Pre Box S2 MQA DAC/Preamp vs SMSL RAW Pro-DAC1
The RAW Pro-DAC1's signal-to-noise is 132 dB against the Pre Box S2 MQA DAC/Preamp's 124 dB. Both share bit depth (32-bit), max sample rate (768 kHz), and thd (0.000%).
AI-generated product photo — not official manufacturer imagery.
Pre Box S2 MQA DAC/Preamp
Pro-Ject Audio SystemsDigitalDACsPre-AmplifiersHeadphone Amplifiers
Estimated price (community-sourced)
$508.85 - $681.16
Around — community and catalog average, updates slowly
About the Pre Box S2 MQA DAC/Preamp
The Pro-ject Pre Box S2 Digital is a compact, high-performance digital preamplifier and DAC featuring dual mono ESS Sabre ESS9038Q2M DAC chips capable of decoding up to 32-bit/768kHz PCM and DSD512. It supports full hardware MQA unfolding via USB and includes a high-quality ESS9602 headphone amplifier. The device offers three digital inputs (USB B, coaxial S/PDIF, and optical TOSLink), a 1/4" headphone output, and variable RCA analog outputs. It features proprietary clock circuitry with jitter as low as 100 femtoseconds, organic polymer capacitors, thin-film mini-MELF resistors, and a gold-plated four-layer PCB housed in a solid aluminum case available in black or silver. The Pre Box S2 Digital includes eight selectable digital filters, a color OLED display, and remote control functionality. It is Roon-ready and has won multiple Editors' Choice awards for its value and performance.
Specifications
Digital Audio
DAC capabilities and digital audio processing
- Bit Depth
- 32-bit
- Max Sample Rate
- 768 kHz
- DSD Support
- DSD512
- MQA Support
- Yes
- DAC Chip
- ESS Sabre ESS9038Q2M
Analog Output
Analog signal output specifications
- THD
- 0.000%
- SNR
- 124 dB
- Output Voltage
- 2.0V RMS
Connectivity
Input and output connections
- Bluetooth
- No
- Wi-Fi
- No
- Ethernet
- No
- Digital Inputs
- USB B, Coaxial S/PDIF, Optical TOSLink
- Analog Outputs
- 1/4" (6.3mm) headphone output, variable RCA analog output
Physical Dimensions
Size, weight, and appearance
- Dimensions
- 103 × 37 × 122 mm (W × H × D)
- Weight
- 0.366 kg (1 lbs)
- Available Colors
- black, silver
Specifications are community-contributed and may not be accurate or complete. Verify all details with the manufacturer before making purchasing decisions. Terms & Conditions