[Left Channel]

Let's not pile on Amir too much here. He wants to be an objectivist, so of course his reviews don't contain much listening. Personally I'm a Sony/Sennheiser subjectivist. Or something.

 

[audiobomber]

What's wrong with Sennheiser HD650's? I think they're great!

Listening through only one system of any description is a very limited view. The 650's have a particular tonal balance, which is certainly not universal or particularly accurate, i.e. boosted mid-bass and a treble suckout. More importantly, soundstage on headphones is drastically limited compared to a good speaker system, and soundstage is a major differentiator of (audiophile) sound quality.

 

[Baten]

He's given good reviews to products I like, but his process drives me crazy. Having the money to buy test equipment doesn't make you a good tester. You must also learn how to structure a test plan. Otherwise, sure, numbers don't lie but what if you don't have all the numbers?

It drives me crazy that he hasn't got a standardized 'suite' but besides that, he's not a good tester? That sounds like nonsense from all the aricles he seems to know very well what he's doing, to me.. except like I said, missing jitter DR etc can be a pity at times. Often no subjective experienced only objective. But that's what you visit ASR for no?

 

[Vicca Tito]

Dear Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 users,
Does anybody of you know why my DAC (the same one as in this particular thread, in my case connecting my iMac through USB and iFi iCan through RCA interconnects) suddenly began to be more quiet, I mean both channels are working, however sound is hardly heard, there is music but even on maximal volume the sound is not near being loud as yesterday. It’s the same on RCA as well as on headphone output.
Is it some kind of a software glitch or I'm experience difficulties with hardware?

 

[Left Channel]

It drives me crazy that he hasn't got a standardized 'suite' but besides that, he's not a good tester? That sounds like nonsense from all the aricles he seems to know very well what he's doing, to me.. except like I said, missing jitter DR etc can be a pity at times. Often no subjective experienced only objective. But that's what you visit ASR for no?

If he created a test matrix he wouldn't miss those things. That's basic testing 101. I've managed a large development group with a testing lab, and been an exec at a testing company. There are textbooks and training courses for this stuff. The best testing job candidates also have certain personalities and aptitudes. He's bright and articulate but I would hire him back into sales, not testing.

Sorry, we're getting off topic here. I'll stop. Let's help this user:

 

[Left Channel]

Dear Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 users,
Does anybody of you know why my DAC (the same one as in this particular thread, in my case connecting my iMac through USB and iFi iCan through RCA interconnects) suddenly began to be more quiet, I mean both channels are working, however sound is hardly heard, there is music but even on maximal volume the sound is not near being loud as yesterday. It’s the same on RCA as well as on headphone output.
Is it some kind of a software glitch or I'm experience difficulties with hardware?

What is your macOS version? I think the problem is software but can't help with macOS. Any Mac users here able to advise on USB output?

 

[Chop-Top]

The 650's have a particular tonal balance, which is certainly not universal or particularly accurate, i.e. boosted mid-bass and a treble suckout.

Not in agreement here.

 

[Vicca Tito]

What is your macOS version? I think the problem is software but can't help with macOS. Any Mac users here able to advise on USB output?

High Sierra 10.13.1
But this doesn't matter, it has worked fine until this morning...

 

[buson160man]

It's only about noise. Apparently using a switching power supply (like the one shipped with the unit, or iFi iPower) with USB cable has more benefits than the unwanted noise we get by doing it. Users reported to perceive a better sound quality using any power supply + USB comparing to USB power alone.

I recently purchased the project s2 usb powersupply. I was pretty happy with the sound using the stock supply supplied with the unit. But after listening with the outboard project power supply the dacs performance has jumped to a completely different level. I am amazed at the difference in my headphone rig . I am using a burson 160 headphone amp with a Yamaha cd s2100 cd player as a transport. I initially bought the project to replace my old hulking peachtree headphone pre/amp unit on my desktop set up with emotiva powered monitors. The project takes up a lot less real estate. I was surprised with the s2 dac/pres level of performance. So I tried it with the Yamaha in my headphone rig. I have to admit it was clearly a step up from the stock dac in my 3000 dollar Yamaha player. I did not expect that. So it was permanently affixed to my headphone rig. When I saw that project was making a outboard battery power supply for usb powered devices I decided to give it a try. Well I have to say the difference was anything but subtle. The power supply greatly enhanced the performance of the already pretty decent unit. After hearing the difference with the isolated power supply on the project s2 dac/pre you cannot go back. It is definitely a performance super charger. Anyone using the s2 dac/pre has got to listen to the s2 with the outboard battery supply. There is no way anyone is going back to the stock wall wart power supply that comes with the s2 pre/dac. It was well worth the 250 dollar premium of the outboard power supply. So for all those s2 dac/pre users I say take the plunge you will definitely not regret it.

 

[buson160man]

My S2 digital has been updated and up and running.

I was using the older version of the ifi power supply with my s2 dac. on my desk top set up. I had assumed it would be an improvement. I had replaced my old hulking peachtree am/pre unit on my desk top. The project s2 took up a lot less space on my very cramped desk top. But after reading reviews of the s2 being really quiet. I thought I should try it alone. I even had the ifi premium usb cable. Well surprise surprise the s2 unit sounded so much more resolved and a lot more involving. The new ifi unit is no doubt a large step up from the old one but the price paired with that step up is pretty steep. Plus what I had invested already in the older ifi unit. So the ifi is assigned to the graveyard for me. I suggest anyone considering the ifi they should instead opt for the s2 battery outboard battery supply. It is a lot cheaper and probably comes pretty close to the newer ifi supply and upgraded usb cord combo. Which is considerably more expensive.

 

[radekhulan]

“MQB” + purple dot means that the DAC is receiving software-unfolded MQA from the streamer, but is not performing the expected (second) hardware unfold within the DAC

From: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12H0_F_gD2GY37XKHwrM3tQZRYcm84yzIrSy1MbmkFY8/edit

-------

Is this true?
Wouldn't MQB mean (e.g.) Tidal is doing first unfold and Pro-Ject S2 does second one (render)?

 

[Left Channel]

“MQB” + purple dot means that the DAC is receiving software-unfolded MQA from the streamer, but is not performing the expected (second) hardware unfold within the DAC

From: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12H0_F_gD2GY37XKHwrM3tQZRYcm84yzIrSy1MbmkFY8/edit

-------

Is this true?
Wouldn't MQB mean (e.g.) Tidal is doing first unfold and Pro-Ject S2 does second one (render)?

Yes that's right @radekhulan, a purple dot indicates the DAC is performing as a "renderer", receiving a 1x software-unfolded MQA signal and further unfolding it to the final resolution. Don't know how we missed that one, sorry; must have been an early misconception that we failed to proofread later. @Mark Dirac I suggest updating the doc with this information.

 

[radekhulan]

Wonderful.

I was having random music dropout problems when using HW unfold with Tidal. Sometimes music stoped for 1/2 second, switched to non-MQA, went back to MQA soon after. It was hard to reproduce, sometimes it did this 20 times per 5 hours, sometimes not at all for whole listening session.

Anyway, having Tidal process MQA unfold (by disabling Passthrough MQA), and leaving Pro-Ject doing only the second render, seems to improve things a lot.




Pro-Ject S2 shows "MQB" then. Sound quality seems to me the same as with full HW MQA, for e.g. Eagles albums Pro-Ject S2 shows 192k, for Nordic Sound ( https://tidal.com/browse/album/2400318 ) 352k. Maximum MQA quality available under Tidal.

 

[naum]

I was using the older version of the ifi power supply with my s2 dac. on my desk top set up. I had assumed it would be an improvement. I had replaced my old hulking peachtree am/pre unit on my desk top. The project s2 took up a lot less space on my very cramped desk top. But after reading reviews of the s2 being really quiet. I thought I should try it alone. I even had the ifi premium usb cable. Well surprise surprise the s2 unit sounded so much more resolved and a lot more involving. The new ifi unit is no doubt a large step up from the old one but the price paired with that step up is pretty steep. Plus what I had invested already in the older ifi unit. So the ifi is assigned to the graveyard for me. I suggest anyone considering the ifi they should instead opt for the s2 battery outboard battery supply. It is a lot cheaper and probably comes pretty close to the newer ifi supply and upgraded usb cord combo. Which is considerably more expensive.

Are you talking about this product: https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/accu-box-s2-usb/ ?
If yes, does it support simultaneously charging and discharging? Because, in my opinion, 2600 mha is too small capacity, especially if I have to stop listening to charge the battery .In any case, no doubt in sound improvement..

 

[buson160man]

Are you talking about this product: https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/accu-box-s2-usb/ ?
If yes, does it support simultaneously charging and discharging? Because, in my opinion, 2600 mha is too small capacity, especially if I have to stop listening to charge the battery .In any case, no doubt in sound improvement..

The

Are you talking about this product: https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/accu-box-s2-usb/ ?
If yes, does it support simultaneously charging and discharging? Because, in my opinion, 2600 mha is too small capacity, especially if I have to stop listening to charge the battery .In any case, no doubt in sound improvement..

Are you talking about this product: https://www.project-audio.com/en/product/accu-box-s2-usb/ ?
If yes, does it support simultaneously charging and discharging? Because, in my opinion, 2600 mha is too small capacity, especially if I have to stop listening to charge the battery .In any case, no doubt in sound improvement..