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

[asdf1000]

8 hours ago, Jumpwire said:

I will be utilizing the MQB workaround while patiently waiting for the next firmware update.

 

The MQB solution to this issue isn’t any less of the “official” MQA experience btw...

 

Instead of DAC doing both 1st unfold + “rendering”, Audirvana will do the 1st unfold and the DAC will do just the “rendering” part.

 

 

 

 

[asdf1000]

1 hour ago, Mike Rubin said:

just stream FLAC and DSD files from a NAS to a microRendu to the DAC, is this a good product for the money?

 

Yes, very good DAC.

 

[asdf1000]

Hi @Miska

 

Have you seen this same 'ESS Sabre hump' in your IMD measurements of your Pre Box S2 DAC?

 

Does enabling distortion compensation fix it?

 

Some people on ASR have suggested it may be the cause of the hump.

 

[asdf1000]

6 hours ago, Miska said:

Regarding measurements, recently I started doing TIM measurements for DACs too and also in this case, distortion on S2D is lower with DSD512 inputs than with PCM.

 

Wow thanks for the detailed reply!

 

6 hours ago, Miska said:

With DSD512 input due to higher data rate you can start seeing the USB packet ticking at 8 and multiples (16 kHz, 32 kHz, etc) at -140 dB level. That packet ticking part is exactly same for 768k PCM input, but the IMD hump is back

 

With your new measurements, does DSD256 hit a sweet spot better than DSD512? Maybe lower USB ticking at DSD256 with still no distortion humps?

 

Or do you still measure best performance at DSD512 with this DAC?

 

 

[asdf1000]

@Miska the other interesting question that pops up is due to the new EC modulators that sound great:

 

Does DSD128-ASMD7EC measure better/same/worse than DSD256/DSD512 with ASDM7 , with this DAC?