Pro-Ject CD taking a leaf from the Chinese

[manicm]

A 'transport' CD DAC. A CD player by any other name, but it's clearly been following what Shanling, SMSL etc have been doing.

https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/cd-players/pro-jects-new-flagship-cd-transport-has-a-built-in-dac-and-plenty-of-versatility

 

[nopiano]

It looks great doesn’t it? And I very much like the idea that former Philips folk have created a new transport as there aren’t many options left today.

It’s definitely a CD player though! ☺️

 

[Al ears]

A 'transport' CD DAC. A CD player by any other name, but it's clearly been following what Shanling, SMSL etc have been doing.

https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/cd-players/pro-jects-new-flagship-cd-transport-has-a-built-in-dac-and-plenty-of-versatility

Versatility is one thing but if you already own a decent DAC, wherever it is, it seems pointless to buy a transport with a DAC built in.....
Not for me as I am still looking for a transport that will also play SACD.
However, it will obviously find a market somewhere.
Question: Don't most modern CD players have a digital out??
And as for £1800??????

 

[manicm]

Versatility is one thing but if you already own a decent DAC, wherever it is, it seems pointless to buy a transport with a DAC built in.....
Not for me as I am still looking for a transport that will also play SACD.
However, it will obviously find a market somewhere.
Question: Don't most modern CD players have a digital out??
And as for £1800??????

Shanling, SMSL make several SACD transports - but your DAC will need to have I2S inputs. That's the norm today. DSD rarely, if at all, is capable via optical/coaxial. Which is why I say I2S should become the new norm for digital inputs. Coax/optical just don't cut it today.

As for the price, they are using a truly custom Redbook CD mechanism engineered by ex-Philips guys, an aluminium chassis, with a top-loading drive. These things alone may not fully the price, but then again look at Lumin streamer prices.

 

[daytona600]

.Project have offered valve outputs for many a year

Counterpoint , Cal audio labs made them in the 1980s

lampizator , audionote , Sw1dx , Audio research and many others still make them

 

[Al ears]

Shanling, SMSL make several SACD transports - but your DAC will need to have I2S inputs. That's the norm today. DSD rarely, if at all, is capable via optical/coaxial. Which is why I say I2S should become the new norm for digital inputs. Coax/optical just don't cut it today.

As for the price, they are using a truly custom Redbook CD mechanism engineered by ex-Philips guys, an aluminium chassis, with a top-loading drive. These things alone may not fully the price, but then again look at Lumin streamer prices.

I hear you and quite agree, however as a CD Transport it sort of leaves me cold.
As a CD player it appears very good.
If you want a transport then buy one. No point in paying out for an inclusive DAC if you don't need it.
I sometimes wonder where this DACs in everything is going....

 

[RoA]

Looks great but may have limited appeal due to its size?

Would look good next to the Nait50 though.

 

[Jasonovich]

I absolutely love the retro look!

Check out the link below

https://darko.audio/2025/12/quad-announces-599-vintage-styled-cd-transport/

 

[Deliriumbassist]

How are Pro-Ject taking a leaf out of the books of those other manufacturers? The non-valve version has been out since at least 2019, and the original, also 'CD Transport and DAC' they did, the CD Box RS, came before that too. I want to say 2014.

 

[matthewpianist]

It's a CD player. Emperor's new clothes...

 

[nopiano]

I absolutely love the retro look!

Check out the link below

https://darko.audio/2025/12/quad-announces-599-vintage-styled-cd-transport/

View attachment 10610

It was here too!

And it really is just a transport…

This 1960s-inspired hi-fi product is about to be on every CD fan's Christmas wishlist

The Quad 3CDT transport is yours for £599

www.whathifi.com

 

[daytona600]

IAG standard CD transport in one of many Chassis

 

[Al ears]

IAG standard CD transport in one of many Chassis

I'd rather a top loader than a drawer or slot.....

 

[matthewpianist]

IAG's transport is very hard to beat in my experience. It's quieter than most (actually pretty much silent), and will read almost anything reliably. That's all the transport needs to do - get the 1s and 0s out to the DAC with minimum fuss.

 

[Al ears]

IAG's transport is very hard to beat in my experience. It's quieter than most (actually pretty much silent), and will read almost anything reliably. That's all the transport needs to do - get the 1s and 0s out to the DAC with minimum fuss.

Note: "high-precision CD mechanism and custom-designed servo control" tells you nothing about who actually manufactured it....
I don't know of any European CD manufacturers that design and byild their own mechanisms.

 

[daytona600]

IAG's transport is very hard to beat in my experience. It's quieter than most (actually pretty much silent), and will read almost anything reliably. That's all the transport needs to do - get the 1s and 0s out to the DAC with minimum fuss.

Must get rid of my esoteric & buy the superior IAG
22kilos of japanese junk with the cd drawer out can only support a weight of a small child

I don't know of any European CD manufacturers that design and build their own mechanisms.

Pro-Ject Vienna have a interest in Blue Tiger/Suos same used in £30-£50,000 CD players from metronome , gryphon and many others

https://www.suos-hifi.com/top

 

[matthewpianist]

I never implied the IAG/Audiolab/QUAD/LEAK transport was superior to anything else. Those Esoteric transports are beautifully engineered and if I had one I would see no point in replacing it with anything else unless it failed (unlikely). I just don't believe transports make a big difference beyond quietness and reliability, but that's an opinion based on personal experience rather than any scientific measurements.

 

[nopiano]

IAG's transport is very hard to beat in my experience. It's quieter than most (actually pretty much silent), and will read almost anything reliably. That's all the transport needs to do - get the 1s and 0s out to the DAC with minimum fuss.

Must get rid of my esoteric & buy the superior IAG
22kilos of japanese junk with the cd drawer out can only support a weight of a small child

I don't know of any European CD manufacturers that design and build their own mechanisms.

Pro-Ject Vienna have a interest in Blue Tiger/Suos same used in £30-£50,000 CD players from metronome , gryphon and many others

https://www.suos-hifi.com/top

View attachment 10617View attachment 10618

That Suos looks like a serious piece of kit. Do you know of anyone else that uses it?

 

[daytona600]

Most ultra high end machines use them. Project buy in big volumes

£37,500 Gryphon Ethos , £115.000 Metronome Kalista ,


etc

£ 37,5000 The Gryphon Ethos

 

[Al ears]

Most ultra high end machines use them. Project buy in big volumes

£37,500 Gryphon Ethos , £115.000 Metronome Kalista ,


View attachment 10626 etc

£ 37,5000 The Gryphon Ethos


View attachment 10625

Thankfully Project kit is more sensibly priced.....

 

[Entrigo]

A 'transport' CD DAC. A CD player by any other name, but it's clearly been following what Shanling, SMSL etc have been doing.

https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/cd-players/pro-jects-new-flagship-cd-transport-has-a-built-in-dac-and-plenty-of-versatility

"which means the CD Box RS2 Tube is now effectively a CD player, too"

😂


Yeah. So how about we call a spade a spade?

 

[nopiano]

Most ultra high end machines use them. Project buy in big volumes

£37,500 Gryphon Ethos , £115.000 Metronome Kalista ,


View attachment 10626 etc

£ 37,5000 The Gryphon Ethos


View attachment 10625

Ah, yes I remember the Kallista from Hifi News where they said the transport was from Denon-Marantz. I remember being surprised it ‘only’ had an ES9038Pro DAC as that’s pretty standard these days in items costing a hundredth of the price. Mind you, that unique styling must cost a fortune!

Kalista DreamPlay XC CD/SACD Network Player

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