should everyone just order emm?

People regularly take a beating selling their often expensive CD players to go for the latest greatest thing. It's not called the "Bleeding Edge" for nothing.

Now, once they have done that, do you really think that we're going to hear an objective opinion from them about the quality of the player? Are they going to say, "I was an idiot to sell my old player for such a low price, then spend way more to get this new one, and it's just not that much better than the old one!!"

No, I don't think we're ever going to hear that. They rave about the new piece to justify their expenditure. It's only human.
Now, don't any of the rest of you rush into a buying decision like that. Just, well, go jump in the lake and cool off!! (and think about it ;-) Enjoy what you have and don't change it unless it's really worth it!

>>Are they going to say, "I was an idiot to sell my old player for such a low price, then spend way more to get this new one, and it's just not that much better than the old one!!"<<

Inside this piece of bad logic is a good point and that is that you should always take someone's opinion as a starting point in your research. Other than that, there is a flawed presumption that no one is ever happier with the new piece of equipment, they just lie about it, which probably does happen,
but if used as a *presumption* -- like most presumptions -- it leads to the notion that everyone who doesn't say what Golden Ears has predetermined is the right answer, is failing to tell you the truth. However, his argument is done in by the fact that all of us know that we *have* upgraded and *have* been legitimately happier with the new piece -- that's why the presumption is flawed. Unless you want to believe that everyone who has ever upgraded and failed to tell you they were foolish for doing so is a liar. Does that make any sense?

The simple fact is -- *EARLY ADOPTERS* of any technoology will always pay a premium to be first in line. Emm Labs gear *is* expensive, but you have to understand the price point in which they are competing. Emm Labs isn't alone at this price point. Linn, Burmeister, and several other digital solutions are available at that price point -- AND HIGHER.

At it's PRICE POINT, Emm Labs offers excellent value. Does it offer value compared to players that might get you 75% of the way there for less money?
I doubt Emm Labs owners are asking themselves that question.

If you don't want to be an early adopter, are willing stick with what you have, want to wait until the technology is available at a lower price -- no problem.
Soothing yourself with the notion that all those raving about the equipment are liars is understandable on a human level, but ain't going to wash on a logical one.

I still own my two former digital front ends, they are in other systems around the house -- I gave one of them, a Sony SCD XA777ES, to my brother for his birthday. To my ears, the redbook CD playback of the Emm Labs is superior -- to the SACD playback of the Sony player -- and I used to be thrilled with the SACD playback of the Sony. I cannot believe I have a player that makes redbook CD's sound this good.

Since I have around 1,500 CD's -- getting this much enjoyment out of them is worth the expenditure. Again -- the SACD playback is even better, but I take the SACD playback as a bonus.

Ironically enough, I know how to spell obsolescence. Just not in my last post however. :-)

I've got a question. How does one acheive SACD playback with the Meitner gear? What transport is currently available which will link to the Meitner DAC for SACD playback? Another question: If Meitner has no plans for a "one-box" player, which "one-box" player is the best for SACD?

No one has answered your blue laser question yet. I will try, but please read this with a grain of salt. A lot of salt.

Blue lasers will be used to improve DVD's, not necessarily CD or SACD. DVD's right now do not compare well to an HDTV digital TV satelite signal, not enough information. Anyone with an HDTV that watches live HDTV feeds (football)will tell you it's incredible. DVD is a bit behind. People will start to notice the difference, and DVD players will need to be improved. Thus blue lasers.

There may also be a use for blue lasers in vinyl playback. Those tiny grooves contain a lot of information, some of which a stylus can't pick up. In theory a laser can. I can't remember the name of the company that makes a laser record player, DLP?, but they are looking at blue lasers.

Having said that, the only way to get better digital audio, is to have more digits, more information. I believe 'Fourrier Analysis' describe every sound as being comprised of an infinite number of sine and cosine waves?. Therefore the more information obtained, the more realistic the sound. You will likely see 'hard disk' high end audio before you see widespread blue light CD / SACD.

I think.

Please be easy on me. I have no technical information to back up my story.