AMR / EMM / PLAYBACK Designs

Okay, good news. Firmware 104_023 for the XDS1 has passed QA and can now be found at the EMM Labs website. This solves the SACD distortion issue with multiple digital input switches, improves digital input locking and includes the "subtle" sound quality enhancement. Unfortunately, the password for firmware files has changed and I have no idea what it is.

as far the Playback Designs viewpoint on the sound, whether it has too much weight, is too forgiving, or 'adds' something.....i can only say that whatever it's doing along those lines, my 3 tt's do and where i have a 15ips 1/4" master dub playing on my Studer RTR deck/King-Cello repro of the same recording they do it similarly too. it's hard to find a better sonic reference than that.

pianos, drum kits, violins, vocals; the weight, body, decay, harmonic texture......all resemble the analog sound.

the leaner, flater, more 'crisp' sound many like is not the Playback Designs character; neither is it any of my tt's or my RTR master dubs.

which is real?

or more properly...which does one prefer?

there is not only one answer to that.

Andreas Koch (PD designer and for many years the EMM digital designer) visited me in my home last week; he was here in Seattle with his family to go on an Alaska cruise. we had a long talk (he talked, i listened) about how people listen and how the PD has different sonic priorities than other digital players. when i put on a few master tapes on the Studer (Andreas worked for Studer 25 years ago and headed a team which developed the digital recording version of my Studer A-820--his college room-mate designed the analog output of my A-820) it was fun comparing that to the digital from the PD.

My standard of comparison when I auditioned the PD in my home for anout ten weeks was my Rockport Sirius with a Lyra Titan i and later swapped out for an Ortofon A90. I did not have a reel to reel for comparison but am familiar with Albert Porter's totally rebuilt Studer A810. Based on that, I felt that the EMM Labs XDS1 was more accurate.

Mike,

That's awesome to have some quality time with Andreas! Actually, I'm actively researching the vintage Studer line from R2R to mixing consoles...I'd like to have access to a multichannel Studer R2R :-)

I hope to hear your reference-class system, again, particularly with the King/Cello electronics...is it set up for repro only? Did Ki do the work?

Happy Fourth!
Sam

hi Sam,

you are always welcome and it would fun for you to make another visit.

yes; it was a treat and learning experience spending time with Andreas.

the King/Cello is sitting on the right side of the room with the Studer and Ampex. it's setup with the darTZeel BNC interface and really sounds lively and vivid. i need to get a better rack for it (it's sitting on a plant stand for now) as i'm sure it would benefit. i've pulled out some of my pre-GPA treatments to optimize it's situation for now.

currently it's only being used as a tape repro. however; i'm tempted to add another tt over on the right side as Myles and Rich Brown assure me it's an excellent phono stage too. i was thinking of a Technics SL-1200 Mk? with a modest arm and cartridge.

a few months ago Ki wired the switch into the heads on the Studer and that is still the way i'm using it. one of these days i'll have Ki wire a switch into the Ampex ATR-102 too so i can play that through the King/Cello.