Is the EMM DAC6e or DCC2 /CDSD the best out there?


Is this the best digital front end ever?

What about

Reiymo CDP 777?
dCS gear?
Audio Aero Prestige?

Any other contenders?
iujona
Yea, but Ludwig was using an old Garrard player in 1951 and you kept evolving until you reached the air bearing, linear track status for playback of your analog.

As memory serves, Ludwig was gone, long before (long gone?) the first Sony CD player ever hit the shelves.

Besides, I have it on good authority he did not cotton to the "Cool" Jazz movement, so I don't trust him.
I missed this thread for a few days. From my experience Mike is on the money. My analogue front end was always better than my Audio Aero. Unfortunately once my cartridge died I was without analogue for a while. I just listened to my Audio Aero and was basically unsatisfied. I then purchased my EMM setup. From memory, I was sure that my analogue would not equal the EMM setup. My previous cartridge, a Koestsu just didn't have the dynamics nor the extension to compete w. the EMM. I had to change phono preamps & cartridges which took a lot of time. Once my analogue system was put together w. now a VdH Condor & WN Audio phono section, my EMM setup was definitely still better sounding to me. But once my cartridge and phono stage began to break in everything changed. It became quickly aparent that analogue is better sounding in my system compared to my EMM setup. An analogue system that is compromised in any area will be bettered by the EMM setup. Especially in the bass and treble regions. In my system w. a Nottingham Hyperspace w. SME V & Condor I have incredible bass & midrange. My top end is just boardering excellent. In fact from the low end to the highs my analogue setup is equal to digital. In terms or musicality, image palpability, and harmonic integrity analogue is superior. Prior to my cartridge breaking in (still not done though 100%) we all felt the EMM was better. Once the Condor finally began to break in all my friends, only one of them an audiophile, the rest musicians prefered analogue to digital. When the LP was a poor recording obviously this was not the case. I don't know how anyone can conclude that any digital is better than vinyl unless they make the direct comparison in a system they are familiar with. That being said, I fully agree the EMM is good enough in most cases to abandon the pursuit of vinyl. The EMM gear is excellent and the sound is highly involving. I would easily accept the EMM setup as a parking place in terms of sources for most people. But my lowly analogue setup, not SOTA to all but for me in the ballpark, is better than SOTA digital of today.
Mike Lavigne

you and I are friends. You make this statement over and over and I don't think that I am naieve when it comes to high end stereo but honestly I don't know what the heck you mean when you say it

vinyl continues to reveal more and more as the system gets more out of the way.


Please explain so that I can understand.
Apologies for the typo Mike, yes I meant your SOTA--state of the art) analog rig.
As mentioned, I have no argument with the fact that you and your guests may find the SOTA to be superior to the EMM, and in fact I'd be interested in knowing more details of your comparative findings, e.g. ICs, PCS, and types of recordings used (redbook/SACD?), have you had many opportunities of comparing the same recording on vinyl and SACD ?

I have also no problem if you state that overall you truly prefer vinyl over digital and you find it more musical/satisfying, etc. . . That is a purely subjective statement, and therefore valid by definition.

The problem is rather in the generalization steps that lead you to make an unequivocal statement of superiority of one format over the other one--irrespective of direction I should add. My objection has nothing whatsoever to do with the music or the sound, but only with the process. You start with the postulation that (1) the EMM is the very best that digital has to offer, and (2) if SOTA is found to be superior to EMM, (3) SOTA must be superior to digital, and because (4) SOTA is the best of Vinyl. therefore (5) vinyl must be superior to digital.

The problem is in the postulation in statement 1, which to be valid must be held as a universally accepted truth--which in this particular case it is unfortunately not, as there does not appear to exist an objective unanimity on the subject.

Regardless, I'd love to listen to both your rigs some times, as I have not been fortunate enough to listen to either EMM nor SOTA! As for old Wittgenstein, I suspect he listened mostly to live music. There is a book called Wittgenstein's Vienna (or The Vienna Of Wittgenstein) which may shed some light on the subject. Have not read the book yet.

Guido