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
jafant13,452 posts05-16-2021 9:49pmgeorgehifi

which player(s) does a SF-HD850 fit?

Happy Listening!

Looking at this it’s just the cheap Sanyo SF-HD850 slot loader mech, in a fancy aluminum housing
https://ibb.co/JHcCdFN

https://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=Sf-hd850&_...

There’s 34 other cd transport/players here that use it, press control F and type in HD850
http://vasiltech.narod.ru/CD-Player-DAC-Transport.htm


Cheers George
There are only a few cd transport manufactures. The high end companies buy those and shield, isolate from vibration and my modify them. I have hear Audio Research just discontinued their manufacture of REF CD9se because the manufacturer stopped making their transports. They tend to be fairly reliable and need to keep a lot in stock for repairs.
I have the Pro-Ject DS2T which is brilliant for me ripping CDs to minidisc on one of my high end Sony minidisc players.

@riaa award:  That is why I'm first getting an Esoteric to replace my Oppo 105.  Server can wait!  K-05XD and K-07XD will be out later this year.