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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
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
Why the modified wall wart?
Is there a better power supply available?
ghdprentice
6,965 posts
 
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.
electrum
3 posts
 
I have the Pro-Ject DS2T which is brilliant for me ripping CDs to minidisc on one of my high end Sony minidisc players.

fred60
131 posts
 
@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.
electrum
3 posts
 
I have an Oppo 205 also and is is great for all discs. Unfortunately, this model got a bad name for 'skipping' - having blank non-playing passages at random intervals. Although not figured about by Oppo and their distributors, the cause was not the player as such but the interface with some TVs with them trying to 'shake hands'. The cure was to switch off (do not leave in standby) or disconnect the TV and set the player to "Pure Audio".
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