2. digital
  3. 166755-159189

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
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook's avatar
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook
981 posts
 
Bit perfect copy of overly compressed/crappily remastered recordings that are currently in the record labels possession. NOT the music that was originally recorded back in the day by the master engineers/producers/mixers. We get it. Sad that you will never realize that the CD’s you purchased back in the 80’s are in most cases better digital recordings than what you are being offered on your streaming services. Do your homework. There is a reason the 1st pressings (Or the best pressings) can go for Hundreds of Dollars each....Just like Reel to Reel tapes do.
I will also wager any Esoteric you claim to have used was one with a DAC CHIP and no master clock hooked up to it.
Do us all a favor so you can stop embarrassing yourself. Go buy something like the recent Doobie Brothers Quad Box Set, or a Tull Steven Wilson mix....play those Discs on some Mid-Fi OPPO Spinner or comparable low end universal spinner.  Those mixes from the ORIGINAL Master Tapes will sound better than whatever files you have on your preferred music server.  I realize this will take you away from your nightly Barry Manilow listening session so I apologize in advance for infringing on your time.  Copacabana will still be there for you tomorrow....albeit a crappy recorded version of it where your missing instruments from the original recording cause they have been compressed out on the recording thats available to you on Tidal/Quobuz
pedroeb
493 posts
 
For that price I'd expect something better than the toggle switch on the front that looks like a reject from some old fashioned spare parts bin. 
bigkidz
3,393 posts
 
Terry - thanks.  Funny thing is that I just bought one for a friend and it arrived yesterday.  Took it over to another friends house to listen to it cold out of the box.  Hard to say what I was hearing as I don't know what this system really sounds like since he uses a streaming device.  First impression was it sounded excellent without another transport to compare it to.  We did use my DAC so I was familiar with something about the sound we were listening to.  We enjoyed the sound of the system very much but like I said nothing to compare it to.  I have several transports that we will compare it do, most likely my two chassis Metronome from years ago..

Someone mentioned the toggle switch - my friend who bought the unit said the same thing but I kind of liked the little toggle, so to each his own.

I will follow-up with a comparison this weekend.

So far in my experimenting and experience - the streamers while are getting very good are just not at the level of transport port and DAC (has to be a reference DAC) thought.

Happy Listening


charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
@bigkidz wrote,
"I will follow-up with a comparison this weekend."

Thanks for taking the time to do so. Should be quite informative and interesting.

"So far in my experimenting and experience - the streamers while are getting very good are just not at the level of transport port and DAC (has to be a reference DAC) thought".

If streaming services are predominantly providing "compressed" recordings then streamers are placed at an intrinsic disadvantage up against good quality transports playing better recorded/mastered CDs. The actual streamer could be excellent sounding if fed uncompressed recordings.
Charles
essrand
297 posts
 
@facten

Nope, he doesn't. Or I wouldn't have posted with the question :) Listening oneself is the best test of all, of course.

@riaa

I don't live in the US anymore, here PS Audio has a distributor.
Also, I own a Nagra Tube DAC which supposedly smokes most Esoteric gear (this is from people who have owned both, not me of course :))

@bigkidz 

Looking forward to your impressions, I am gonna pull the trigger any day now, hope your comparisons happen before that :)


More to discover