Project Pre Box S2 DAC & Headphone Amp Review

[AudioSceptic]

I've had the S2 for about 2 years and the display has deteriorated, colors are gone from parts of the display.

It plays OK, but definitely lacking in power, I could not use it with my HD650. Positive is that it can be powered with only USB, so mostly for those wanting a preamp for a computer to powered desktop speakers. It looks and feels great.

In my stereo system I switched to a DX3 Pro+ as preamp to my XTZ a2-300, with a display that turns of automatically and hopefully of better quality compared to the S2 display.

I try to support local companies first, but the offerings in Europe are catered to expensive large systems. Only Project has compact things, and the lack of power for my headphones was a bit disappointing. If western companies keep peddling nonsensical products, they're bound to lose much of their business to China. Luckily there are still some in the USA like schiit that try to offer compact affordable stuff.

The display on mine, bought Aug 2019, is fine. It is USB-powered from a RPi, which is on a smart plug, only on in the evening or if I override the schedule during the day.

I find the volume *just about* OK with Massdrop Sennheiser HD6XX, but it would be good to have some more in hand.

Edit: The RPi is in an Argon One case, which has a power switch. So, neither the RPi nor the Pro-Ject are powered unless the smart plug is 'on' *and* I've pressed the Argon switch. For good measure, I've added a crontab to Volumio on the RPi to do a safe shutdown before the smart plug scheduled power-off each night.

 

[ahagafadasa]

Hello @amirm
New to this forum and just bought the Pro-ject pre box s2. I use it as standalone dac to my amp then speakers. Streamer -> Dac -> Amp -> Speakers.

Are the measurements good for this application since i don't use the headphone amp?

Was wondering since you didn't recommend it and I still can return it!
I got it for a good price though! (300 dollars).

Good day!

 

[steve59]

so if you look up the dac's and find one that measures a couple hundredths of a percent better for the same will you want it less? As a pre amp I think the volume pot is pretty average, but when I used the analog outs to a stand alone pre I really couldn't tell the difference between the s2 digital and the other more expensive dac's I have.

 

[steve59]

Ignore the red line, the project s2 scores a 100 or the second from the bottom of the Green(very good) rating.

 

[Mark Dirac]

Yes, the measurements are good for your application.

The DAC is very good. It's not as good as some contemporary DACs, but it's more than good enough for the hearing of a human. The knob feel is dreadful, but the volume control is perfect with no distortion. The internal power regulation is very good, and so the DAC sounds as good powered from USB as it does from (linear) batteries.

 

[ahagafadasa]

Thanks for the fast response guys!
@Mark Dirac @steve59
It sound like a keeper.
I I may bother with one more question.
My amp lacks a remote, is it fine to set my amp volume dial to 1 o’clock and control the volume with the DAC?
At -10 db is pretty much as high I can go loudness wise.
Will different db’s affect the sound?

 

[Mark Dirac]

Yes, not only fine, but that's the way to do it.

Your amp's performance may be degraded slightly, depending upon the quality of the amp, at 8 o'clock-ish, or 4 o'clock-ish, but will be good at 1 o'clock-ish. (And may be perfect also at 8 o'clock-ish, or 4 o'clock-ish.)

With the S2D set to -30dB or -40dB, you are beginning to eat into the device's very low distortion performance. So to set your amp to 1 o'clock-ish and your S2D to -30dB-ish to -10dB-ish is a very good configuration.

Additional info on the S2D (Google Doc).

 

[AudioSceptic]

Yes, the measurements are good for your application.

The DAC is very good. It's not as good as some contemporary DACs, but it's more than good enough for the hearing of a human. The knob feel is dreadful, but the volume control is perfect with no distortion. The internal power regulation is very good, and so the DAC sounds as good powered from USB as it does from (linear) batteries.

I've been wondering about this. Amir says that a SINAD of 116 dB guarantees transparency but I don't know where he gets that from. IMO CD is "good enough" and that's a mere 96 dB. BTW Archimago has just completed another of his 16-bit vs. 24-bit blind tests <https://archimago.blogspot.com/2023/05/results-internet-blind-test-of-24-bit.html> and the results are as I would expect.

 

[Veri]

IMO CD is "good enough" and that's a mere 96 dB.

>96dB with dithering/noise shaping, though.

 

[AudioSceptic]

>96dB with dithering/noise shaping, though.

Yes, can we say 100 as a nice round number?

 

[Mark Dirac]

Few people listen with a DAC's volume at 0dB. I seem to use a 30dB range, from 0dB on quiet classical to -30dB on compressed pop late at night. I feel greedy saying so, but, if we accept 100dB as a nice round number (happy to) then I would really like my DAC's range to be say 130dB!

Or, have I got this wrong? Are there DACs where a lowered volume control does not degrade SINAD (much)?

 

[AudioSceptic]

Few people listen with a DAC's volume at 0dB. I seem to use a 30dB range, from 0dB on quiet classical to -30dB on compressed pop late at night. I feel greedy saying so, but, if we accept 100dB as a nice round number (happy to) then I would really like my DAC's range to be say 130dB!

Or, have I got this wrong? Are there DACs where a lowered volume control does not degrade SINAD (much)?

We use our Pro-Ject connected to the preamp in our main system. The preamp has remote control so the Pro-Ject is set to 0 dB (should it lower?) as if it's just a DAC. I only use the Pro-Ject's volume control with headphones.

 

[ahagafadasa]

We use our Pro-Ject connected to the preamp in our main system. The preamp has remote control so the Pro-Ject is set to 0 dB (should it lower?) as if it's just a DAC. I only use the Pro-Ject's volume control with headphones.

I am also curious about this if someone could shed some light!

 

[steve59]

! set mine to 10 because I thought I read it as a recommendation in the manual?

 

[AudioSceptic]

! set mine to 10 because I thought I read it as a recommendation in the manual?

Do you remember where you saw that in the manual?

 

[steve59]

It's been a loong year and a half since then. No luck with google?

 

[JeremyFife]

Thanks for the fast response guys!
@Mark Dirac @steve59
It sound like a keeper.
I I may bother with one more question.
My amp lacks a remote, is it fine to set my amp volume dial to 1 o’clock and control the volume with the DAC?
At -10 db is pretty much as high I can go loudness wise.
Will different db’s affect the sound?

It's fine to do this, and sonically sensible.
However, please get used to a 'safe' switch-on routine: turn your amp volume all the way down (silent) before you turn it on, and turn on your Pro-ject after you have checked that ... If you accidentally turn on the signal with everything at full volume then you could damage your speakers (as well as scaring the schiit out of yourself!) Enjoy