 to 5 kHz), it is the lowest at -70 dB. The new S2 casing is a big additional asset to the design, as not only does it deliver the highest visual appeal, but it is also sturdy enough to protect the internal circuitry against unwanted interferences and vibrations, which can cause unpleasant listening experiences. In my opinion, it offers the feel of high-quality tube amplification for a fraction of the price of what most high-end tube preamps cost.

The story stays the same regardless of whether the Pro-Ject is used with our laptop and headphones or as the digital hub in a two-channel speaker-based set-up. I was quite negative towards cheap tube phono preamps in the intro of this article, but if it is a company that seems to have nailed the task of building decent cheap tube phono preamp, it appears to be Fosi. Most of the time when a tube is put in some audio product the result is a disaster. It is as if they think stuffing the tube in there is all they need to do, performance to be damned. Not here. The Pro-Ject Tube Box S2 seems to have been designed well to do what people expect a tube to do: produce a gradual rise in distortion with level. The first way is to use a phono preamp (and cable interconnect) that has low input capacitance. This will help reduce the boost in signal level we see from 5 kHz to 15 kHz.Inspired by high-end designs but available for a very appealing price, the Tube Box S2 is a real audiophile bargain. Features

Personally I have no use for a tube audio product. When I have listened to them in the past, they either do nothing (i.e. distortion is below audibility) or obscure detail due to higher distortion. To the extent you do, the Pro-ject Box S2 scratches that itch well and looks adorable to boot! But if you are willing to invest a bit of money in better tubes down the line and trust that Nobesound has got their quality control up to speed, the Little Bear T11 might be worth serious consideration.I actually prefer the look of the S2 where the tubes are more visible, but that might just be me. If you need the extra versatility, the DS2 is definitely worth the premium. Cost significantly less than most high-end tube preamps but still a costly preamp for casual vinyl spinners It has the more or less the same circuitry, characteristics and specifications as the Rega Fono MM, but comes in a simpler metal casing. It is not much to look at, but feels very solid built. The neat thing is that it is small and can easily be hidden behind or between other components in your setup.