Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Impressions

[Ron Scubadiver]

Does anyone here own (or did own) this DAC?  I find it interesting because it has a remote control which regulates volume.

 

I am looking for something around this price which does not induce listening fatigue.  That is, no upper frequency emphasis or edginess.  Lack of ability to drive low efficiency headphones is not a factor.

 

Anything else in this general price range?

[Miska]

Oh yes, please see here:

 

Technically very good for the price. Sounds nice, especially at DSD512. With PCM inputs may not be exactly to your taste (typical ESS sound).

 

For your taste, trying iFi micro iDSD BL running sources upsampled DSD512 input may be good to check out too. Similar price, but quite different feature set (no remote, etc).

 

But as always, you need to listen yourself to make decision!

[creativepart]

I have one and like it pretty well. I don't think it's a giant killer, but in my limited experience (I've only owned 5 dacs) it's miles ahead of a lot of under $500 Dacs. Heck, it's better than a number of Dacs at more than twice it's $399. I especially like it for Tidal Masters (MQA) files.

 

I've tried it through my integrated amp where the amp controls the volume. And, I tried it in a pre-amp bypass where I used the S2 remote for volume control. Both worked fine and I liked the direct mode bypassing the pre the best, however, I got some RFI hash from my computer (when moving the wireless mouse or even when pages loaded in a browser). It was very faint but it was there. I probably could have relocated some things or used different cables, etc to prevent the RFI noise but instead went back to running it through my integrated amp's preamplifier. No RFI noise with this setup.

 

Go for it, it's sooo inexpensive you could buy one, live with it a while and then sell it for near what you paid for it if you decide to move on.

[Ron Scubadiver]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

 

For your taste, trying iFi micro iDSD BL running sources upsampled DSD512 input may be good to check out too. Similar price, but quite different feature set (no remote, etc).

 

But as always, you need to listen yourself to make decision!

One of the items on my radar is the iFi Micro Idac2.  Some at iFi say it sounds better than the idsd black.  Converting pcm to DSD is not on the agenda right now due to my having a low powered N3700 computer.   

[Miska]

On 7/5/2018 at 11:37 PM, Ron Scubadiver said:

One of the items on my radar is the iFi Micro Idac2.  Some at iFi say it sounds better than the idsd black.  Converting pcm to DSD is not on the agenda right now due to my having a low powered N3700 computer.   

 

Then I'd personally rather go for the Pro-Ject DAC instead... Remember to turn on the distortion-compensation and then you can manually select digital filter you like.

 

I cannot confirm that iDAC2 would be better than micro iDSD BL (I have both).

[beerandmusic]

37 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Then I'd personally rather go for the Pro-Ject DAC instead... Remember to turn on the distortion-compensation and then you can manually select digital filter you like.

 

I cannot confirm that iDAC2 would be better than micro iDSD BL (I have both).

to clarify, you have had all 3, including the pro-ject, and you prefer the pro-ject over the other 2?  Just out of curiosity, have you had the TEAC UD/NT-505, or any plans to try it? (i know you have had the 501/503 in the past?)

 

[Ron Scubadiver]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Then I'd personally rather go for the Pro-Ject DAC instead... Remember to turn on the distortion-compensation and then you can manually select digital filter you like.

 

I cannot confirm that iDAC2 would be better than micro iDSD BL (I have both).

Could it be that I have this insane fear of ESS DA chips as my mind has been conditioned to think they have too much detail, a relatively harsh or forward sound or something like that.  It could be a form of insanity....

[asdf1000]

1 hour ago, Ron Scubadiver said:

Could it be that I have this insane fear of ESS DA chips as my mind has been conditioned to think they have too much detail, a relatively harsh or forward sound or something like that.  It could be a form of insanity....

 

While I never jumped to any conclusions, I had the same experience with many ESS DA chip DACs in the past.

 

I've had a much better experience with the Pro-Ject S2 DAC though. It's designed by the well respect John Westlake, which may have something to do with it (good design of power supply and analogue stages).

 

[asdf1000]

3 hours ago, beerandmusic said:

to clarify, you have had all 3, including the pro-ject, and you prefer the pro-ject over the other 2? 

 

Just to add another data point, I've had all 3 and prefer the Pro-Ject S2 DAC.

 

I had some funky firmware related (maybe USB interface too) behaviour with the iFi DACs, with HQP Embedded.

 

I haven't had any reliability issues with the Pro-Ject S2 DAC with HQP Embedded. Rock solid and sounds great.

 

[Miska]

7 hours ago, Ron Scubadiver said:

Could it be that I have this insane fear of ESS DA chips as my mind has been conditioned to think they have too much detail, a relatively harsh or forward sound or something like that.  It could be a form of insanity....

 

ESS DA chips tend to have certain "house sound", less so when you run them with DSD256/DSD512.

 

There are some DAC designs that ameliorate this a bit.

 

TI/BB and chips are more at the other end of sonic spectrum. While for example Cirrus Logic goes a bit to the other extreme beyond ESS.

 

AD and Wolfson are in the middle a bit closer to TI/BB end while AKM is in the middle a bit closer to ESS and CL end.

 

Running them at DSD brings things closer together towards the middle.

 

Just my subjective opinion based on what I've been listening so far, I don't have objective data to prove it.

 

[Ron Scubadiver]

@Miska  TI/BB is what I probably need. 

[Ron Scubadiver]

Come to think of it, I have and Audioengine D1 with an AK4396 in it which sounds more towards the laid back end of the spectrum than anything else I have ever heard, including an iFi idsd nano black.  The iFi got sent back because the headphone jack was too loose.  Just look at it wrong and the darn plug fell out.

[creativepart]

The S2 is especially nice in that you can play MQA files from it as a renderer/decoder OR you can skip MQA altogether and upsample everything to DSD. Your choice based on your preferences. I haven't tried it yet, but others have said you can set up Roon to do the first unfolding of MQA and then upsample to DSD after that first unfolding.

 

Nice options to have.