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EMM Labs vs. Esoteric X-01

Hi All,
I have had the EMM Labs CDSD and Dac6e for about a year. I've been really intrigued by all the press about the X-01, so I bought a used unit off Audiogon. I'm beginning the process of comparing the two units in SACD and Redbook playback. For now, it will all be 2 channel, until I get my multichannel back up and running.
As I realize that this is an issue of taste more than anything else, I will try to avoid hyberbole. My quick, initial impressions is that they are more alike than different, particularly in SACD mode. In Redbook, it's a somewhat different story. The Esoteric is a superlative Redbook player, with rock-solid imaging and a real sense of space. The Meitner, while it sounds very good, isn't nearly as detailed. One of my favorite tracks is on Emmylou Harris' Spyboy album, "The Maker". On the Esoteric, one can sense and even feel Emmylou in the middle, with the percussion section just behind her. There are 2 musicians on either side of her, playing guitar and Banjo (i believe). You can feel all the percussion that goes on. The Meitner doesn't have nearly the defined sense of space that the Teac presents, but Emmylou's voice sounds just great. It also doesn't present that deep percussion that one can feel in your chest.
FWIW, the rest of my system is an ARC Ref3 preamp, a Boulder 2060 stereo amp and Dynaudio Evidence Temptations, backed up by a REL Studio 3 subwoofer. All the cabling is Nordost Valhalla. The room is heavily treated.

More to come later.

David Shapiro
deshapiro
deshapiro OP
177 posts
 
Hi All,
I'v continued my listening with a series of instrumnetal pieces. Two of my favorites are Leo Kottke's "6 and 12 string guitar" (CD and SACD), and Guitartown by Steve Earle, also SACD. The second isn't only guitar, but I listen for Steve's playing, not his singing. I added a Townes Van Zandt (redbook) for kicks. I have to reiterate what I've said and what has been said in the thread on Reference Dacs. The differences are a matter of taste, not absolutes.
On SACD, I find that both rigs sound very similar, with detail and a rich harmonic sound. The Esoteric has more of a dynamic feel, with a "they are in the room" sensation.
On regular CD's, the Esoteric extracts much information than the EMM. It provides me with a more satisfying experience. More listening this week, but I expect to list the EMM gear on Audiogon bfore very long.

David
rhyno's avatar
rhyno
649 posts
 
i had a chance to hear the clock w/ the xo-1 today; seems like (perish the thought) its breaking in, as i heard a bleaching to the tone w/ the clock in place. that said, it did appear that the clock improved transients, leading edges, dynamics, and generally free'd the sound from the speakers. none of this was a gigantic difference; comparatively, i heard more of a difference when i swapped out an Acme IEC for a gold plated Furutech in the same system that morning.

fred, do ask jim if he likes the IECs. damn parasound made the hole too small though!

rc
brucegel
151 posts
 
EMM= dying gasp of a brittle,harsh,mettalic digital media.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Fred and another friend whose audio opinions I greatly respect caused me to try the Esoteric X-01 Limited Edition. I am very happy that I tried it.

I had a EMM Dac6 and the EMM modified Phillips SACD 1000 some time ago. While I hardly found it brittle and harsh, I also found the less expensive Allen Wright moded Sony 3000 at a fraction of the price to be indistinguishable from it, as Fred will confirm. I have not heard the recent generation of the EMM gear, but it would surprise me were it to be better than the Esoteric X-01 LE.

I should say that the Esoteric responds very well to being on the Halcyonic active isolation base as well as to using IsoClean fuses to replace it 5 fuses. I also use Audio Tekne carbon feet between the Esoteric and the Halcyonic. I don't even want to think about the Esoteric clock but do hope to try it as Fred did. Fred did not say whether he is buying one, but I suspect I know the answer.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
I have just posted a relatively detailed listening comparison of the Shunyata Anaconda Helix Alpha and Anaconda Helix VX on a thread entitled "A Tale Of Two. . . Anacondas (Helix)". You will find it at:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1146623467&openfrom&1&4#1
For the comparison Babybear and I connected the Anacondas to the X-01 Limited in his system.
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