Hi-Fi: Pro-Ject Box Series Components – Review – 80

It’s hard to overstate the impact the iPod has had on the audio world. It’s certainly helped create a generation of music lovers who use computers as their only audio source, whether streamed from the PC or from the iPod. If you don’t have a record or CD collection, then there’s really no need for full-size audio components, but few iPod speaker systems produce anything approximating hi-fi quality sound. Which is where these little Pro-Ject components come in.

Pro-Ject has taken the chassis from its excellent phono stages and rolled out an expanding range of ultra-compact audio gear that includes the USB DAC, pre-amp, stereo power amp and iPod dock tested here.

They promise much of the performance of full-size separate components without the expense or bulk – and these little boxes are smaller than a CD when viewed from the top, so they really are compact. Stack three or four of them on top of one another and you’re not looking at much of an intrusion onto a shelf or desktop, which makes them ideal for space-challenged environments such as apartments, home offices or bedrooms.

Build quality is basic but good and the Boxes feel rugged. The dock is notable for its ingenious sliding back that accommodates different iPods without the need for fiddly inserts.

The Boxes are definitely more than paperweights and rise to the occasion when partnered with a suitable set of speakers such as the cute Tangent Evos supplied for the review ($399). This combination will show all but the very best iPod speaker systems a clean pair of heels when it comes to musicality, and will crush them all in terms of stereo separation and soundstaging. There’s certainly enough power on offer from the Class-D power amp, and the speakers go reasonably loud while offering bags of detail, extended treble and a good amount of impact from such a diminutive combination. Feed them high-quality source files, either from the iPod or from a computer using the USB Box, and you’ll be more than a little impressed, as visitors to the recent Canterbury Hi-Fi Show can attest.

The Tangent speakers look fabulous in painted red (they’re available in other colours as well) and while their bass extension is limited by the laws of physics, what is on offer is far preferable to the mushy booming that masquerades as bass on many iPod speaker systems.

Cable chaos is an unfortunate consequence of the small form factor, and sets of metre-long interconnects just make an unacceptable mess behind the boxes. Fortunately, your Pro-Ject dealer will be able to supply 20cm lengths of quality Van Den Hul cable for this application. There’s even a Box coming soon that will get rid of the multiple wall-wart power supplies.

In addition to doing computer audio very well, the Pro-Ject/Tangent gear was quite comfortable with a very good CD player as a source. All in all, this package is a huge step up from simple audio systems and it’s an easy recommendation.

BRETT GIDEON

Tech Specs

Pre Box Pre-Amplifier
AUDIO OUTPUTS: Analogue RCA x1
AUDIO INPUTS: Analogue RCA x2
OTHER CONNECTORS: 12V trigger
DIMENSIONS: 38 x 103 x 141mm (H/W/D)
WEIGHT: 630g without PSU
FINISHES: Black and silver

Amp Box Stereo Power Amplifier
POWER: 2 x 20W/30W (4Ohm/8Ohm)
AUDIO OUTPUTS: Multi-way binding posts
AUDIO INPUTS: Analogue RCA x1
OTHER CONNECTORS: 12V trigger
DIMENSIONS:38 x 103 x 141mm (H/W/D)
WEIGHT: 670g without PSU
FINISHES: Black and silver

USB Box USB DAC
AUDIO OUTPUTS: Analogue RCA x1
INPUTS: Mini USB x1
DIMENSIONS: 38 x 103 x 141mm (H/W/D)
WEIGHT: 540g
FINISHES: Black and silver

Dock Box iPod Dock
AUDIO OUTPUTS: Analogue RCA x1
INPUTS: iPod line out x1
OTHER CONNECTORS:
USB, S-Video
DIMENSIONS: 38 x 103 x 141mm (H/W/D)
WEIGHT: 585g
FINISHES: Black and silver

CONTACT

www.internationaldynamics.co.nz

This article is from Tone issue 80. Click here to check it out.