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A phenomenal new CD transport-Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 transport

I have had in-house for the last week Pro-Ject's new CD Box RS2 transport to review for the website Stereo Times. I was very curious to assess its performance because it uses the Pro 8 drive with the Blue Tiger CD-84 servo card. This drive was developed and built by StreamUnlimited a company started by the original Phillips designers that historically built the finest CD mechanisms. Only two other companies use the StreamUnlimited 8 drive and Blue Tiger CD-84 servo card, their pieces cost $16,000 and $39,000 compared to Pro-Ject's sane price of $3,000!

My reference for the last two years has been the excellent Jay's Audio MK-II transport that had out-performed much more expensive highly regarded transports in my system. Well, across every sonic parameter  (transparency/micro-details-overall dynamics/bottom-end extension/purity of tonality- a much more airy sound-stage with wonderful 3D imaging) compared to the Jay's Audio transport.

That's way I titled this thread a "phenomenal new CD transport" because while not inexpensive, it just might be a bargain based on its performance. Mind you, this superlative level of performance is based on using the switching power supply that Pro-Ject ships the transport with. I have shortly coming a custom 20 watt 3 amp linear power supply from Linear Tube Audio and Pro-Ject's own upgraded power supply to see if the RS2 transport performance will even go to a higher qualitative level of performance.

I'll be writing a full detailed review for Stereo Times in the near future. However, I wanted to share this information to GON members who still spin CDs. I have had numerous CD transports in for evaluation and this just might be the best sounding of all of them.

Teajay (Terry London)




amorstereo
essrand
297 posts
 
@amorstereo, would you be looking at the Psaudio Perfective SACD transport (PST) anytime soon.
Based on this thread, I was close to pulling the trigger on the RS2 but my dealer swears the PST kicks ass in comparison, for a few thousand dollars more, of course :)
in_shore's avatar
in_shore
596 posts
 
Riaa I don’t know Dave of Audio Intellect from a hole in the ground however reading your attack on Dave and his business is a little much , kinda nutty as a matter of fact ,.LOL 

facten
2,882 posts
 
essrand, does your dealer carry both the RS2 and the PST for you to get a firsthand listen to both so you can decide for yourself?
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook's avatar
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook
981 posts
 
   Well like you said....you dont know BUT your certainly entitled to your opinion of me which doesnt matter to anybody but yourself. I will call BS if I see it. He might think he knows everything about audio equipment but when it comes to the actual music he obviously is completely clueless as to its origins in the studio/mixing/mastering area. Whats available NOW vs What was available before. He probably isnt even aware of the massive fire that destroyed thousands and thousands of the actual Master Recordings more than a decade ago in California. He thinks whats currently available in the streaming world is the ULTIMATE in sonic reproduction that has ever been. Thats a TOTAL Lie.

ESSRAND....Your aware that PS AUDIO no longer has a Dealer Network right?  So the chances of ANY dealer (former PS Audio Dealer or otherwise) telling somebody to buy one of their products over another is highly unlikely. Can you provide your dealer source??  For a Few thousand dollars more you can buy an Esoteric Spinner with a NON CHIP DAC that will smoke anything that PS Audio could ever produce.
jriggy's avatar
jriggy
564 posts
 
How noisy is the transport mechanism when running? I read a comment on a YT vid saying it was noisy and audible from 10ft away. The statement was from 2019, so maybe they’ve changed it? 
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