Project Box Design DAC Box DS / Black

The DAC Box DS is not only an excellent D/A converter for 'traditional' digital sound sources (such as CD players) because of its optical and coaxial inputs; but it also acts as a superior USB audio interface for the increasingly demanding world of computer audio. 

There are many ways to transmit data to and from your PC, but one of the biggest issues faced involves risking the data being overlapped by computer-based distortion and 'jitter' on the digital signal. These negative effects can negatively impact on the sound performance in the form of incorrect signal timing. To isolate and resolve this problem, the new DAC Box DS contains Pro-Ject Box Design's own asynchronous USB streaming technology. Through this method, the DAC Box DS 'cleans up' and 're-locks' the signal into its correct timing before it is converted.

USB Audio supports 24-bit/192kHz HD music data in fully asynchronous mode. The DAC Box DS therefore utilises the finest DAC chips available - the Burr-Brown PCM 1792 by Texas Instruments - devices which are usually only associated with far more expensive, high-end designs.

For the engaged audiophile, the DAC Box DS also provides two different filter settings ('Steep' & 'Optimum Phase') for selection of your favourite sound preference. The big display also shows the selected input, incoming bit depth and sampling frequency, as well as the filter settings.

The whole audio circuitry design is ultra-linear and incorporates only the finest components available at the cost, with low output impedance to avoid any negative interference or colouration with cables or pre-amps.

Key Features:

• Top grade PCM-1792 D/A converter from Texas Instruments
• USB 'Type-B', optical (Toslink) and coaxial (S/PDIF) inputs
• Capable of 24bit/192kHz asynchronous USB streaming
• Display readout shows incoming bit depth and other information
• 8 times oversampling design
• 2 selectable filter settings (steep and optimum phase)
• Linear circuitry
• Extremely low impedance output stage
• Gold-plated RCA line level output sockets

Technical Data:

Hi-Fi Choice, January 2014 Feature: "Blind Listening: DACs £200 - £450 Group Test" Sound Quality:4 Stars Value For Money:5 Stars Build Quality:4.5 Stars Overall Score: 3.5 Stars Comments of Note: “Tonally the Pro-Ject is very smooth, creamy even. It is as though all the rough edges have been expertly rounded off.” “Listening to Bruce Springsteen track one listener describes the Pro-Ject as: “More balanced tonally”” “Another panellist comments that it is: “softer and smoother and more organic” than most” “Like: Refined, smooth, civilised sound; great build; price”