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
I recently picked up the RS2 T and compared it to both ripped AIFF files stored on my Aurender N100H and also streaming Qobuz from the same Aurender.  The RS2 gives a noticeable increase in soundstage depth, transparency, and fine details.  Horns seem to sound more real with less edge when compared ripped files or Qobuz. It's almost like a fine veil being lifted from in front of your speakers.  This is all with the wall wart power supply.  From what I hear I will get even better results by getting the linear power supply from LTA or Pro-Ject.  So to be clear

Pro-Ject RS2 T > Aurender N100H playing stored ripped files > Aurender N100H streaming Qobuz.

  

@jaudio1, 
Thanks for taking the time to post your listening impressions of the Pro-Ject CD Box RS2T transport in your audio system. I have to delve deeper into the technology and mechanism of this fascinating component.

It is obviously doing something very right to yield such a high level of sound quality from Redbook CD. A cogent argument could be made that the CD transport is as crucial a contributor to the sound quality as is the DAC.
Charles
Thank you for your response jaudio1 , I take. delivery of my RS2T next week , it’ll be interesting to directly compare it to ripped CDs out of a 432 Evo Aeon at three times to retail price of the Project transport.
well since I received the rs2t 3 weeks ago I added the project 4 way uni power supply a week later, very nice improvement all around. so last week I built a 20v dc power cable and the parts came from vh audio, again very nice improvement . today I added a fuse in the power supply [ hifi tuning supreme silver] it brought it up another level . this transport is unbelievable the more you upgrade it the more it likes it. unbelievable machine.