DAC Preamplifier Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital Edition

Since its introduction in 2017, the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital has quickly gained a prominent status in the digital audio converter (DAC) market and earned a solid reputation among digital sound and PC audio enthusiasts. This is due to its impressive ability to compete with much more expensive products.

This achievement has been made possible by a combination of factors, including a unique custom timing clock, a carefully designed printed circuit board with separate power supply lines, ESS D/A conversion chips configured in dual differential mode, and a digital filter designed to exhibit exceptionally transparent response to abrupt changes in sound. After more than five years, Pro-Ject Audio Design engineers, in collaboration with John Westlake, the creator of the original model, saw an opportunity to incorporate key improvements and refinements to the device, resulting in the new Pre Box S2 Digital 2023 edition.

Features and specifications of the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital with DAC

Designed and manufactured in the European Union, the Pre Box S2 Digital has undergone a number of improvements that impact on key areas such as the power supply, audio synchronisation clocks, analogue output stage and headphone amplifier. In the case of the power supply, modifications have been made to increase noise isolation from computer USB connections and to achieve a more constant and wider output impedance across the entire frequency range of the sound. The master sync clocks have been redesigned to reduce phase noise and further improve the already impressive jitter reduction. The new analogue output stage, based on the SABRE9603Q chip from the respected US firm ESS Technology, operates at a higher Class A current to improve performance with low-impedance headphones and longer cables.

In addition, the headphone amplifier is now more efficient in terms of power consumption, with a 12% decrease in current drawn from the power supply. Other notable features of the Pre Box S2 Digital Edition 2023, which now includes support for DAS512 and MQA, are a four-layer PCB, the use of organic polymer capacitors and MELF mini thin-film resistors, as well as seven selectable digital filter curves (in addition to the one mentioned above).

More information: Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital con DAC (399€).