We’re reaching an interesting point in the compact disc revival. Yes, we’ve seen plenty of brands, old and new, decide to bring back CD players for your home or even on-the-go. However, most of these units cost somewhere under the $200 range, or less.
Pro-Ject — known for its wide range of turntables, from starter units to luxury record players that cost around $15k — has now made its most premium CD player yet, and one of the most expensive on the market now. It’s an all-in-one system that houses a DAC and tube amplifiers, and it’ll cost you more than two grand.
Pro-Ject’s CD Journey
While Pro-Ject made its name in the turntable world back in 1991, the Austrian company has been quietly building out its digital offerings over the past decade. The CD Box RS2 Tube is the latest addition to its reference-grade RS2 line — a series that includes everything from phono stages to power supplies, all finished in that signature brushed aluminum chassis. This isn’t Pro-Ject’s first CD transport, but it’s the first in the RS lineup to feature an integrated DAC, which turns it into a proper CD player rather than just a disc player that requires external conversion.
The Tube Output Stage
Available in either black or silver finish, the CD Box RS2 Tube takes a different approach than most modern CD players. Rather than staying purely in the digital realm, Pro-Ject routes the signal through a pair of E88CC vacuum tubes in a fully balanced output stage. For those unfamiliar, tube amplifiers have been prized since the early 20th century for adding warmth and character to audio signals — something digital playback often lacks. Here, the tubes buffer the output from the Texas Instruments PCM1796 DAC, enriching the sound before it hits your amplifier through either balanced XLR or single-ended RCA connections.
Pro-Ject isn’t forcing you down this path, though. The unit includes both optical and coaxial digital outputs if you’d rather bypass the internal DAC entirely and use your own. It’s a rare level of flexibility in what’s essentially a high-end CD player.
Austrian Engineering, Top to Bottom
The drive mechanism comes from SUOS-HiFi, a company just north of Vienna that was founded by former Philips CD engineers who refused to give up on the format when everyone else did. Their DM-3381 Red Book drive uses aluminum construction instead of sheet metal, which reduces vibration and electromagnetic interference, which are both enemies of clean digital playback. Paired with SUOS’s BlueTiger CD-88 servo system, the unit can handle everything from scratched discs to mechanical vibrations without an issue.
The top-loading design secures discs with an aluminum cover plate and magnetic puck, a setup borrowed from the high-end turntable world. An LCD display shows track info and CD-text when available, and you also get an aluminum remote.
Spec Sheet
Model: CD Box RS2 Tube
Drive: SUOS DM-3381 Red Book CD-DA with BlueTiger CD-88 servo
Tubes: 2x E88CC in fully balanced output stage
DAC: Texas Instruments PCM1796 in differential configuration
Outputs: Balanced XLR, single-ended RCA, optical (TOSLINK), coaxial
Construction: Top-loading with aluminum cover plate and magnetic puck
Display: LCD with track information and CD-text support
Dimensions: 8.1″ x 3.3″ x 7.9″
Finish: Black or Silver
Pricing & Availability
The Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 Tube is available now in the U.K. and Europe for £1,749 or €1,900 (~$2,300). U.S. availability hasn’t been announced yet.
Recap
Pro-Ject CD Box RS2 Tube
Pro-Ject just launched its most premium CD player yet — the CD Box RS2 Tube — which pairs a high-end DAC with a tube amplifier stage for warmer sound. At around $2,300, it’s one of the priciest CD players on the market right now.
