[rfernand]

Jotunheim! I have the original one and I hear the new one is a lot better. performs great and has Balanced output. price is crazy good.

 

[H20Fidelity]

I was browsing my local classfieds in Australia and someone was selling this LPS for $50, I always wanted to try one with the Box S2.

This one here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...xp_id=53781efb-2a03-4dbf-a93a-953a094fea7c-51

It adds quite a lot of refinement, increased bass quality and a smoothness to the sound, like the grainy edge has been taken off. Especially good at holding busy passages together with refinement and quite different to any external 5v wall adapter I've tried.

Is anyone else using LPS?

 

[vmiguel]

I've used one of the Pro-ject battery units. Very good also!

 

[H20Fidelity]

I've used one of the Pro-ject battery units. Very good also!

I've been testing further, there's definitely things I like about it, but also the soundstage seems to have taken a hit in width and its added a slight softness to the detail. I tried some other generic 5v wall adapters and they don't achieve the same level of sound quality but that soundstage shrinking is present and I'm wondering its just because of that USB input on the DAC, the soundstage is fine when powered by USB on my computer.

So I have this cable coming that separates data and power in the USB input and I'll test that next.

 

[buson160man]

Jotunheim! I have the original one and I hear the new one is a lot better. performs great and has Balanced output. price is crazy good.

I agree I use to have the project S2 for a couple of years. While it does offer a lot for a small price. I have moved up to the jottenheim 2/ and the mutibit bit dac combination. It was a very big upgrade. It is really in a different class. But it is a bit more expensive but not that much considering the upgrade in performance.

 

[Demo3]

I agree I use to have the project S2 for a couple of years. While it does offer a lot for a small price. I have moved up to the jottenheim 2/ and the mutibit bit dac combination. It was a very big upgrade. It is really in a different class. But it is a bit more expensive but not that much considering the upgrade in performance.

I was wondering if the Schiit line has embraced MQA then, it was the main reason I got the S2.

 

[rfernand]

I was wondering if the Schiit line has embraced MQA then, it was the main reason I got the S2.

Very much "no" on MQA from Schiit.

 

[drhonk]

Hi guys, sorry to restart an old thread but have a question regarding the s2. I understand s2 is a couple-year-old product that has a known issue with MQA when using a certain type of filter but how's its sound quality compared to a more recent DAC with a newer chip? I found a very good deal for a brand new s2 so I'm trying to decide if I should buy it or get a different and newer DAC.

 

[Demo3]

I have had an s2 for years and thought that when you played MQA files you could not use filters... I am almost positive that's true. If you use filters on MQA then it is not MQA. The problems you are probably referring to are probably the ones that you will see throughout this thread, and they are not related to filters. I use mine with a computer to USB to the s2 to RCA out to a little tube headphone amp, exclusively with Tidal, and exclusively for my headphones, I have fiber internet. I bought the s2 because I am an MQA fanboy and not ashamed of it. I have had no (zero) problems playing none MQA files from Tidal whatsoever so if that is what you plan then read the reviews... I love mine for that. If you want It for MQA it is SUPER good for that too. The tube amp is for more power and to smooth it out a tiny bit.
I am not going to rehash the issues, but I will say this. After I got fiber and good quality cables, and read this tread my experience with MQA from Tidal is vastly improved. Tidal has actually changed quite a bit sents I started using it and it is well worth your time to read this thread, there are setting in Tidal that need to be set a certain way.
There are some here that have a lot of experience with the technical stuff, and probably still watch this thread so PM them, they are helpful.

 

[drhonk]

I have had an s2 for years and thought that when you played MQA files you could not use filters... I am almost positive that's true. If you use filters on MQA then it is not MQA. The problems you are probably referring to are probably the ones that you will see throughout this thread, and they are not related to filters. I use mine with a computer to USB to the s2 to RCA out to a little tube headphone amp, exclusively with Tidal, and exclusively for my headphones, I have fiber internet. I bought the s2 because I am an MQA fanboy and not ashamed of it. I have had no (zero) problems playing none MQA files from Tidal whatsoever so if that is what you plan then read the reviews... I love mine for that. If you want It for MQA it is SUPER good for that too. The tube amp is for more power and to smooth it out a tiny bit.
I am not going to rehash the issues, but I will say this. After I got fiber and good quality cables, and read this tread my experience with MQA from Tidal is vastly improved. Tidal has actually changed quite a bit sents I started using it and it is well worth your time to read this thread, there are setting in Tidal that need to be set a certain way.
There are some here that have a lot of experience with the technical stuff, and probably still watch this thread so PM them, they are helpful.

Interesting, thanks for that information. I have always thought the issue occurs when using full MQA decoder mode with the default optimal transient filter and the workaround is to use s2 as MQA renderer. How's its sound compared to newer DAC with newer chips though? Is it still worth buying or should I just look at a newer DAC such as Loxjie D30 for example? Currently, this setup is using Schiit Modi and I don't use Tidal so I'm more concerned about its sounds than MQA.

 

[Mark Dirac]

I'm trying to decide if I should buy it or get a different and newer DAC.

Very good timing! (you, not the DAC) My "normal" DAC (RME ADI-2 DAC) is unavailable, and so I have quickly set up my old Pro-Ject S2 Digital. Just plugged into my Windows NUC, no headphone amp, stock wall wart PSU, Audeze LCD-3 headphones plugged into the S2D. I've not listened to it for a year. And I'm astounded at how enjoyable it sounds. The bass is rich, warm and powerful (no headphone amp mind) and the rest seems to enhance the creaminess of the LCD-3. Maybe that's 'cos there's colouration, or distortion, compared with the super-accurate RME, but nonetheless it's impressive. And I know that the S2D does not have a sophisticated or super-powerful headphone amp. But there you go - it works excellently with my Audeze LCD-3.

 

[drhonk]

Very good timing! (you, not the DAC) My "normal" DAC (RME ADI-2 DAC) is unavailable, and so I have quickly set up my old Pro-Ject S2 Digital. Just plugged into my Windows NUC, no headphone amp, stock wall wart PSU, Audeze LCD-3 headphones plugged into the S2D. I've not listened to it for a year. And I'm astounded at how enjoyable it sounds. The bass is rich, warm and powerful (no headphone amp mind) and the rest seems to enhance the creaminess of the LCD-3. Maybe that's 'cos there's colouration, or distortion, compared with the super-accurate RME, but nonetheless it's impressive. And I know that the S2D does not have a sophisticated or super-powerful headphone amp. But there you go - it works excellently with my Audeze LCD-3.

That's awesome. If I decide to get one which I probably will since the price is too good to pass up, I will use it as a DAC.

 

[iFi audio]

If you use filters on MQA then it is not MQA.

That's correct, MQA has to be processed as a bitperfect stream, otherwise it stops being MQA.

 

[mr_grump5]

anyone using this DAC with weiliang LPU? is there any discernible improvement when used with LPU or ifi Audio smps?

 

[iFi audio]

is there any discernible improvement when used with LPU or ifi Audio smps?

Although we haven't heard it, a PSU (doesn't have to be ours!) that's quieter than the stock option should net noticeable quality increase and digital products are particularly sensitive to power feed, thanks!