Pro-Ject
Explore Pro-Ject
Pro-Ject turntables: High-value turntables starting at under $300. The Debut Carbon is a best Buy everywhere at $449.00 while the 1Xpression Carbon Classic is a best buy with excellent carbon fiber tonearm and Ortofon 2M Silver cartridge in 4 beautiful finishes. The top of the line RM-10.1 received a killer review in Stereophile. It is the $3500 table to beat. Other models available are:
Debut Pro
Voted Turntable of the year in What*Hifi? 2023
Debut PRO Keeps Things PRO-fessional
Pro-Ject Audio Systems have more to add to the Debut series – in fact, let’s call it a ‘statement’, a massive upgrade from our first Pro-Ject Debut Carbon. The relatively recent release of Debut Carbon EVO was beyond successful, but Heinz Lichtenegger’s wheels were still turning. The performance enhancements for EVO were indeed profound, but there was more to strike while the proverbial iron was hot. The ceaseless pursuit for improvement, attention to detail, advancements in research, development, and manufacturing amount to a Debut turntable for the ages.
Our new Debut PRO turntable is a machine that tackles the range of turntables at a retail price $1000 or less. The Debut PRO turntable does so in several meaningful ways.
The Tonearm
Borrowed from the audiophile-grade X1 & X2 turntables, Debut PRO implements the tried and true one-piece carbon-fiber-wrapped aluminum armtube. This heightens rigidity and mass allowing it to more effectively control more massive phono cartridges at this effective arm length. The composite carbon-fiber tonearm is also more effective at damping armtube resonance, allowing the signal to pass through unencumbered. PRO features a sophisticated tonearm bearing block made of nickel-plated aluminum.
Here again, we see an exercise in rigidity while maintaining the ultra-smooth lateral motion of this high-end tonearm. The icing is the tonearm collar, yielding the first Debut model to offer adjustment of vertical tracking angle. Azimuth is also readily adjustable. Listeners can fine-tune the full range of cartridge adjustment parameters to optimize the sound quality of most any phono cartridge.
The Record Platter
With TPE damping for resonance control and die-cast for hi-fi precision, the platter is made of aluminum and adds a ridged slot on the bottom side to cleanly enclose the TPE ring. The surface of the platter is gorgeously satin-ized in a way that hasn’t yet been seen on a Pro-Ject machine. The ridged slot plus the TPE itself adds rotational mass to the platter’s periphery, which reduces wow & fluttering while the platter rotates!
The Fit & Finish of the Debut PRO
The satin black finish uses 8 coats hand-painted over MDF – a classy, high-quality job done in-house at the factory in Europe. The brushed metal trimmings for Debut PRO further reinforce a smooth, elegant aesthetic that’s sure to remain timeless. Sustainably made and free of plastic, the high-precision aluminum bearing block, dust cover, RCA inputs, arm-board & collar, counterweight & anti-skate, height-adjustable metal feet, an isolated power supply and adapter, and toggle switch exude quality both in sight and sound.
It’s paired with the Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge, one of the top performers from the phono cartridge manufacturer.
Pair it with a Phono Box preamp, phono stage, or digital amplifier with the included Connect-It E phono cable to ensure solid and dependable analog playback.
Considerations for 78rpm Records
Debut PRO ships with 2 different belts for the belt drive for the electronic speed control. The flat belt is for 33 & 45rpm discs and is installed on the top/smaller diameter of the motor pulley. Our drive principle ensures that electronic speed selection is precise with no speed drift to eliminate wow and flutter.
The round one is for 78rpm records only. It is designed for use with the larger/bottom pulley diameter with the differently shaped slot. Installing the 78rpm belt incorrectly compromises its integrity and may lead to breakage. Additionally, please note that it’s also not advisable to play 78rpm records with the Rainier stylus. Sumiko has developed a 78 stylus for this very reason – now shipping!
6Perspex DC, Turntable w/ clear acrylic plinth, sub-chassis system made of Corian® suspended by three height adjustable opposing magnet fields. Also a bonded MDF platter with vinyl mat, a threaded record clamp, adjustable cone feet. A new 9" tonearm, the 9cc Evolution, incorporates a conical carbon fiber arm - $1,899/ $2,199 with Sumiko Amethyst cartridge.TAS Editors Choice 2020
RPM9 Carbon $2999, $3,499.00 with $900 Sumiko Songbird cartridge TAS Recommended in 2018 Buyers Guide
TAS 2018 Editors’ Choice Awards: Turntables $2,000 - $5,000
RPM-5
$1999.00 with $600.00 Amethyst cartridge
RPM 5 Carbon implements the principles of its big brother, RPM 9 Carbon. The low-resonance, carbon-wrapped MDF chassis carries an inverted platter bearing with ceramic ball for ultra-low rumble. The acoustically inert platter is made from satinized acrylic. The outboard 15V AC motor is smoothly driven using an ultra-precise AC generator with DC power supply for further speed stability. The premium 9cc Evolution armtube & headshell are made from a single piece of carbon fiber and is suitable for he included $600.00 Amethyst cartridge or even better an array of MM and MC cartridges in the future. A TPE-damped counterweight further reduces unwanted resonance in the tonearm section. All told, RPM 5 Carbon represents a multi-faceted approach to getting your records to sound their very best… and at a stunning price when considering its implementations.
Classic EVO with $450.00 Moonstone cartridge
$1999.00
Designed to take the performance of the award-winning Classic Series to a new level, Pro-Ject’s ‘The Classic EVO’ adds advanced technology from their best turntables to an iconic, vintage-inspired design. The two-piece plinth may bring back memories of turntables of yore, but make no mistake – under the hood it’s a thoroughly modern machine. Where suspended turntables of years past used fussy springs to reduce vibration, The Classic EVO uses TPE bushings (thermoplastic elastomer) to isolate the motor and tonearm. The tonearm also got the royal treatment. The Classic EVO features a 9″ arm with the bearings used in the 9, 10 and 12cc Evolution tonearms for smooth, precise tracking of your records. The platter (internally damped) and sub-platter are made from CNC-machined aluminum to provide more rotational mass resulting in impeccable vibration resistance and enhanced speed stability.
CD Box DS3
$899.00
Available in Black or Silver-Optional wooden side panels are $129.00
The CD Box DS3 is a truly high end remote controlled CD player, purpose-built to deliver the best possible CD playback. The slot-load CD transport mechanism is specifically designed for 1:1 playback of compact discs and is controlled by the best servo mechanism around- the Blue Tiger CD-80 from Stream unlimited- the same mechanism used in the fantastic CD Box RS2T reference transport. The combination of this premium transport and servo allows for precise reading of the compact discs with minimal errors resulting in better sound.
Digital to analog conversion is handled by the exceptionally smooth Texas Instruments PCM1796 DAC. Lauded for its non-fatiguing yet immersive ‘analog’ character, the DAC and associated circuitry result in a true music lover’s player that can be enjoyed for hours on end.
Even the 4-Point Intelligent Suspension and rigid aluminum chassis have been engineered to optimize playback of CDs.
The CD transport’s suspension is designed to provide perfect protection from resonance, allowing for more accurate tracking of the laser. Three soft points isolate the drive from external vibration and one hard point dissipates high-frequency vibration (caused by the rapid movement of the laser) into the massive metal chassis.
The massive aluminum chassis provides an optimal foundation for a sensitive CD drive. It also protects the drive from vibration and electromagnetic interference but resists bending and flexing much more effectively than a common stamped steel chassis.
Like all Pro-Ject DS series electronics, the CD Box DS3 is proudly handmade in Europe and is available in either black or silver colorways. Optional magnetic wooden dress panels are available in walnut, eucalyptus, and rosenut.
- Supports: Red Book CD-DA
- Line-level output: 1x pair RCA
- Digital outputs: 1x optical TOSlink®, 1x co-axial (S/PDIF)
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz/ ±0.15dB
- Noise floor: >105dBA / 20Hz – 20kHz
- THD (analog output): <0.018%
- THD (digital output): <0.005%
- Line level output voltage: 2V RMS / 0dB FS
- D/A-converter: PCM1796
- Power supply: 18V/1A DC, suitable for your country
- Power consumption: 300 – 600mA DC, <0.5W in standby
- Battery remote control: 1x CR2032 / 3V or 1x CR2025 / 3V
- Dimensions WxHxD: 206 x 72 x 194mm (200mm incl. sockets)
- Weight: 1660g without power supply
$2,249.00
Available in black or silver
The DAC Box RS2 is based on the successful Pre Box RS2 Digital but takes away the analogue pre-amp section, to reduce the unit to a standalone DAC with fixed output. It uses the same excellent sounding Sabre 9038 DAC chips that are state of the art. The feature set is driven to new heights. The result is a fantastic sounding and very versitile DAC. The perfect partner for anyone looking for a modern DAC with a plethora of digital inputs and a fully balanced circuit board design.
The DAC Box RS2 is a DAC that uses a dual-mono configuration of the highest-class D/A converters from ESS Sabre. ESS9038Q2M chips provide the highest sound quality in price-affordable, high-end circuits. Unlike most of DAC´s in this price range, the DAC Box RS2 includes dual DACs and separate signal paths for the left and right channels. Also thanks to these converters, the DAC Box RS2 supports up to 32-bit / 768 kHz files in PCM and DSD formats (up to DSD512) via USB, covering any digital file you can buy or stream. The fixed analog output can be switched between solid state and high-quality tube. Thus, the customer can choose which of the option is preferred.
The DAC Box RS2 has eight digital filters. One of them is the proprietary optimal transient digital filter from the MQA creators. With these filters, the listener can customize the sound to suit their own preferences. It comes with full HW and SW support for MQA technology (Master Quality Authenticated). The USB input signal is processed by a powerful multi-core XMOS microcontroller with advanced Multi-Core RISC architecture. The CPLD MAX II (Complex Programmable Logic Device) Altera is used for re-clocking, which together with the XMOS microcontroller brings high-quality processing of both classical and MQA technology. For the ideal use of this technology, it is best to connect the DAC Box to our Stream Box S2 Ultra in conjunction with the TIDAL service. You can also enjoy MQA quality by linking it with our new revolutionary CD transport, the CD Box RS2 T.The CD Box RS2 T can be connected to the DAC Box RS2 by reliable I²S differential bus via the HDMI connector where the Pre Box RS2 Digital also provides the master clock (16.9344 MHz).
A premium full aluminium remote control is included in the packaging and the DAC Box RS2 is available in a high-quality silver or black aluminium case. The big display screen on the front shows all relevant information in an easy to read, clean and structured way. Navigating the menu is very responsive and fast, allowing you to set up the unit to your preferences in seconds!
Automat A-1
Automatic Turntable with phono stage
$499.00
The A-1 does it all. AUTOMAT A1 is Pro-Ject Audio’s first fully automatic record player. Also featuring a switchable MM phono preamp, high-performance semi-symmetrical phono cables and a classic OM 10 phono cartridge, A1’s price/performance value has yet to be seen in the automatic class of record players.
A1 HIGHLIGHTED FEATURES:
• Factory installed and aligned Ortofon OM10 cartridge
• Built in, switchable phono preamp
• 8.3” aluminum low-mass tonearm
• Precise mechanics with automated start and stop
• Aluminum platter with damping ring
• Carbon fiber reinforced non-magnetic headshell
• Resonance damped chassis
• Silicon damped isolation feet
• Electronically controlled playback speeds
• Attached premium semi-symmetrical Connect it E phono cable
• Gold plated RCA cable connectors
• Hinged acrylic dust cover included
• Handmade in Germany
Tube Box DS2
$999.00
This precision tube phono preamplifier benefits from outstanding circuit technology and uses ultimate components. Compatible with both MM and MC cartridges. It offers connection for two turntables plus two selectable line outputs and a continuously variable selection of input impedance for low output MC cartridges while playing a record! Other features include input capacitance for MM cartridges and switchable subsonic, that prevents your amplifier and speakers of ultra low rumble below 20Hz. All components including tube output and polypropylene capacitors are audiophile-grade and guarantee a breathtaking sound experience. A perfect upgrade for ambitious vinyl lovers!
Features
- Suitable for MM and MC cartridges
- Precise RIAA equalisation
- Ultra low noise circuitry
- Selection between 2 phono inputs & 2 line outputs
- Dual mono circuitry for optimized channel separation
- Selectable input impedance (for MC: fixed or variable)
- Selectable input capacitance (for MM)
- Selectable subsonic filter
- Gold-plated RCA in & outputs
- Sandwich alu/metal casing protects from vibrations and electromagnetic interference
- Finishes: silver or black, with/without wooden side panels
- Handmade in Europe
Specs
- Tubes: 2 x ECC83 (12AX 7A)
- Input impedance: variable 10-1000 ohms/ 47.000 ohms (47kΩ)
- Input capacitance : 47pF, 147pF, 267pF, 367pF
- Gain: 40, 45, 50, 60 and 65 dB (switchable)
- Output voltage typically: 500 mV/1kHz at 5mV/1kHz (at 40dB)
- Noise floor: 88 dB (A weighted, at 40dB gain)
- THD: <0,04 %
- RIAA-equalisation curve accuracy: 20 Hz – 20 kHz / +0,2dB / -0,2dB
- Input: 2 pairs RCA/phono sockets
- Line-level output: 2 pairs RCA/phono sockets
- Outboard power supply: 18 V/1000 mA DC
Xtension 10 in Mahogany lacquer TAS Recommended in 2018 & 2019 Buyers Guide
TAS 2018 & 2019 Editors’ Choice Awards: Turntables
$2,000 - $5,000
- XTension 9- Affordable state of the art table in 5 lacquer colors. $3499
- XTension 10- (Above) New affordable super table with superb $1300 Project 10cc Evolution 10" carbon fiber arm, 12 pound platter, mass loaded floating sub chassis, balanced sandwich platter and electronic speed control. $4999/ $5499 with $1900 Sumiko Starling cartridge. Available in piano black, mahogany or olive.
- Xtension 12- Superb table with $1300.00 12" Project 12cc carbon fiber tonearm. Larger version of the above Xtension 10 $5,799/$6,799 with $1900 Sumiko Starling MC cartridge
$2,799.00 with $600.00 Sumiko Amethyst cartridge
Sale $1999.00 without cartridge-Ask about our great cartridge deals
The transparent acrylic plinth stands on three individually height-adjustable TPE-damped aluminum cones and carries the motor and the sub-chassis. The sub-chassis, made of Corian, rests on three magnetic fields. A magnetic sub-chassis suspension system avoids parasitic noise normally caused by conventional spring mechanism. A supplied spirit level allows easy adjustment of the sub-chassis. A quiet running AC motor unit drives the platter’s outside edge via a belt. It does incorporate an advanced DC-driven motor control, that ensures perfect speed stability and electronic speed change.
The resonance optimized platter is a sandwich construction utilizing a fine-balanced medium density fiber platter and a 4 mm thick flat-ground layer of vinyl and a screw-down metal record clamp. It runs on an inverted bearing with stainless-steel axle carrying a ceramic ball/ plate bearing. The headshell and arm tube of high-end tonearm 9cc Evolution are fashioned from a single piece of carbon-fiber. A conical arm tube avoids standing wave reflections. An Inverted tonearm bearing comprises four hardened stainless tips in ABEC 7 spec ball-races.
Supplied either with or without a premium Sumiko Amethyst Moving Magnet cartridge, hand-made in Japan by the cartridge experts at Sumiko, it can be ready to play within a few minutes of unboxing. Supplied counterweights are suitable for cartridges weighing between 5-14 g. Also supplied in the box is our Connect-IT E RCA cables, a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable with superior shielding that’s optimized for turntable use.
- Acrylic Plinth
- Sub-chassis made from Corian with magnetic suspension
- Acoustically inert sandwich construction of platter (vinyl-coated MDF)
- Inverted main bearing with ceramic ball/plate
- Belt drive with AC motor using DC driven AC generator
- Electronic speed control with 33/45 rpm switching
- 9cc Evolution pre-mounted 9″ tonearm
- Tonearm bearings with ABEC 7 ballraces
- Handmade in Europe
$599.00
Black lacquer shown/9 finishes available
New to Debut…
∙ Sumiko Rainier MM phono cartridge
∙ Massive TPE-damped steel record platter
∙ Motor, motor shielding & suspension
∙ Electronic speed changer & stabilizer
∙ Adjustable TPE-damped isolation feet
∙ Satin finishes including real walnut veneer
The Evolution
Building a great high-end turntable requires design expertise. Building a great & affordable turntable requires not only expertise, but also skilled engineering, flawless manufacturing, advanced material sciences, and relentless passion. Creating a worthy successor to the legendary Debut Carbon required rethinking and reevaluating every component and each design choice. The new Debut Carbon EVO represents the epitome of Pro-Ject’s philosophy: high performance, clean aesthetics, and superb value. The elegant, simple aesthetic is unmarred by gimmicky lights, sliders, and buttons. It is a pure, high-performance turntable.
Good Vibrations – From the Record to You
Vinyl playback starts with the cartridge, converting what’s in the three-dimensional record groove to an electrical signal. The new Sumiko Rainier phono cartridge combines superb trackability with uncanny accuracy and clarity without sacrificing smoothness. Factory mounted and aligned on an 8.6″ low-mass carbon fiber tonearm, the Rainier offers a replaceable stylus that can be easily upgraded to a Sumiko Olympia (or even a Moonstone!) in a matter of seconds. No need to replace the cartridge, reset the alignment nor rebalance the tonearm. The signal from the Rainier is transmitted via a single run of high quality copper wiring direct to high quality RCA connectors with a completely separate ground, preserving the balanced signal from the cartridge output. The Debut Carbon EVO is supplied with our Connect It E: a semi-balanced, low-capacitance cable with superior shielding designed specifically to carry the delicate phono signal.
Modern Materials Meet Mass
The main platter upon which the record is played should be heavy and non-resonant. The Debut Carbon EVO approaches this problem by using our proven 12” steel platter, now lined around the outer edge (bottom side) with an anti-resonant thermo-plastic elastomer (TPE). The result is a heavier platter with minimal noise over an expertly engineered main bearing and sub-platter. The added rotational mass enhances the flywheel effect, yielding reduced wow & flutter and higher stability while damping resonance.
A Stable Stance
The Debut Carbon EVO benefits from the huge range of higher-level design elements Pro-Ject has to offer, incorporating the special TPE-damped metal feet from our award winning X1 turntable. Not only do the vibration-absorbing feet help isolate the turntable, they are easy to adjust and leveling the turntable is now as simple as can be. A perfectly leveled, solid & stable platform is crucially important for proper vinyl playback.
Vibes We Don’t Want to Hear
Motors vibrate. That is a challenge for any turntable designer to overcome as those vibrations can transfer to the tonearm and cartridge, negatively affecting sound quality. The Debut Carbon EVO features a new motor suspension system, decoupling the motor from the plinth to reduce the transfer of vibration. The only vibes we want are in the record grooves. Leveraging advanced damping solutions with high-mass composite construction, we created the new motor suspension system using a steel plate and TPE decoupling to isolate the motor while ensuring the spindle is perfectly aligned with the sub-platter for impeccable speed stability and smooth transfer of rotational force.
No Need to Watch Your Speed
Many turntables utilize AC motors that rely on your power line to maintain the correct speed. Many are so erratic they have to provide speed-control which needs to be monitored and adjusted over time. Some high-end designs offer an additional, usually expensive external power controller to stabilize speed. The Debut Carbon Evolution implements a sophisticated onboard power control circuit that generates a very precise signal to ensure accurate and consistent speed regardless of power fluctuation. There’s no need for adjustment nor gimmicky lights and sliders. You can simply rely on spot-on accuracy. Given the increasing popularity of 9″ and high-quality 45rpm records (due to their superior sound quality), we have incorporated electronic speed switching on the EVO. The speed selector switch is cleverly integrated with the power switch under the front left corner, which also maintains the sleek ergonomic design the Debut is known for.
Time for Evolution
The heavy, solid MDF plinth is painstakingly layered with eight coats of paint, available in finishes that look and feel luxurious. Debut Carbon EVO is crafted in traditional high-gloss black, white and red as well as in beautiful satin finishes including new soft pastel colors and a real walnut veneer. The engineering and manufacturing are the culmination of decades of know-how, investment, and passion. We build our products for the love of music, knowing that they might be handed down to future generations along with lovingly curated record collections. We have taken our most beloved turntable design and improved nearly every aspect of it. The result is an incredibly refined product with a price/performance ratio that sets a new standard.
$899.00
Add streaming to any DAC- Class B rated in Stereophile 2019
With the gaining ground of internet streaming services, such as TIDAL or Spotify, Audiophiles interest has shifted towards network enabled devices. Many great sounding products though do not offer any network ability, either because they are too old or their main focus was not on streaming. The solution has often been to replace them with a new and modern device, stream audio via Bluetooth or to comprimise and use a smartphone or tablet via their analogue ouput to feed active speakers or amplifiers. There never was a really good solution for the consumer. Untill now.
Stream Box S2 Ultra: the smart addition
Stream Box S2 Ultra closes the gap, it offers modern connectivity with its network inputs and USB A output. Its USB output is perfected for audio signals. It uses a dedicated internal power supply and only top audiophile grade components. You won‘t run into file-support issues, as Stream Box S2 Ultra acts as a network bridge, bypassing the files directly to your digital to analogue converter. Since most DACs only have one USB input, Project designed Stream Box S2 Ultra also to be a USB detox device. Simply connect your PC to the micro USB input of the unit and connect your DAC to the audio output. This way you can clean the noisy signal of your PC, while enjoying your music with it.
The new remote control iOS and Android App is based on an opensource project and has a large community behind it. This guarantees full support and future improvements.
Stream Box S2 Ultra: feature galore!
Stream Box S2 Ultra is fully remoteable via smart devices and a regular web-browser. It offers support for the most popular streaming services: Spotify and TIDAL. Both services offer you an endless amount of music guaranteeing that you never run out of music to listen to. By implementing Shoutcast, Project also give you the option to listen to various internet radio stations. You can listen to your favourite radio shows, the news and discover new channels from all around the world – with just a few clicks.
The back-sided HDMI video output lets you connect your monitor to the Stream Box S2 Ultra. It will then show you the graphic user interface, ready to act on your commands. With the implementation of Shairport Project as even able to give the iDevice users out there another possibilty to send data to Stream Box S2 Ultra.
There are two USB inputs on Stream Box S2 Ultra, one front sided and one back sided. Both give you the possibility to connect an external harddrive to the unit. Via one of the various control scenarios (App, Webbrowser, external monitor) you can pick from your own selection of audio. The file system support goes up to PCM 32bit / 352.8 kHz and DSD256.
Pro-Ject is a big supporter of the Roon software so the Stream Box S2 Ultra is Roon Ready. This way you can simply pick your Stream Box S2 Ultra in the Roon interface and send bit-perfect audio streams to it over your network.
Features
- High resolution network bridge
- Audio optimized USB A output
- Multi-room enabled
- Dual USB A input for external storage
- TIDAL supported
- Spotify
- Network-enables any modern DAC with USB input
- Internet Radio
- DLNA enabled
- Bypasses all audio formats to the DAC
- Cleans up the audio signal from a PC
- Roon Ready (in progress)
- Shairport
- Bluetooth
- Uses dedicated power supplies
- HDMI video output
- Controllable via smart devices and PC/Laptop
- New control app!
- Ethernet and WiFi connectivity
Tube or Solid state preamp/DAC with headphone amp
$2,799.00
The Pre Box RS2 Digital is the bigger brother of the award winning and ground breaking Pre Box S2 Digital. It uses the same excellent sounding top of the line Sabre DAC chips as the S2. Based on the same core-design principles, the feature set of the Pre Box RS2 is extended and driven to new heights. The result is a fantastic sounding and very versitile preamp/DAC/headphone amp. The perfect partner for your high-end amplifier.
The Pre Box RS2 Digital is a DAC and preamplifier that uses a dual-mono configuration of the highest-class D/A converters from ESS Sabre. ESS9038Q2M chips provide the highest sound quality in price-affordable, high-end circuits. Unlike most of DAC´s in this price range, the Pre Box RS2 Digital includes dual DACs and separate signal paths for the left and right channels. Also thanks to these converters, the Pro Box RS2 Digital supports up to 32-bit / 768 kHz files in PCM and DSD formats (up to DSD512) via USB, covering any digital file you can buy or stream.
The analog output is a buffer that is both solid state and high-quality tube. Thus, the customer can choose which of the option is preferred. The Pre Box has eight digital filters. One of them is the proprietary optimal transient digital filter from the MQA creators. With these filters, the listener can customize the sound to suit their own preferences. Pre Box RS2 Digital comes with full HW and SW support for MQA technology (Master Quality Authenticated). In the Pre Box RS2, the USB input signal is processed by a powerful multi-core XMOS microcontroller with advanced Multi-Core RISC architecture. The CPLD MAX II (Complex Programmable Logic Device) Altera is used for re-clocking, which together with the XMOS microcontroller brings high-quality processing of both classical and MQA technology. For the ideal use of this technology, it is best to connect the Pre Box to a streaming Bridge, like the Stream Box S2 Ultra, in conjunction with the TIDAL service. You can also enjoy MQA quality by linking it with the new revolutionary CD transport, the CD Box RS2 T. The CD Box RS2 T can be connected to the Pre Box by reliable I²S differential bus via the HDMI connector where the Pre Box RS2 Digital also provides the master clock (16.9344 MHz). The headphone amplifier is the ultimate design. No compromise. No coupling capacitors. Not even on the output. All of the the amplifier is DC coupled. A very fast DC servo assures no DC voltage on the output. Its output power is suitable for all kind of headphones. A premium full aluminium remote control is included in the packaging and the Pre Box RS2 Digital is available in a high-quality silver or black aluminium case. The big display screen on the front shows all relevant information in an easy to read, clean and structured way. Navigating the menu is very responsive and fast, allowing you to set up the unit to your preferences in seconds!
Class A rated in Stereophile 2019
The Pre Box S2 offers amazing value. It can be used as a digital preamp or stand alone DAC with MQA decoding as well as DSD and PCM to 24.192k for all your Hi rez software. Value is off the scale and performance is superb for the money. Hook up an amp and digital source, like a computer, to a pair of speakers and make a killer affordable system
Pre Box S2 Digital marks a new era for Pro-Jects S-series components, for the very first time They are using a dual mono configuration with the highest class D/A converters of ESS Sabre, their flagship DAC chip, that ensures highest class audio in a small and affordable pack-age. This DAC is capable of high resolution audio up to 32bit 768kHz PCM and DSD512!
Pre Box S2 Digital is also the very first of our devices to support hardware MQA unfolding. It’s also the premiere of our proprietary Optimum transient digital filter and our pro-prietary clock circuitry design. Digital audio is the art of time, with the new proprietary clock design we have managed jitter rates of unrivalled 100 Femtoseconds, this easily outperforms many renowned and respected audiophile clock generators! With organic polymer capacitors and thin film mini MELF resistors Pro-Ject was able to create a tiny device that will blow away even much bigger components for a much higher price. With a total of seven digital filters the sound can be shaped precisely to the listeners lik-ing. Pre Box S2 Digital is fully remoteable, it can also control the playback software of a computer. You can use Play, Pause, Forward and Rewind straight with your Pre Box S2 Digital!
Headfonics summed with:
"At $399 the Pre Box S2 Digital is one of those all-in-one solutions that defines what a typical 2018 digital audiophile might be looking for. Roon Tested, full MQA unfolding, a low noise floor, easily transportable and a very likable tonal presentation with a very modern DAC chip solution inside. This is one well designed, feature-heavy little box and it will sit very nicely indeed right beside your PC either at home or in the office."
Hifi News gave it an "Outstanding Product" award and said:
• High end ESS Sabre ESS9038 dual DAC
• Proprietary clock circuity design
• Organic polymer capacitors and thin film miniMELF resistors
• MQA hardware decoding
• DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 & DSD512 (DSD over PCM)
• Up to 24bit/192kHz for optical & coax inputs
• 7 selectable digital filter characteristics
• 1 proprietary optimum transient digital filter
• Headphone output on the front (6.3mm)
• Synchronization of all internal oscillators
• Jitter as low as 100 Femtoseconds!
• Gold plated four layer PCB
• Outboard Power supply 5V/1A DC (included)
• Full alu/metal sandwich casing in silver or black
- Tube Box DS2 - Tube phono stage for MM and MC (60dB) cartridges $899
- Tube Box S, tube MC/MM phono stage with excellent sonics - $499
- Phono Box RS-Exceptional phono stage with front panel controls. Balanced & RCA outs Pro-Ject's best $1,199