What Hi-Fi? Verdict
It's certainly got its plus points, but this Pro-ject is a little too pedestrian for us
Pros
- +
Solidly built
- +
lots of detail and precision
- +
transparent sound
Cons
- -
Lack of cohesiveness
- -
pedestrian delivery
- -
lacks some dynamics
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If weight was the only measure of quality, this Pro-ject would romp home with five stars: this tiny unit feels like a brick.
But it’s sound that matters to us, and it’s here that the USB Box is lacking.
Connect your computer to the USB (the single input) and the Pro-ject will draw power and convert 16-bit, 44.1kHz tracks before outputting them through the stereo RCA outputs.
Play Nick Cave’s soundtrack to The Road and the USB Box digs up plenty of detail and precision, and has a tonal transparency that means instruments have a convincing timbre, which is a rarer quality than it sounds.
The problem is that notes don’t link with each other as well as they might, resulting in a slight lack of cohesiveness.
This combines with a surprising lack of dynamics to create a delivery that’s a little pedestrian – and that’s a shame, because with more drama and bite sitting alongside that tonal sweetness, it could’ve been great.
