Ultimate CD Transport

Next generation of ultimate CD Transports

Pro-Ject has always been making products and investments which are not particularly mainstream. As everybody was jumping onto the CD bandwagon, they were starting with turntables! Now as everybody moves into streaming, Pro-Ject are investing in a new revolutionary CD-player.

Pro-Ject believe in listening to music consciously and also that there are many people who deeply share this sentiment with us. Similar to analogue records, people want to have the physical medium in hand. And that‘s also true for the CD! Most of us are still going to put most of their CD‘s onto a hard disc drive or store them in the basement, as they did with their analogue records. But many want to keep their best CD’s and for this they want to have a proper CD-player. Very good in quality, but not too crazy expensive. Actual Redbook CD players have gotten rare, real high-end mechanisms aren‘t even existing anymore. Today, Pro-Ject know that the drive is essential for accurately reading CDs. The mechanics in many drives struggle to correctly read CDs and rely on audio interpolation to make it work, that often has a negative impact on the sound quality. The CD medium might have gotten an unfavourable reputation as a result, which is why it is time to create a perfect, top-class CD transport again. Transport-only matters, because many already have a very good DAC, which means they do not have to add a DAC and drive costs up. So Pro-Ject concentrated to make the best CD transport they possibly could.

Being based in Vienna, they are lucky enough that Philips had its development department here, and many CD players and mechanisms were designed here. The gentlemen who were part of this epochal invention are still around, formed in a company called StreamUnlimited. Pro-Ject are proud to say, the pope of the CD player today – Mr. Michael Jirousek, was helping to create this ultimate CD player. The CD Box RS2 T is the latest development in their line of ultimate top-loading CD transports, built around the StreamUnlimited CD mechanism CD–Pro 8 and servo system CD-84. The CD Box RS2 T takes playing standard Red Book Audio CDs to perfection. The CD Pro-8 has the servo system directly integrated in its aluminium body. The entire body is suspended on a proprietary anti-vibration system, which allows us to control the level of outside vibrations reaching the insides of the device. The CD mechanism is stabilised and secured, unaffected by external influences.

Vibration dampers are mounted on the very rigid carbon fibre chassis, which further contributes to isolating the CD loader from the outside. Additionally, the whole chassis is firmly connected to the body of the CD Box RS2 T itself. Such a construction brings excellent rigidity to the whole system and in the same time splendid isolation against the whole vibrational spectrum. The CD mechanism has an improved clamp made of a new aluminium alloy. It is perfectly balanced and assures perfect contact between the disc and the drive, achieving smooth rotation and perfect disc reading.

Being a transport-only device, the optical and coaxial S/PDIF outputs allow connecting your favourite high-end DAC. The AES/EBU digital output over XLR goes one step beyond the quality of optical or coaxial signals and at the ultimate top, the CD Box RS2 T offers an I²S + Masterclock output over HDMI. This standard offers the perfect digital interconnect and is the ideal solution to bypass the limitations that inherently come with other forms of digital audio connections. This makes it the perfect companion to their Pre Box RS2, fully benefitting of this digital transfer standard. The output options ensure, that all the care and attention that has gone into the design of the CD drive is not put to waste.

Foregoing any built in converter and preamp electronics, ensures that those parts do not interfere with the perfect CD reading capabilities and enable the use of high-end DACs. Pro-Ject are the first to use the new high-tech CD-Pro 8 drive with the Blue Tiger CD-84 servo board. The drive, chassis, suspension and servo board are new designs and offer unprecedented CD performance at this price point.

The massive chassis will never go out of alignment or deform under high temperatures. The cogwheels for the sledge run on precision steel axles. The chassis is milled to the highest accuracy from a solid block of aluminium and each turntable is lathed from steel and chrome plated. This is critical for transportation and ensures it will last a lifetime.

The suspension system consists out of a rigid carbon fibre plate, carbon fibre tubes, springs, silicon dampers and screws. The suspension, cover and turntable platter are made of 100% real carbon fibre. The CD Box RS2 T features a sophisticated, super precise, new levels of mechanical qualities to read out a bit-perfect data stream. The robust chassis and electronics around this drive, carry the perfect signal jitter-free to its high variety of outputs. Pro-Ject can proudly say, it‘s the best CD transport ever and the perfect partner for so many currently existing premium quality DACs.

The CD Box RS2 T is available in a precision machined, beautiful and elegant aluminium case in silver or black colour options. A new remote control in a new entirely aluminium chassis is also included in the packaging.

Features

• Toploading CD drive
• Magnetic clamp
• Plays CD Audio, CD-R, CD-RW, Hybrid SACD
• CD-Pro 8 top loading module with suspension system and Blue Tiger CD-84 servo board
• I²S + Masterclock via HDMI connector
• LCD screen displays time, tracks, text (if available)
• Gravity design with central mass point
• Aluminium IR remote included
• Available in a silver or black high-quality aluminium chassis