AMR / EMM / PLAYBACK Designs

I now have PD in my system and it is not even well broken in yet but so far I am very impressed.
It sounds like Berkeley DAC on steroid. I found its sound closer to Berkeley than EMM XDS1, surprisingly. Whatever Berkeley does well, it improves it while at the same time, it corrects many of Berkeley weaknesses, much better controlled bass, excellent pacing and rhythmic control. With XDS1, I felt like it did many things better but at the same time, Berkeley did certain thing that was crucial to me better.
To me, EMM is more hifi-ish where as PD is definitely more analog and more musical. However, some friends who heard EMM in my system also heard EMM XDS1 sounded better in other system so some of these is most likely system dependent as well.

Two thoughts, 1) surprisingly, given the huge power supply, the XDS1 is very sensitive to the power cord used. It particularly likes the Jorma Prime and the Stage III Zyklops. Each sounds a bit different but both bring out the best in the unit. The PD is less sensitive to power cords. 2) Likewise, the EMM Labs benefits from good mechanical isolation as do the top of the line Esoterics. It particularly likes Cerabases. The PD works pretty well with the factory supplied feet.

I have had both the PD and XDS1 in my system for extended listening as well as some of the Esoterics and I am buying the XDS1. Each of the others does some things better but taken as a whole, the XDS1 nis the one that I chose to live with long term.

I have also had the PD MPS5 and Emm Labs XDS1 for extended listening in my setup. In the end I clearly preferred the Emm Labs, it sounded more controled, dynamic, neutral and above all with blacker backgrounds (really impressive here). The PD is more flexible tough given its array of inputs and 24/192 capability.
At the end of the day I bought the XDS1.

Did you find the Playback design to sound a little closed in compared to EMM. Like comparing moving magnet to moving coil.

Yes indeed. I found lushness in the PD whereas the Emm player sounded more neutral.