Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 CD Player - Silver

An Old Converter Chip, Chosen on Purpose

Newer converter chips arrive every year with higher numbers on the box. Pro-Ject went the other way for the CD Box DS3 and fitted the Texas Instruments PCM1796, a chip that has been used in very expensive players for years.

It was picked for its character rather than its specification sheet. Pro-Ject describes it as the most analog and sweet of the options, and the aim was a CD player that gets close to the sound of a record.

Around it sits a drive tuned for 1:1 playback of the Red Book standard, loading through a slot. The DS3 does one job, and every part in it was picked for that job alone.

The Servo and the Suspension

A CD drive is only as good as the servo steering it. The DS3 uses the Blue Tiger CD-80, developed by Stream Unlimited, which audiophiles rate among the most advanced servo boards you can buy at any price.

The drive is mounted in a rigid aluminum housing on a suspension system with three soft isolation points and one hard one. Sheet metal flexes, and a laser that has to stay in position cannot afford that.

Frequency response holds within 0.15dB from 20Hz to 20kHz. The noise floor is better than 105dBA across that range. Distortion is under 0.018% through the analog output and under 0.005% through the digital one.

Who Is This CD Player Best For?

• You find digital sounds hard — the PCM1796 was chosen for a warm, analog character rather than a headline number, which is what makes long listening sessions easy.
• You want both kinds of output — RCA analog plus coaxial and optical digital mean the DS3 works as a finished player now and as a transport if you buy a DAC later.
• Your rack is not perfectly still — a suspended drive in a rigid aluminum housing keeps the laser aligned when footsteps or a subwoofer shake the shelf.
• You are replacing a Blu-ray player — a drive optimized for 1:1 Red Book playback treats the disc as the main event instead of an afterthought behind video.
• You want a source you can leave alone — front-panel buttons, a clear dot-matrix display and a remote, with nothing to update. Pair it with one of our integrated amplifiers.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the RCA line outputs to any input on your preamp, integrated amplifier or receiver, and the internal PCM1796 handles the conversion from there.

If you would rather use your own converter, the coaxial or optical digital output bypasses the internal DAC entirely and turns the DS3 into a transport.

Pairs Well With

Building around the CD Box DS3? Here are some great companions:

• Integrated Amplifier: The other half of the system — see our Integrated Amplifiers.
• DAC: For the coaxial or optical output — see our Digital to Analog Converters.
• Bookshelf Speakers: Finish the system — see our Bookshelf Speakers.
• Interconnects: A clean run from the RCA outputs — see our Interconnect Cables.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which converter is inside?

A Texas Instruments PCM1796, chosen for its analog, easy-to-listen-to character rather than for a higher number on paper.

What outputs does it have?

A pair of RCA line-level analog outputs at 2 Vrms, plus one coaxial and one optical TOSlink digital output.

What is the Blue Tiger servo?

The CD-80 servo board from Stream Unlimited. It is the circuit that steers the drive, and it is widely regarded as one of the best available.

What does it measure?

20Hz to 20kHz within 0.15dB, a noise floor better than 105dBA, and distortion under 0.018% through the analog output.

How big is it?

206 by 72 by 194mm, or 200mm deep including the sockets, and 1,660g without its external 18V power supply.

What is the warranty?

Two years for the original owner, from an authorized Pro-Ject dealer. Register the product and subscribe to Pro-Ject's newsletter and they extend it to three. It does not transfer.

See It in Action

Steve Guttenberg spends time with the DS3:

And AV Atmos covers the launch of the DS3 line:

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Learn More

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