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Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set – Vinyl and streaming plus audiophile mini amplifier

Pro-Ject Audio Systems offers a nearly complete HiFi system, which allows audio streaming as well as the playback of vinyl records, with the new Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set. It combines a Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB with a Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 as well as a Pro-Ject Stereo Box S2, so that only one pair of speakers is needed.


Pro-Ject Audio Systems is not only the world market leader in the field of record players, the company from Lower Austria has also built up an impeccable reputation over the past few years as a supplier of the finest electronic components in miniature format. What started out as a small series of – how could it be otherwise – phono preamplifiers as an extension for their own turntables, has developed into an immensely versatile product line in the form of the so-called Pro-Ject Box Design Series, which offers a wide variety of solutions in the various “weight classes”.

With the solutions of the Pro-Ject Box Design Series, users can put together a tailor-made Hi-Fi system according to their own ideas, because in addition to proven specialists for the most diverse tasks, highly integrated systems are also available, so that even a “Hi-Fi chain” can be realised in the most compact form and minimal dimensions, but with impeccable quality.

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The new Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set, which is now offered by Pro-Ject Audio Systems, is a good example of how “compact”, even focused on the really essential, a HiFi chain can be put together with the help of the Pro-Ject Box Design Series. It combines the reproduction of vinyl records with all the possibilities of modern streaming solutions and consists of only three components. In addition to the Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB record player and the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2, it includes the Pro-Ject Stereo Box S2 integrated stereo amplifier. What is still missing is a pair of fine speakers…

Let’s start with the record player, the Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB. This is the first turntable in the so-called Pro-Ject T-Line, where Pro-Ject Audio Systems is completely committed to its own corporate philosophy, according to which it is important to offer real hi-fi sound quality for little money. The drive is therefore deliberately designed to concentrate on the really essential; the basis of the entire series is therefore a drive that was deliberately designed to be plain simple. The customer thus receives a drive with an audiophile design, whereby the equipment can be adapted very flexibly to his individual wishes. Compared to the basic model, the version of the drive, which is offered as part of the Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set, has an optional high-quality phono preamplifier designed for MM pick-up systems. The electronic speed switching for the precise AC motor, which is offered as an option for the drives of the Pro-Ject T Series, is also on board and allows the speed to be selected between 33 1/3 and 45 revolutions per minute at the touch of a button.

The drive is based on an MDF chassis, which is available in high-gloss black, high-gloss white or walnut finish.

The Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB is equipped with a precise turntable bearing made of hardened stainless steel and brass bushings, with minimal tolerances for optimal operation. The glass platter rotating on it is driven by a plastic sub platter and a belt running on the outside.

The 8.6-inch tonearm of the turntable is made of aluminium and relies on particularly low-friction bearings for accurate tracking. In this case, a pick-up system is already installed ex works, namely an MM cartridge of the Ortofon OM 5E type with elliptical needle grinding.

The scope of delivery includes a dust cover, a felt mat, and also a high-quality cable in the form of the Pro-Ject Connect it E RCA.

As a second source device, the Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set naturally focuses on streaming, in the form of the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2. This solution should have all the functions that a low-cost, modern streamer must offer, according to the manufacturer. Thus, on the one hand, one can of course access one’s own contents with this solution, which can be available in the usual formats with a resolution up to 24 bit and 192 kHz, but one can also directly use streaming offers as for example Spotify, TuneIn and TIDAL. Even a multi-room audio streaming solution can be realised with the help of several Pro-Ject Stream Box S2, with up to six zones via WiFi and up to ten zones via network cable. Two devices can also be connected to form a pair, for example to operate active loudspeaker systems with left and right channels, for the sake of completeness, although this is of course not really relevant in this context. Much more important is that with multi-room audio streaming, audio is always in “CD quality”, and thus high quality is guaranteed.

The control is of course done with the help of an app that is available for Apple iOS and Google Android alike and can be used on both smartphones and tablets. This is called Pro-Ject Stream S2 App.

The integration into the network can be done via WiFi with a module according to IEEE 802.11b/g/n, or via an Ethernet interface using a cable.

In addition to an optical S/PDIF as digital output, a line out in the form of cinch sockets with fixed level and a 3.5 mm stereo mini jack with variable level are available.

The connecting element between the two source devices of the set is the smallest audiophile stereo integrated amplifier in the world, the Pro-Ject Stereo Box S2. This is an amplifier with a special circuit design, which delivers a power of no less than twice 37 Watts to loudspeaker systems with an impedance of 4 Ohms.

Three inputs in the form of pairs of RCA sockets are available here, so that in addition to the two components of the Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set, there is another one available for additional feeders, such as a D/A converter for the best sound on the TV set. This is, in contrast to the first two inputs, not designed as a pair of cinch sockets but as a 3,5 mm stereo mini jack. The very cramped conditions on the back of the amplifier in miniature format make this necessary. This also applies to the variable output offered by the Pro-Ject Stereo Box S2. For this purpose, the loudspeaker connections are designed as screw terminals in the tried and tested manner, which also accept ready-made convection cables with bananas.

For input selection there is a button on the front panel, and of course the corresponding status LEDs are also included. The volume is controlled by a motorized potentiometer. Of course, a matching infrared remote control is included in the scope of delivery.

As already mentioned, you can choose between three different versions of the drive, the record player can be ordered in high-gloss black, high-gloss white or walnut. The electronics are available in either black or silver.

The Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 measures 103 x 37 x 122 mm and weighs 375 g, the Pro-Ject Stereo Box S2 measures 103 x 37 x 115 mm and weighs 422 g. The Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB measures 415 x 100 x 335 mm and weighs 3.8 kg.

For all three components you will of course find the appropriate power supply unit in the scope of delivery,

The Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set is now available from specialist retailers. The recommended retail price is € 799,-.

Getting to the point

The new Pro-Ject Best of both Worlds Set, which is now offered by Pro-Ject Audio Systems, is a good example of how “compact”, even focused on the really essential, one can put together a hi-fi chain with the help of the Pro-Ject Box Design Series. It combines the reproduction of vinyl records with all the possibilities of modern streaming solutions and consists of only three components. In addition to the Pro-Ject T1 Phono SB record player and the Pro-Ject Stream Box S2, it includes the Pro-Ject Stereo Box S2 integrated stereo amplifier. What is still missing is a pair of fine speakers…

Manufacturer:Pro-Ject Audio Systems
Distribution:Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH
Price:€ 799,-
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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