My quick review of the new Pro-Ject S2 MQA Dac

The S2 will start trickling into the US at any time. I purchased mine back in early October here
Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital Pre and Headphone Amplifier

The dac comes with multiple voltage adaptors for the power plug which makes it work anywhere.

I have installed the latest firmware and have all inputs connected: Bluesound node to the Coax, Apple TV to the optical and I installed a usb cable and fished down to my main studio computer (also my Roon core).

MQA and DSD decoding is only available via usb. The sound is fantastic. Very quiet, spacious and very musical. Compared to my older Peachtree Nova-Pre dac, there is a definite improvement. The Nova pre sounds a bit stale and narrow compared to the S2.

I have many hi-Rez and and a few DSD tracks and Roon transfers those to the S2 with no problem. MQA thru Tidal...same thing. With Roon, for some reason, nothing past 3x DSD will decode. Not a problem since 4x dsd content is few and far between. The S2 does support 4x DSD

Listening to Qobuz thru my Bluesound Node2 connected to the coax input sounds fantastic. All audio resolutions show correctly on the S2 screen. The Hi rez (24/96,24/192 etc) streams from Qobuz are a real treat. The Bluesound Node2 Dac is excellent. Not as much improvement comparing the S2 to the BS Node2 as there were with the Peachtree. The Bluesound does 24/192 pcm and full MQA as well (no dsd). Plus, the BS can be used as a Roon endpoint.

I did use the S2 as a preamp for a couple of weeks while my Rogue RP-5 tube pre was getting some warranty work done. The s2 sounded like a fantastic passive pre and if it had the inputs (analog, etc) I could see living with it as a pre as well (small remote included).

One early review in Italy states the S2 compares well with the Chord Hugo. One owner on Computer audiophile sold his Benchmark DAC2 because he could not tell any difference in sound quality and decided to keep the much cheaper S2.

I highly suggest checking this dac out. I do not think one can beat it for $400 (US). I was thinking of getting a Mytek Brooklyn + (just released) or the new Teac NT/UD-505 that will be released in January (NT-505 | 製品トップ | TEAC ). I may wait and see comparisons with this S2 once more people get their hands on it. I don't see paying for a phono input that I don't need with the Mytek.

If any others have the S2, please share your thoughts and comparisons to other Dacs


My Equipment: Rogue RP-5 preamp, Bluesound Node2, Apple TV (airplay), Oppo 103, NuForce STA200 amp, Zu Omen Def speakers (101 db efficient)

 

Hi.
But where did you get the latest firmware?
Would you insert a link please.

 

Look in the pink media thread below. PM john Westlake the designer. The firmware is in Beta
Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 digital DAC

 

Thank you.

 

Not a problem. I’m looking forward to comparisons to much higher priced dacs once the S2 becomes a plenty in the US. Some outlets, from what I've read, in the US are starting to receive units

 

Looks like Stereophile may get a review copy soon. I am really impressed with this Dac. I'm sure a $1000 dac may sound better, however, I doubt the difference would be night and day.

Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital DAC

 

I have this DAC as well. It is as good as everyone says. A true audiophile budget DAC. MQA sounds really good through this system. I have Roon as well as Tidal.

 

I am also pleased with the DSD performance. Even if I purchased a better dac down the road, I will keep this one for other components (TV, Etc) that are hooked to my preamp

 

Does anyone know if they're planning a fully balanced version with XLR outputs?

This would be perfect in my desktop system with my Dynaudio BM6A mkII monitors, but I would prefer fully balanced XLR with those monitors. Also, it would be nice to have a second set of RCA outputs as I'll likely add a sub in my desktop system at some point.

 

I'd be curious how the Pro-Ject s2 compares to the Mytek Liberty for DAC sound quality.

 

Thanks for all the helpful info.

I just purchased the S2 and like it quite a bit, but I’m having trouble getting it to recognize MQA files I’ve bought from the Onkyo Music site. I have the S2 hooked up to my computer via USB, and it recognizes DSD files, and it also recognizes and unfolds MQA files when I play an MQA cd through the computer—showing the MQA dot and designation on the S2 screen when the cd is playing—but it does not do this when I play the MQA downloads from Onkyo.

Any idea what the issue might be? Thanks for any input!

 

Thats a good one. Tidal is my only MQA source and it decodes properly. Besides the obvious firmware updates, USB as input on the S2 etc.) I wonder if there is a mix up of some sort on the Onkyo site. Does the S2 show a higher resolution on those files (24/44. 24/96, etc)? If you get one source to decode, then any MQA should decode.

 

John Modwright of Modwright Instruments also has a high opinion of the S@ and is developing power supply and output mods for it-

Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital preamp and DSD DAC witht MQA - Mods!

 

Thanks for sharing. I will keep a close eye on the progress

 

It’s actually Dan Wright. Modwright is the name of his company. He’s going to have his “Modbox” with the little Project S2 DAC at Capital Audiofest. I’m looking forward to hearing it. It provides a 5W/2A output to power the Project more cleanly, and a tube buffer with RCA inputs and outputs. Early feedback is great. Total cost is under $1000 including the Project.

 

Thanks for the response—I appreciate the input.

Yes, the S2 does show higher resolution on those files—which are sold as FLAC MQA downloads on the Onkyo site—but the S2 MQA indicator does not light up like it does with MQA discs. I also have an MQA compatible Sony Walkman which registers the Onkyo files as clearly MQA, so that convolutes things even more.

I’ll keep looking into it and see what I can find out, if anything. Thanks again!

 

Hi,

I hope owners of Pre Box s2 can help me to understand a thing: when connected to a windows computer, and playing with wasapi/ASIO, does windows volume control and mute work in PCM, DSD, MQA modes?

It looks like XMOS chip does have digital volume control, but not sure if it’s implemented by Pro-Ject?

 

Has anybody heard the Modwright power unit/tube buffer with the S2?

 

Love my Pre Box S2. Hard to imagine a better DAC for the money.
The base unit measures extremely well according to Stereophile, so I have doubts as to how much audible improvement can come from a linear PS. I don't see the PS mod listed anywhere on the Modwright website.

 

I checked around there and didn't see anything either.

If anyone knows about about what became of the Modwright S2 project, please share!

 

Here's the thread that refers to the buffer and linear power supply mods- And yes, a regulated linear power supply will give audibly better performance.

Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital preamp and DSD DAC witht MQA - Mods!

Also-

Linear Power Supplies for Audiophiles - Getting Closer to Live - Audio Bacon

And Pro-ject now has a linear supply for DS models-

Power Box DS2 Sources – Pro-Ject Audio Systems

 

How so? Its noise floor, distortion levels and linearity are superb with the standard wal-wart, so good that they're well below the threshold of audibility.

 

I provided a link, research on your part is in order. One of the easiest improvements in inexpensive audio devices is improving the power supply from the price point driven wall-wart.

 

That's what is often claimed but I have my doubts

 

Isn't it weird then that top quality Dac designers, amp designers, pre-amp designers haven't jettisoned their internal, linear supplies to go to a cheap wall wart instead, just like the cheap Chi Fi stuff? Wall warts are a compromise for meeting a price point. Every time I've put in a linear supply it has improved the sound of the component.