Project CD Box RS2 Tube CD transport
Project has unveiled the CD Box RS2 Tube, the latest addition to its top-of-the-range RS2 line. Combining a CD transport, a fully balanced tube (valve) output stage, and an integrated high-end DAC, it delivers accurate playback, high-quality construction, and the tactile pleasure of physical media.
Designed for CDs
The CD Box RS2 Tube is a dedicated CD transport, focused solely on accurately reading CDs. Unlike multi-format players, which must balance CD, DVD, and Blu-ray playback, this machine is optimised for one purpose: extracting every bit of data from your CD cleanly and reliably.
At the heart of the system is the SUOS DM-3381 Red Book CD drive, a high-precision mechanism with robust aluminium construction to minimise vibration and mechanical interference. SUOS-HiFi, formerly Stream Unlimited Optical Storage and founded by former Philips CD engineers, is based just north of Vienna (near Project’s headquarters), where it continues to develop CD mechanisms. Coupled with the BlueTiger CD-88 servo, the drive maintains precise tracking and reduces read errors, ensuring accurate digital data reaches the DAC.
Tube-enhanced analogue output
A central feature of the CD Box RS2 Tube is its fully balanced tube output stage, which employs two E88CC vacuum tubes. While tubes do not alter the digital data, they enrich the analogue signal with warmth and musical fluidity.
The output stage is available in both fully balanced XLR and single-ended RCA connections:
Balanced XLR: Reduces noise, improves clarity – balanced audio connections are the standard among professional musicians, recording studios, and for live concerts.
RCA: Still benefits from the valve character, offering warmth and musicality without requiring balanced wiring.
Integrated DAC
The CD Box RS2 Tube incorporates a carefully selected DAC, chosen for its analogue-like presentation. By including a DAC:
The CD transport can be connected directly to any amplifier that accepts analogue inputs, using either RCA or XLR connectors.
The integrated tube stage can fully shape the signal from digital to analogue.
Digital outputs remain available for users who wish to connect an external DAC.
Without an onboard DAC, a pure transport design could not connect directly to analogue-only amplifiers, limiting flexibility. With the selected DAC, the CD Box RS2 Tube can work in a variety of systems while delivering its signature tube warmth.
True red book playback
Built as a true red book player, the CD Box RS2 Tube adheres to the CD‑DA standard, delivering 1:1 playback, reading each disc exactly as encoded so every bit of original data reaches the DAC.
This meticulous approach acknowledges the enduring appeal of CDs, where a hard copy of the music is permanently yours. With its valve output and hand-picked DAC, the CD Box RS2 Tube is designed to reproduce CD audio as close as possible to an analogue record. For the millions of CDs bought over the years, it provides a rewarding way to rediscover those recordings.
Features
Available in black or silver finish.
Compatible with the Project Power Box RS2 Sources power supply upgrade.
External power supply keeps sensitive tube circuitry free from interference.
Full aluminium casework and solid, vibration-damped chassis.
Handmade in Europe.
LCD shows track, time, and CD-text information.
Supplied aluminium remote control.
Top-loader with aluminium cover plate and magnetic clamp for secure disc placement.
Combining the accuracy of a true Red Book CD transport with the natural warmth of its tube stage, the CD Box RS2 Tube offers CD playback that is precise, expressive, and engaging.
Price and availability
The Project CD Box RS2 Tube will be available this month from Project dealers across the UK, priced at £1,749 (UK SRP). (€1,990).