Pro-Ject MaiA S3 Integrated Amplifier

Small Enough to Miss, Complete Enough to Build Around

Pro-Ject makes turntables. The MaiA S3 exists because their customers kept asking what to plug one into. It is an integrated amplifier just 206mm wide and 55mm tall, weighing 1,070 grams, in black or silver.

Inside that box is more than an amplifier. There is a moving-magnet phono stage, a Cirrus Logic DAC, a Bluetooth 5.0 receiver, and a dedicated headphone amp. Power is 23 watts per channel into 8 ohms, or 40 watts into 4.

Four Inputs, and One of Them Is for Your Turntable

The phono input takes MM, MI, or high-output MC cartridges, with an earthing post for hum. Three more RCA pairs handle line sources. Two optical inputs and one coaxial accept digital up to 24-bit/192kHz. Bluetooth 5.0 adds both aptX and aptX HD.

A variable RCA output feeds a subwoofer, active speakers, or a power amp. The headphone jack is a 6.3mm socket on the front. A remote and an outboard 20V supply come in the box.

Quiet Enough That You Notice the Silence

Noise is where this amplifier earns attention. Signal-to-noise measures 97dB at the speaker outputs and 103dB at the variable output, both into 4 ohms. A-weighted, those become 101dB and 105dB. Distortion stays under 0.04% at 10 watts into 4 ohms.

Frequency response holds within 0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz. Channel separation is 69dB at 10kHz. Line inputs want 270mV and present 50 kilohms. The phono input presents 47 kilohms, with 46dB of gain.

The Headphone Jack Is Not an Afterthought

The headphone amplifier is its own stage. It is rated at 75mW per channel into 32 ohms, and specified for loads from 16 to 600 ohms. Digital conversion runs on a Cirrus Logic CS4344, a multi-bit delta-sigma design. Standby draw is under 0.5 watts.

What Reviewers Are Saying

James Michael Hughes reviewed the MaiA S3 for StereoNET on November 29, 2022, scoring it 8 out of 10 with an Applause Award. He called it "a veritable Tardis among audio components" and "breathtakingly quiet in terms of noise."

Ed Selley gave it 9 out of 10 and a Best Buy in AVForums on November 8, 2022. "Key to the appeal of the Pro-Ject is detail," he wrote, adding "I’d rather have 23 good watts than 100 indifferent ones."

Both were candid about the limits. Selley listed a "Bulky PSU" and a "Quirky remote" among his cons. Hughes noted there is no USB input.

Who Is This Integrated Amplifier Best For?

• You own a turntable — the phono stage takes MM, MI, or high-output MC cartridges, and there is an earthing post for the ground wire.
• You are short on shelf space — 206mm wide, 55mm tall, and just over a kilogram.
• You want every source in one box — phono, three line inputs, two optical, one coaxial, and Bluetooth.
• You listen through headphones — a dedicated stage drives loads from 16 to 600 ohms, so sensitive in-ears and hard-to-drive planars both sit at a comfortable volume.
• You have large speakers or a large room — 23 watts has limits. The Pro-Ject MaiA DS3 makes 80 watts into 8 ohms and 140 into 4.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Speakers connect with 4mm banana plugs, spades, or bare wire. A turntable goes to In 1, with its ground wire on the earthing post. Line sources take In 2 through In 4. Optical and coaxial cover your digital gear.

The variable RCA output feeds a subwoofer or a power amp. Bluetooth pairs by holding the pair button, and the amplifier stays visible for 60 seconds. The outboard supply is the only mains connection.

Then it disappears into the shelf.

Pairs Well With

Building around the MaiA S3? Start here:

• Turntable: the phono stage is waiting — see our Turntables.
• Speakers: a sensitive pair suits 23 watts — see our Bookshelf Speakers.
• Headphones: the dedicated stage is already there — see our Headphones.
• Cables: finish the job properly — see our Speaker Cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much power does the Pro-Ject MaiA S3 make?

23 watts per channel into 8 ohms, and 40 watts per channel into 4 ohms.

Does it have a built-in phono stage?

Yes. In 1 is a moving-magnet phono input with 47 kilohms of loading and 46dB of gain, plus an earthing post.

Will it work with a moving-coil cartridge?

Only a high-output MC. A low-output MC needs a step-up transformer or an outboard MC phono stage.

Does it have a USB input?

Digital comes in over two optical inputs and one coaxial, each up to 24-bit/192kHz.

Is a remote control included?

Yes, along with an outboard 20V power supply. The remote runs on two AAA batteries.

Can I add a subwoofer?

Yes. The variable RCA output feeds an active subwoofer, active speakers, or a separate power amp.

See It in Action

Sound Matters asks whether a small amplifier can deliver big sound:

Mad Audio puts the MaiA S3 through its paces:

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Learn More

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