Pro-Ject Announce Pint-Sized Powerhouse

Head Box E with pen for scale (I didn't have a banana)

Pro-Ject has announced the Head Box E, a micro-sized headphone amplifier built to drive even the most demanding headphones. The Austrian-headquartered maker has a rich history when it comes to headphone amplifiers, and few companies get as much power and performance out of such compact footprints. With the Head Box E, Pro-Ject has also worked wonders fitting a pocket-sized price into the design. Retailing at just £89.00, it’s a genuine hi-fi bargain.

And even though it weighs just 390 grams, the Head Box E may also lay claim to being one of the most effective pound-for-pound hi-fi upgrades around. In today’s world of underpowered music sources – think phones and laptops – adding the Head Box E to a source + wired headphones setup can result in a real uplift in audio performance and overall enjoyment. With a power output of 665 milliwatts (0.665 watts) into 32 ohms, it has the muscle to drive wired headphones, including some more complicated loads, with authority. It can also integrate into traditional two-channel setups, including CD or vinyl-based hi-fi systems, where its dedicated amplification outperforms the headphone stages typically found in stereo amps.

Bucking the trend of integrated chip-based designs at this price point, the Head Box E features fully discrete electronics laid out on a carefully engineered circuit board. This approach gives Pro-Ject’s designers greater control over the signal path, enabling more robust power handling, cleaner performance, and improved long-term reliability thanks to easier servicing and repair.

In use, the Head Box E is simple yet noticeably effective. A pair of RCA sockets on the rear panel handles inputs, while a bypass RCA loop output allows the unaltered signal to be passed on to another amplifier or audio device – ideal for integrating the Head Box E into a broader hi-fi system without losing connectivity or flexibility.