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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
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 :)


riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook's avatar
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook
981 posts
 
Essrand,
Since when does NAGRA make CD Players/DAC combo?? Thats what we are talking about. Stay on Topic
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