Pro-Ject MaiA S3

A compact stereo integrated amplifier with DAC and aptX HD Bluetooth: eight inputs across phono, line, digital and wireless, 2 x 40 W into 4 ohms and a headphone output with its own amplifier.

MaiA S3: inputs and sections

The MaiA S3 is meant to sit at the centre of a complete system while taking up little room. Both the circuit and the enclosure differ from earlier generations: the S3 series case is larger, which made it possible to redraw the board layout and cut electromagnetic interference between the sections.

There are eight inputs. The phono section accepts MM, MI and high-output MC cartridges; three line-level RCA inputs take a tuner or any other analogue source. The converter, based on the Cirrus Logic CS4344 at 24 bit and 192 kHz, is fed by one coaxial and two optical sockets. Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD lets a phone send music without cables.

Loudspeakers connect with 4 mm banana plugs, spade lugs or bare wire, and rated power is 23 W per channel into 8 ohms and 40 W into 4 ohms. The 6.3 mm headphone socket delivers 75 mW per channel into 32 ohms and works with headphones from 16 to 600 ohms. The variable RCA output follows the volume control, so a subwoofer can be added. A remote control is supplied and the power supply is external.

Specifications

• Type: stereo integrated amplifier with DAC and Bluetooth
• Power: 2 x 23 W into 8 ohms, 2 x 40 W into 4 ohms (1% THD)
• Bandwidth: 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.5 dB into 4 ohms
• Channel separation: 69 dB measured at 10 kHz
• S/N ratio: 97 dB, 101 dB A-weighted, into 4 ohms
• Distortion: below 0.04% with 10 W into 4 ohms
• Headphone output: 6.3 mm jack, 2 x 75 mW into 32 ohms, for 16 to 600 ohm headphones
• Analogue inputs: three line-level RCA pairs, one phono on RCA
• Digital inputs: one RCA coaxial, two Toslink optical, Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX
• DAC chip: Cirrus Logic CS4344, 24 bit / 192 kHz
• Variable output: one RCA pair
• Speaker terminals: for 4 mm banana plugs, spade lugs or bare wire
• Power supply: external 20 V / 3 A, mains 100-240 V at 50/60 Hz
• Standby consumption: under 0.5 W
• Remote control: supplied, takes two AAA cells
• Size (WxHxD): 206 x 55 x 153 mm, 176 mm including sockets
• Weight: 1.07 kg, power supply excluded
• Finishes: black, silver