Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 -- A Compact, Very High Quality CD Player
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- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
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Technics SL 1210G turntable
Ortofon Cadenza Blue cartridge
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Grado Platinum3
Jay’s Audio CD Transport www.jays-audio.com/
Denafrips Terminator DAC www.denafrips.com/terminator
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Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ mytekdigital.com/hifi/product...
Border Patrol DAC borderpatrol.net/DAC.htm
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Pass Labs XP30 preamp
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Pass Labs XA25 power amp www.passlabs.com/products/xa25/
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Hey Steve-- this was a delightful video as always showing your enthusiasm for life and music. I particularly liked in your intro the respect you show for recorded music. Yeah it's often better then the so-called real thing. What it takes to produce a recording as an art form in itself. Keep it coming.
Hi Steve, nice seeing you in such good mood and energy. Enjoy your day!
I love your podcast steve!
Thank you Steve ,
Steve I been doing a crazy amount of research and Trying out new Cd players
Project has a lot of different levels of cd players, I love how their top loader models look , and one cool thing with the dc3 you just reviewed is the dc3 can be upgraded with a quiter power supply
so thats pretty cool to me. Thanks for the video
Going to miss you in Chicago Steve! My son and I were looking forward to meeting you we watch regularly. Please come next year!
Hey Steve, your videos are like comfort food for my soul. I have a stressful job and watching your videos remind me that everything's going to be OK.
Wow, nice to hear.
Nice review thanks!
Nice review - thank you. Been looking at this CD player for a while. Helps me make a decision.
Yeah until you buy a SACD!! It’s a waste of money.
@@Csnumber1 Nobody cares for SACD. Plus SACD players are so agonizingly slow with red book CDs it takes all the fun out of it.
@@cvfreeman1 Nobody??? Yeah well look at the thousands of members in several SACD Facebook groups!! And dude...."REDBOOK"???? You people throw this term out like its something new!!......ITS NOT!! "
@@Csnumber1 You don’t have to shout, Karen. SACDs are the waste of money, not this player.
@@cvfreeman1 Not all “CD”s are the same my friend. And many of the standard/regular CDs weren’t always burnt from master tapes, and many were bad mixes. BluRay music discs and HDCDs are other formats that extends the audio information stored on the disc. But you knew that the HDCD format extends the signal by 4 Bits to 20!! And they can be played on Redbook Only players. But players with HDCD chips because of more precise filtering circuitry made regular(RB) disc sound more full and natural. SACD was developed by Sony as well as the Redbook standard with Phillips. So that’s what makes this all the more ironic. The inventor of both formats, who develops a higher standard and you just decide to ignore the physical data behind what makes SACD a superior format. As is HDCD and BluRay music. It doesn’t hurt any player to have multiple playback capabilities, when all these formats do exist and are floating around in the used CD world and some new online. There is no sonic reason for a ride layer in 2022 not to be able to read all available music formats. This player is with about $300.00. As for the “Karen” reference I won’t be dignifying that with a response.
Happy Passover / Easter
Would have never thought you'd have that FYC CD Steve. That was a rare find back in the day!
Had a Pro-Ject Gen 1 CD Box (also with that tiny remote) which sounded quite good albeit a tad light in the bass department. Fed it into a Cyrus One integrated amp, also Gen 1. I sold these along with L-Ca0 FA8 speakers and a NAD C556 turntable with a Nagaoka MP150 cartridge to a friend who hadn't a music system. He's immensely happy with it. I missed having slot loaded CD players due to their inherent reliability (no draw that could jam), so I got an Olasonic Nano-CD1, and later a Cyrus CDT, both slot loaded transports coupled to Meridian Director DAC's. Perhaps the Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 is worth a look ...
Great review Steve. Im a music lover and audiophile too.
Right now i'm enjoying the new album from Molly Tuttle. Great music and production
Ah man!! I want that FYC REMIX!! :)
Very cool.
I just bought a Rotel CD11 Tribute player and am well satisfied with it. It sounds wonderful and was on sale for $400 shipped.
Great bang for the buck.
F*ck the wall wart.
F*ck the $130 bucks for two pieces of wood.
I can't finish the review.
And no SACD support in 2022!!??
Thank you guys. I'm just tired of being rolled over by overpriced equipment reviews. I ain't buying any of it and I ain't buying.
I have a Marantz SCAD 30n Streamer/Disc Player/Transport which floats my boat just fine! 👍🏼
Thanks for the music…the FYC Remix which streams Ultra HD on Amazon Music sounds just GREAT and is a FUN way to revisit that music! 😁
Plenty of negative comments about slot loading. My Cyrus CD transport is slot loading and never had a single issue with it. No CD marks ever. And that costs a whole lot more than this.
What no reference to the Rotel CD14 MKII, same price, you just reviewed it like two weeks ago ??!!
The viewer system new stuff is what I would also buy. Nice
Thanks for look at this.
Finally ordered DS 3 NOV 6. Instead of S3. DS 3 is higher quality and adds optical out. Box is taller and deeper. Also ordered the NAD mini integrated amp. To order next are small speakers to wall mount.
I am connecting to existing FIIO M11 DAP, and (2008) SONY XDR F1 AM-FM HD radio tuner (is 7 in wide). This will be a micro* for my micro NY bedroom 'night table'. I had nothing to listen to CDs in bedroom.
*Full size system is in Living Room. Taking these off recent Fiio K5 and old powered PC or small system Creative speakers with subwoofer.
I was surprised to see the good ole 6300 TT… mine is still running since 1976….
Thank You….
Great video.
I wonder how this unit compares to the Marantz CD 6007?
Hey Steve you've got such good connections. Can you review one of the Luxman integrated amplifiers. The class A/B ones 505 507 or 509!
Hi Steve,
the Pro-ject CD-Box DS3 seems to be really good. It's not that surprising, that it sounds better, if you spend the same amount in addition for a DAC.😉
Good: Compact size. TOSLINK optical output. Big and bright, easy to read display. (Surprisingly hard to find on CD players, even expensive ones!) Available in black or silver, with the silver version actually available in stock at US retail. (I never thought I'd live to see the day!) Decorative wood side-panels available as an option.
Bad: Super chintzy little remote that would be appropriate for a $9 LED novelty light bulb. Analog output THD
For the retail price, that's straight robbery.
I picked up one of these CD Players as I needed a small player to fit in with my components.The remote is cack (but I use a Harmony Remote) It plays through my Cambridge Audio CXa 60 and it sounds really good
Little enthusiasm from Steve on the DS3... He was more enthusiastic over the FYC
Do you cut your own hair with a flowbe or rotocut I used to do that a while back. Lol
I hope you are doing well Steve.
Just gonna say that the remote provided is almost exactly the same as a Bluetooth speaker I bought 5 years ago.
It would have been helpful if you had compared the Pro-ject DS3 to the Rotel CD14 Mark II you reviewed a month or two ago. It is a moot point for me, since I bought the Rotel (ironically just a few days before your review) and am happy with it. The two CD players are the same price and presumably use the same Texas Instruments DAC. My sense is that the two CD players are very comparable but may have slightly different sonic signatures. As I recall, you also had an issue with the remote on the Rotel. Although I am sure the Pro-ject is a fine CD player, the wall wart power supply would be a deal breaker for me. Plus I had bought two Rotel CD players previously and they are a known quantity to me.
Please understand most of the products I review are immediately returned. They pile up quick when you do 60 or 70 reviews a year!
Can you kindly do a review on the project s 3 which is the more affordable cd player from project I have seen it advertised in Australia for $629.00 Thanks
I’m buying this just so I can put those walnut wood side panels on it.
Ok how do you organize CD titles? I tried alphabetically, not so good, by type rock classical etc which do you use? Love your work!
Alphabetically works the best for me, group name and last name of the artist. I mix the genre's all together, 85% are rock groups and artist.
No fan of those swallow up cd disc. One or two passes, your cd will get fine scratch mark. Prefer the tray version.
My cheap Sony $ 250. model 700 plays blue ray, SACD , and a list of other things. Would I ever notice any difference in the minutia , I'd guess no. I don't notice any diff between my 20 year old not used much Stanton 681 cartridge and a new Ortofon blue cart. ( Outlaw receiver, Meta spks, Sennheiser 560 'phones. ) of course my 72 year old ears don't hear over 8000 hz , close to spks. how many do ?
That remote is absolutely unacceptable for the price. $100 dvd players come with better remotes.
that's because the parts in those players costs $8
maybe the right place to allocate the money is where it makes it sound good
Stuff like this must be Boycotted. It's a slap in the face from these companies. The way they think is, why would we spend money on build quality when they'll spend big money on what ever we put out anyway.
Unashamed and with a straight face Project demands $800 for a cd transport. I know this is not a good buy, all things considered.
Completely agree…. And no SACD support….a joke!!
Still happy with my old Technics player, will outlast me
Steve that hair is out of control 🤣
I would think spending the $900usd on a Dac and using a Sony BluRay player with SACD playback and ability to output native dsd over HDMI, plus Cd, Dvd, BluRay playback, many models with analog, coax, optical, analog, HDMI outs. Used players for very low cost,
@@Jason787 fair enough
I'm a bits are bits guy, so believe the same bits are hitting the dac in a disc player or out the spdif to an external DAC. Hence my belief is you are hearing the difference in the DAC components, not the output of the Cd transport
Agree with Alexx - my older McIntosh CD player is like a new machine through a modern DAC (using the Mac DAC2 in the preamp). I will replace if/when it breaks.
Actually, the Ares II DAC costs 750 usd, and you can save more than enough for de BluRay player :)
@@yuriwalter385 Yep. Sony X800m2 or x800 can be had for the difference, and both add Dvd Audio disc capabilities to boot, ie universal disc player, Cd, SACD, Dvd Audio, Dvd video, BluRay Audio, BluRay concerts, 4k discs
@@alexxbaudwhyn7572 Have the player already, just need to save for the DAC :P
The soul-patch facial hair is a real hoot! Steve is transforming into a hipster perhaps.
Hi, I own a Rega IO amplifier, is it worth the extra cost and would the difference be audible between the CD Box DS3 and CD Box S3? Thanks in advance
The S3 has a different ADC and a “universal” mechanism per Pro-Ject website. I have the CD Box DS3 and very pleased with it's performance and sound quality. Plus I love it's form factor.
Cd box. A fitting name for something whiteout any design. And to top the shit a remote control that’s even worse looking 👎🏻
Steve speaks for all of us, that’s why his channel is so good.
Very interesting hairstyle Steve.
Thanks, my hair is rebelling against being too short. I’m trying to make the best of it. Will get better.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac short back and sides😎
For the first time I am shocked that Pro-Ject would come out with such a thing. I have never seen a lackluster item from Pro-Ject until now! Are we sure that Heinz was behind this one? I know prices have gone up across the board (it is called greed and corruption, not the lying story we are being handed). I am surprised that such a thing would be $900 from Pro-Ject. Pro-Ject makes really good analog items (Turn Tables and Phono stages) for the money and Heinz puts a ton of energy into doing that. I don't know about the DACs and other digital stuff though.
For half the price one can get a Marantz CD player which is likely superior in this case.
Luckely ( for a whole lot of reasons) I live in Europe.
This machine cost € 699 in Holland, which is a fair price.
I wonder how this would compare to the Oppo UDP-205? Because of the higher quality upgraded DAC.
Steve, I think my AudioLab 6000CDT was a better deal for $549 a year and half ago. The remote and power supply are a deal breaker for the pro-next.
both scratch the cds, due the slot loading
How does it fair against the Technics SL-G700 which you have reviewed?
That remote, that power supply, for that price? I bet the device itself is really well made. Maybe they sell nicer remotes separately?
There are upgrade remotes and power supplies available. Many people will be happy with the supplied ones, which keeps the price down. If you want better power supply or remote, you can buy them, but this way you have choice. Same thing for the wood side panels
have you tried and natural hair brush arm cleaner on the Technics it should help.
I don't know what you mean by the adaptor what's wrong with it?
why don't you try the ifi smps wall wart adaptor supposed to be very good.
I don't like slot loaders I've had bad experiences with those in the past and that remote is a disgrace...
Steve, I just bought my ticket to AXPONA. Sorry we will not see you.
Steve, How would this CD player compare to the Audiolab 6000CDT?
Sorry, I never heard the audiolab
This $900 CD player is dressed like a $90 pawn shop find. For that kind of money it should have been full sized, SACD capable, have balanced outputs, and, a proper remote.
I don't care for this player, but where can you find a player that has SACD and XLR for $900?
Completely agree!
It should at least have the wood side panels similar to the tube box ds2....
@@povertyspec9651
Such a shame Oppo left the game... that hurt.
The sound of digital Steely Dan !!
Headphone hair - we get it.
Looks good,... then again I've been bald as a billiard ball for 40+ years.
I've recently discovered almost every single male in public life, ... ie., sports, TV news, entertainment, music, movies, films etc... they're most all wearing hairpieces.
It's a trip how prevalent it is.
I believe significantly better outboard PSs improve on the organic nature of the music played
Hi, Steve, I found this video interesting. I have never seen a cd player like this that is high quality. What do you think of the Flagship Status! Ravon UBR-X200 4K Blu-ray Player Review. I like this because I can play anything on it CDs CDR recordable DVDs and movies you name it and you can download music to it from sites where you can buy a cd for $20.00 and download it to the player and you get zero compression from your music. I was thinking of something like this Yamaha CDR-D651 Compact Disc Recorder - HiFi so I can make copies of my CDs so I don't
wear out the good copy. I don't like using a program on your computer because it compresses the music and that Yamaha CD recorder won't compress the music. I later found out that you can't copy an SACD to a blank disc. I used to have a Philips CD recorder similar to the Yamaha and my friend had one too and they both broke and you can't get parts for them. They no longer sell or make them. What are your thoughts? is the Ravon the highest quality CD player you can buy? I don't think they ever made a flagship CD player that is the quality of a Bowers & Wilkins
or Steinway & Sons or Martin Logan speaker or DVD player for that matter. what does a guy buy if money is no object as far as a CD player and a DVD player? I like having the best quality out of everything I own. Thank You for sharing your knowledge.
ua-cam.com/video/ls1NfuAEZ_0/v-deo.html Yamaha CDR-D651 Compact Disc Recorder - HiFi ua-cam.com/video/uNAc7T1T3sU/v-deo.html
It looks like it was designed by Fisher-Price.
Most people cannot or will not invest $900 in the a cd player
Is their a less expensive cd player for sale?
I play my own cds right how once my blue ray player hooked up to them onyko 696 receiver android format them most of part it is sounds like okay, but I want to to go maybe one strong upgrade from the that, so is their a good cd player on in the the $200 to $400 range?
Cambridge ACX35
Wall wart alert
Project vs small Rega, I wonder.
Love the new GQ look.
Beeen thinking about the Pro-Ject stack myself (as alternative to either the Emotiva ERC4 at $600 or Marantz 6007 @$800).My gripe though with Pro-Ject is that there are so many different boxes you wonder how to configure a stack and if your getting the best value.I am most attracted to their S3 Ultra Network Streamer which for less than a grand does the sources you want and has one really cool feature that I think shiuld be ubiquitous and that's ability to rip off the box and software with a simple USB CD-R or HD albeit with a low 32GB capacity.Here you have small form factor alternative to Blusound Vault on a Zen Mini.But does the Streamer work better with the S3 pre which has no analogue inputs?Then to the CD portion is this DS3 worth and extra $400 over the base S3?The streamer pre/DAC and drive would run about$1800 or a third more than that Emotiva and the Blusound Node2i.But hey the small form factor is really nice.Anybody's thoughts??
I think you're referring to the Streambox S2 Ultra. If so. Great unit. They're often available on Ebay for around $550. Which is how I acquired mine. It can play CD'S also I'm 99% sure. That's how they advertise it anyway.
And it uses USB for everything. Which means you can use a computer CD Drive only. But also means that there's no limit on storage because there's 2 extra USB connectors. So you can plug in a hard disk and a cd rom drive together. You would obviously need a separate DAC to play a CD, and you can use any one that takes a USB input. I've been meaning to buy a cd rom drive myself, and will get one and try this for you if it helps your decision making. But will obviously take a few days, or so. ✌️
Don't slot loading players scratch CDs?
Wall wart, man!
What about Yamaha CD-S303 test??No fan of those swallow up cd disc.
Steve i think you just talked me into upgrading my OPPO BDP-103 with an Aries 2 DAC. thanks.
Keep the 103 and buy a Pontus II use I2s thru HDMI via $50 Chinese box. You get SACD too. I have a OPPO 83 in this setup...best cd sound ever!
I use Oppo 105D through cheap hdmi-I2S to Pontus II also. The converter is powered over HDMI from the Oppo too, great because I have little room for another power cord and wall wart back there. Works great for CD and SACD.
@@nacarp2000 i would love to get the Pontus, but it's a beast and would not fit on my desk as well as the Aries. tough call.
I would think most people who would buy a cd player would also want it to play SACD's. Like me.
Most CD players can't play SACD's
@@povertyspec9651 Yes, that is why I use my Sony 4K player for CD's and sacd's instead of buying something like this.
@@klars3207 Exactly!!!
Steve u got your wig busted!
I wish they’d make components like these available in a version as a transport only! ‘No internal DAC.
They do make one actually. He shows it in the video.
Never buy a slot loader, over time they’ll damage/ruin your discs🙈💩.
I just canceled my flight. No Steve, no Axpona.
They lost me when you said "wall wart". So sick of how wall warts can take / block two outlets like in a power conditioner. Down with wall warts I say!
I just want to help clarify something that some here seem to think is something "NEW". "REDBOOK" is simply the standard Sony set when they created the first compact disc player. I, like everyone here have been buying and playing "REDBOOK" Cd's for 40 years! In Fact Cd's have never been called "REDBOOK' CDs until recently. These so called "sought after players" play regular Cd's in UNITS who have beefed up isolation, and other optical enhancements. But the "REDBOOK" standard has nothing....NOTHING.... to do with the CD sounding better. Any true Audiophile who wants the most accuracy during playback invests in SACD's when they are available. It's ironic to think that in 2022, that anyone would buy a machine that only plays lesser quality CD's that have been around since the beginning. Whats also telling is how vulnerable or should I say gullible some are sin the Audiophile world to support such products thinking they something "pure" and "better"... they are not with regard to attaching the term REDBOOK to them.
Would it kill these companies to include an aes/ebu…
Better they do well less as worse more. At this price level there is hardly any room for cost, it's neither a CD transport nor a DAC. So thumbs up that they made it as nice that Steve is satisfied with the device.
Bad hair day.
I used to have over 1000 CD's but I gave them all to some friends when I left Alaska. I did rip them all to 320-kbs Mp3 files instead of 128-kbs Mp3 before I gave them away so I doubt I will ever own a CD player again.
Is that modern art behind you or sound baffles?
GIK Acoustics diffusors.
@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac We're building a home. These might be a good addition to my living room. We were looking at cork flooring -- yikes! Too expensive/square-foot.
Is it that hard to also decode SACD?
No, it just requires more expensive components.
And…a specific SACD license agreement.
Outboard power supply is a non starter for me.
i don't trust much from project, mind you i like their existence
Sorry Steve, love you, hate this Box. I own the original first issue of this as a MaiA CD box. Still works beautifully after many years. Decided to "upgarde" to the new one. Mistake. First one the slot loader didn't work at all unless you recycled the power a few times anf then it only worked once and you had to do the same thing again. Send it back. Got another one. Same issue, not as bad, but still did not load Cd correctly and took forever to read them... Lots of issues with this new and much cheaper made CD slot loader on this model. I'd advice staying away from this one.
Steve, *insert insult to your intelligence*. You do actually understand that by comparing the sound as a transport to an external dac you are actually comparing the dacs. The „sound“ of the transport is basically not existing.
We need good and cheap cd players. That one is ridiculously expensive for such an ugly piece. I don’t think I would pay 300 for it
This “product” shows what kind of brand Project is …I try to be elegsant and polite
If anybody has small budget search for a CD player try second ha d a Sony CDP D11 or 12 professionalplayer
Much better solution!
We need more small chassis cd players, but not this one with suspect cheap remote and wall wort power supply. Slot load? Shame on Pro-Ject... Junk...
My Pro-ject Essential turntable has the “wall-wort”. With it you got either 2 or 3 choices for the mains. So I wasn’t surprised this one did. I assume this easier than stocking 2 or 3 different versions of any model.
"Junk"??? Gary you're harshing my vibe.
Slot loading always risk scratching the disc. Don´t get why a serious Hifi company would use it.
So many angry Americans here. Is it like your cars, looks nice but is shit engineering on the inside. Here is the opposite, looks like shit but sounds good. Take your Prozac and chill.
$899 cd player that uses a $15 switching power supply? 😆😂
$6.95 remote 😅 Get real Project
Stick with my Roksan & Audiolab
I don’t like slot loading players, tray please.
This player seems way overpriced.
One ugly piece of hardware.. Zero effort to design something pleasant to look at.
Apreciando a una mujer tan hermosa. 2:10 sentadillas son unos GIRLS18.Uno muchas y un buen ejercicio. 5:25 Se deja ver que hay muy buenos resultados 😍👍 Saludos desde la Cd.. de world losy mortales abian apreciado tan hermosa mujer
That display is terrible. The remote is terrible. The idea of a slot instead of a tray is repulsive as well.
Calm down Kevin. You are entitled to a preference..... But there's nothing 'repulsive' about slot loading drives.
Hmmm looks like crap, maybe $89
Bad review here… Why, because any real Audiophile owns and plays Super Audio CDs too!!! And the “Audiophiliac” never mentions this omission in his “review”! This piece of equipment for $900 is a joke, not to mention outdated before it’s even on the market. I too own an OPPO BD-83 Reconditioned by OPPO I obtained for half the price of this machine and it plays everything! And A slot loader for Audiophiles!!?? I’m careful with my discs, but this can scratch discs. Any Disc player that can’t play the highest fidelity recordings is pretty much a rip off! And that remote….ugghhh!!!
Oppo shit😅
This review makes me sad.
Meh. Not on my radar.