The CD Box S3 is the first product in Pro-Ject’s S3 line — a new family of compact separates built around a standardised aluminium chassis. Where the entry-level CD Box E offers a straightforward slot-loading transport, the S3 steps up with a reworked circuit design, a TI PCM5102 DAC capable of 32-bit/384 kHz conversion, and a 1.54” front-panel display with a colour-inversion function for at-a-glance track information.
Slot-Loading Transport
The CD Box S3 uses a slot-in mechanism that draws in the disc smoothly and is ready to play within seconds. The drive delivers 1:1 bit-accurate Red Book CD-DA playback, reading the disc without interpolation or error correction shortcuts. A full-aluminium enclosure shields the transport and electronics from electromagnetic interference.
Digital-to-Analogue Conversion
At the heart of the CD Box S3 sits a Texas Instruments PCM5102 DAC, handling conversion at up to 32-bit/384 kHz resolution. The analogue stage outputs at a fixed 2.0 Vrms via a single RCA pair. For systems with a dedicated external DAC, the S/PDIF coaxial digital output passes the bit-accurate stream directly, bypassing the internal conversion entirely.
Display and Control
The 1.54” display shows track number, elapsed time, and playback status. A colour-inversion function lets you switch between light-on-dark and dark-on-light readouts to suit your listening environment. The player can be operated from the front-panel buttons or the supplied battery-powered remote control (2× AAA).
Build and Design
The S3 chassis is a full-aluminium construction measuring just 206 × 55 × 160 mm (W × H × D) and weighing 1.33 kg without its external 9 V DC power supply. The compact footprint is designed to stack or sit alongside other S3-series components. Pro-Ject manufactures the CD Box S3 in Europe.