EMM Labs DAC6


Is anyone aware of any digital equipment that can compete with EMM Labs? What about Redbook?
haydn_josef
I know the DAC 6 sounds great, I have heard it. Unfortnately, everything else in the system was very high end and I was not able to isolate any control factors. Too many high end variables. I sincerely wish to know if anyone whose heard the DAC 6 is aware of anything that sounds remotely close to sounding as good. I am not trying to incite arguments.
Remotely close? I am using my Lindemann while my Phillips is being repaired, it is quite good and very satisfying. This is in a very resolving system.

I have heard that the Exemplar moded Denon 2900 is quite good, with some claiming it is better than the Meitner. I have also heard that the Teac DV50 is quite good. I have heard neither.
Tireguy
I have seen some of the postings, and the hype is noteworthy at best. The over-excited chattering and subjective opinions offered will certainly not make my pulse race.
I have heard the EMM gear. I have been to the shows and stores and I've heard a LOT of digital.
What I'm saying is that EMM is not so obviously better than the other very good digital out there, that I will sell what I have now at a huge loss, then pay big bucks to get the EMM. Several people have been swayed by their dealer to do just that....and they'll be sucked-in to doing it again next year.
People should be less gullible and more happy with what they have for a little longer until something obviously better comes along. (or until the manufacturers come-up with another format to make our equipment obsolete and force us into spending more money!!)
Golden Ears, i respect your perspective and opinion.....but.....i beg to differ. my experience with the emmlabs gear has clearly resulted in a conclusion that it takes digital performance (both redbook and sacd) to clear new levels.

it is one thing to listen to different gear in different rooms at shows and try to perceive differences. it is quite another thing to have the candidates in a familiar room and spend time comparing.

the emmlabs gear has passed the gautlet in my room against my previous digital references (the Linn CD-12 and Marantz SA-1) and other recent challengers (Teac DV-50 and others). in every case the emmlabs gear was easily better. i have also spent time in David Robinson's room with the emmlabs and other challengers (fully modded Sony SCD-1 and the Accuphase $30k combo). at shows i have done the comparative room thing with the other competitors and to the degree possible have compared performance.

but the most significant competitor that i have put the emmlabs up against was one that it couldn't come very close to equaling.....my Rockport Sirius III. even though the Rockport was better in pretty much every way the emmlabs has moved closer to the Rockport than any other digital i have heard in many significant ways. for the first time digital fills the soundstage with musical information in a way similar to good vinyl....for the first time the dynamics and energy of good vinyl exist in digital.....for the first time there are textural complexity like good vinyl. those other digital competitors, as good as they sounded.....were not up to this standard (to my ears). ALL other digital misses the overall presence and solidity of the emmlabs......i would put the emmlabs about 1/3rd of the way to the Rockport from other SOTA digital competitors......that is a quantum leap to me.

i am convinced that the emmlabs gear is worthy of the hype.....it has caused me to choose digital on a regular basis when the Rockport is sitting there idle.....i can't imagine a higher compliment for a digital source.
Tbg you are quite clever, but you failed to even remotely answer my question. As for being content with what we own, until something obviously better comes along, is this not subjective? Am I missing something? I do not consider myself, or the people I met who pursue this hobby, all that gullible. I agree with Mike that the Meitner is a huge leap in digital technology. I heard the Meitner at the SF show and was inpressed. However, it is difficult to evaluate the Meitner with so many other components in the system.