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

[left channel]

4 hours ago, Mark Dirac said:

You're a hero, left channel. Thanks. Yes, amidst all the confusion and ambiguity, I failed to see the "enter S/N" box." Big oops.

 

So, is working now, although still some quirks:

• In W10 "Playback devices" control panel; and in Tidal settings, the DAC is called "2- Pre Box S2 Digital". I guess this is a result of me trying to install, delete, and re-install drivers. Most places else it is called "Pre Box S2 Digital", as expected. I am concerned that I have two different somethings installed.
• When playing Tidal without "Passthrough MQA" set, the DAC's display reads MQB" with a purple dot. (When I set pass through, "MQA" + blue dot shows, as expected.) What d'you reckon MQB refers to?

I note you have assisted dozens of customers, on several forums, over many months, and often with the same advice. So I have started a Google Doc to collate people's advice and discoveries. If you reckon this might become useful I can flesh if out over time and grant you edit access (pse PM me).

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12H0_F_gD2GY37XKHwrM3tQZRYcm84yzIrSy1MbmkFY8/edit?usp=sharing

 

Glad to help Mark. I'll go through your doc and send a few clarifications via PM. But first, re your points above:

 

That number in front of the playback device is a very common Windows thing, which you can ignore after selecting it. I guarantee some people on this thread have 25 or more, including multiple instances of the same DAC with different numbers, because they've experimented with many products and configurations.

 

In your case, Windows installed a generic driver when you first connected the unit, then when you installed the manufacturer's driver it created #2 because otherwise both would have the same name displayed. In some apps you will find a list of all your DACs and drivers, but in most you won't see #1 again. Don't worry about it.

 

The blue light indicates the DAC is decoding the raw MQA signal passed through the Tidal software directly to the DAC. The purple light indicates you are sending an MQA signal that is decoded by the Tidal software to the "first unfold" level. For this DAC you should use the Passthrough setting.

[left channel]

4 hours ago, Mark Dirac said:

Sure Aboulfad. I cannot figure out the Miska post you're referring to.

 

2 hours ago, Aboulfad said:

”...Switch to linear phase + fast rolloff and enable distortion compensation (as per Miska's advice long ago...”

 

Miska and others have found the unit sounds and tests best with Distortion Compensation enabled (after selection, press the volume knob in to confirm) and with the filter set to Fast Rolloff.

 

I should add that there is a bug in firmware version 2.12 that you can avoid by not selecting the Optimal Transient filter: when playing a PCM track after an MQA track, the Optimal Transient filter will not come back into line correctly, and the audio will sound "thin" and weak.

 

This bug does not occur when the Fast Rolloff filter is selected, and probably does not happen with any filter except Optimal Transient, though I have not tested them all.

[Mark Dirac]

I have continued to flesh out the Google Doc attempting to pull together some of the key nuggets of advice for people wanting to understand more about this DAC.

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/12H0_F_gD2GY37XKHwrM3tQZRYcm84yzIrSy1MbmkFY8/edit?usp=sharing

 

(Thanks for improvements and corrections by left channel.)

[left channel]

A new and very comprehensive review, via @MagnusH in his pinkfishmedia incarnation:

https://headfonics.com/2018/03/pro-ject-audio-pre-box-s2-digital-review/

 

It includes a comparison to the iFi Nano iDSD Black Label and others, and also wins the wordsmithing award for deciding to call this product the "S2D".  :-)

 

[asdf1000]

6 minutes ago, left channel said:

It includes a comparison to the iFi iDSD Black Label

 

Minor thing but I believe it's a comparison to the Nano model.

 

Great review and in line with what a growing number (including myself) have observed in use.

[left channel]

Thanks @Em2016 I still had time to edit that post to drop in the word "Nano". More proof I shouldn't be posting from my phone. Or at least that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

[asdf1000]

Just now, left channel said:

Thanks @Em2016 I still had time to edit that post. More proof I shouldn't be posting from my phone. Or at least that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

 

Ha! Let's just say (hypothetically) I'm also thankful for the 'edit' function on the forum.

[trl]

7 hours ago, left channel said:

A new and very comprehensive review, via @MagnusH in his pinkfishmedia incarnation:

https://headfonics.com/2018/03/pro-ject-audio-pre-box-s2-digital-review/

 

 

Not sure I fully understand the "stepped attenuator" syntagm; AFAIK volume control it's done inside the ES9018 chip, so the volume is not controlled analogically via a real resistive stepped attenuator. 

 

P.S.: I usually associate the "stepped attenuator" with an expensive resistive attenuator device, so please take my above statement with a grain of salt.

[left channel]

10 hours ago, trl said:

 

Not sure I fully understand the "stepped attenuator" syntagm; AFAIK volume control it's done inside the ES9018 chip, so the volume is not controlled analogically via a real resistive stepped attenuator. 

 

P.S.: I usually associate the "stepped attenuator" with an expensive resistive attenuator device, so please take my above statement with a grain of salt.

 

Yes, the only thing he's got right is the "stepped" part. You can feel each step. But I believe it is actually an optical encoder, and probably a very cheap encoder at that, because either it or the code (or both) have problems. The S2D fails to respond until the knob is turned three clicks or so.

[GromitInWA]

25 minutes ago, left channel said:

 

Yes, the only thing he's got right is the "stepped" part. You can feel each step. But I believe it is actually an optical encoder, and probably a very cheap encoder at that, because either it or the code (or both) have problems. The S2D fails to respond until the knob is turned three clicks or so.

 

Yes I had the same reaction when I read the review:

Quote

 

The S2D uses a small stepped attenuator analog knob for volume control. 

 

...and same thoughts as you as to the quality of the encoder in that it takes significant movement for it to "wake up".

[trl]

Perhaps a new firmware might correct this tiny issue with the "wake up".

[left channel]

Hope so. No word yet on new firmware, but Pro-Ject hasn't been very good about communicating these things.

 

Meanwhile, reviewers please take note: perhaps "multifunction knob" is a better description for nontechnical readers.

[Kilauea50]

The 5v adapter (tiny silver piece in the slot) fell out today. It looks like it clips in but it is hard to see in there and I don't want warranty issues. Can someone suggest how to clip it back in there assuming what I am seeing on the silver piece is clips. I never touch it. I noticed this afternoon that the external PS light was off. I know I can power it via USB but prefer the external supply. Thanks in advance 

 

 

 

[left channel]

@Kilauea50 that's the second report I've seen of the jack falling out. I think the other owner sent his unit in for warranty service. My jack is firmly in place. I opened the case, and the jack appears soldered to the main board.

[Fella55]

@Kilauea50 do you have any pictures of this you can share?

 

thanks

 

[Kilauea50]

I called Audio Advisor but had to leave a message. The thing is I haven't even touched it. I have no idea how this happened unless it just wasn't soldered very well to begin with

 

[Mark Dirac]

Hmm. Is my stock wall wart producing a surge when I power it off at the socket?

 

If I switch off the external PSU at the wall socket, the DAC resets itself. I imagined that this is design-intent. But - I noticed that when I switch off an external battery pack, the DAC does not reset. And if I simply pull out the wall wart's microUSB plug, the DAC does not reset. But if I switch off the external PSU at the wall socket, the DAC resets itself.

 

Does anyone's DAC reset itself when they switch off external PSU at the wall socket?

[dwaleke]

No reset on mine when I unplug external power.    Using the iFi iPower since I had it laying around.

[MagnusH]

I have also noticed this, but for me it only happens occasionally.

[left channel]

2 hours ago, Kilauea50 said:

I called Audio Advisor but had to leave a message. The thing is I haven't even touched it. I have no idea how this happened unless it just wasn't soldered very well to begin with

 

 

That is just part of the jack, not the part that's soldered to the board, so maybe you can force it back in temporarily. But it is defective and should be replaced. A full page in the latest Audio Advisor catalog is devoted to this product, so I assume they have ordered plenty of stock.

[Kilauea50]

12 minutes ago, left channel said:

 

That is just part of the jack, not the part that's soldered to the board, so maybe you can force it back in temporarily. But it is defective and should be replaced. A full page in the latest Audio Advisor catalog is devoted to this product, so I assume they have ordered plenty of stock.

I haven't heard back yet from AA but hopefully they replace it. I will post here when I find out 

[GromitInWA]

18 minutes ago, Kilauea50 said:

I haven't heard back yet from AA but hopefully they replace it. I will post here when I find out 

If is inside the return period from AA, I would do it that way rather than as a warranty repair/replacement. Either way you'll have to send it back. Going the return/replacement route will probably be faster.

[Mark Dirac]

2 hours ago, dwaleke said:

No reset on mine when I unplug external power.    Using the iFi iPower since I had it laying around.

Thanks. How about when you unplug the stock wall wart - does it reset then?

 

(Your reply is ambiguous - I'm not sure if you're saying there is no reset with the iPower, or no reset with the stock wall wart. Or no reset with either?)

[Kilauea50]

1 hour ago, GromitInWA said:

If is inside the return period from AA, I would do it that way rather than as a warranty repair/replacement. Either way you'll have to send it back. Going the return/replacement route will probably be faster.

The return period went out Feb 16th. Still haven't heard from them after leaving 2 messages

[dwaleke]

36 minutes ago, Mark Dirac said:

Thanks. How about when you unplug the stock wall wart - does it reset then?

 

(Your reply is ambiguous - I'm not sure if you're saying there is no reset with the iPower, or no reset with the stock wall wart. Or no reset with either?)

 

No power reset on mine when I unplug external power.  External power being the iFi iPower.

 

I have not used the stock wall wart.    I may return my unit and would rather it go back in new condition for the next buyer.

 

 

Does anyone have issues with this device preventing your Windows 10 computer from enter sleep mode?   

 

I have been unplugging the USB so my computer can sleep when not in use.   I was using an Emotiva DC-1 with the CM-6331a usb chip without issue prior to this.