Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital: MQA HW decoding at reasonable cost

[PunkRiot]

On 12.02.2018 at 10:49 PM, Miska said:

I've got cleanest output from the DAC with it's volume control set to 0 dB and DSD512 from computer.

 

@Miska, thanks for this information. So from your experience and tests with Pre-Box S2 it is worth to convert PCM to DSD and send DSD to this DAC? Or you were just using DSD as a source material? 

[PunkRiot]

@Miska thanks for the measurements. Regarding THD is there a difference between DSD 128 vs DSD 512? Also when you measure USB input are you using USB power or you are using external LPSU? 

[PunkRiot]

If you look at all the measurements done by @Miska you will notice very good performance and he is using SMPS that was delivered with the box (if I understood him correctly). So probably there is no need to spend too much time and money thinking about power supply as the small DAC with ES9311 chip is designed in a way that at least can give good performance with standard in box SMSP or in spec USB power. Would it measure bit better with LPSU? Maybe, but probably it won't be audible. 

Here you can read bit more about ES9311 - http://www.esstech.com/index.php/en/products/low-noise-low-dropout-regulator/

 

I have Tomanek ULPS 5V but do I hear the difference against standard SMPS? Not really  

[PunkRiot]

13 hours ago, buonassi said:

 

 

I may be interested in this as an upgrade to my iDAC2.  I've recently had good luck with the sabre sound in my DAP (9028PRO chipped) and would like to incorporate its properties into my main listening chain at home - but I'm not willing to plop down more than $500 at this point - so PRO is out. 

Well, we always complain, but PS2D is great DAC. I use it every day for months connected to headphones Amp. Works perfectly fine together with USBRIDGE, the Amp and Beyerdynamics Amiron Home.

However you can have ESS Pro under 500 USD. It was suprise for me, but here it is:

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-with-volume/audiophonics-usb-balanced-dac-es9038-pro-xlr-32bit384khz-dsd-128-amanero-tcxo-p-12449.html

 

https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/dac-with-volume/usb-balanced-dac-es9028-pro-xlr-32bit384khz-dsd-512-amanero-tcxo-p-12289.html

 

 

[PunkRiot]

28 minutes ago, MagnusH said:

 

 

How do you like the USBridge with the S2? I consider buying it just to get proper isolation from computer. Have you compared it to sotm sms-200 for example?

No I haven't compared it to SMS-200. But still I like it. With modern DAC as PS2D is, the USB source is not that critical IMHO. But still for me benefit was I can get rid of laptop from my desk. 

Just keep in mind USBRIDGE doesn't have enough power on the USB port to boot the DAC. So external PSU is mandatory for Pro-ject. 

If I will have to decide again, I will again buy both this DAC and Allo device.