pro-ject cd box rs2 vs jays audio cd2 mk3

Pro-ject hands down. They make some great stuff! I love both my tube box ds2, and the Classic sb turntable. Pro-ject also now owns musical fidelity.

Hello,
I have seen this scenario before. The Jays transport is nice and gets good reviews. If you are concerned about the drive you can buy a backup. You will have to send it all in to have the drive and firmware installed.  It is usually more important with SACD drives but the top loading Jays is a little unique. The same goes for the Project except I love the separate power supply. Their are some cheap chinese alternatives but I would go with SBooster brand. Their is a reason why top gear has a separate power supply’s. You can start with the wall wart for now and upgrade later. One last thing:
Everything has a sound signature even without a built in DAC. See if you can demo both..
If you need to order an SBooster and live near the Chicagoland area this store is a dealer. https://holmaudio.com/
They are also a Nordost dealer. I use the Nordost Silver Shadow BNC/RCA Digital cable. For $275 it is an insane value. Normally around $550. You can try before you buy. 

I have no knowledge of the Project. I did investigate the Jay’s but eventually bought a Moon Simaudio 260DT cd transport. It preforms wonderfully. Is it the best? Probably not. Is it a great sounding  deck and that’s all that concerns me. 

@hshifi. You do not have to send the Jay’s cd2 mk3 in to have the cd drive replaced.  Both the drive and the laser pickup are user replaceable, taking only a few minutes.  Pricing is $300 for the drive and $100 for the pickup. 

Hello, 
@tar..thanks for clarifying. It makes even more sense to have the backup since it is so easily swapped. I have been looking at Jays for a few years. I love the look and function of loading CD players.