EMM Labs DAC6 vs. latest version dCS

It is very simple, 99% of all the SACD's were recorded using the EMM Labs equipment.

Every single customer of mine who has taken delivery of the DAC and transport has gone crazy over it.

Thanks for all of your responses. I currently own dCS Purcell/Elgar without DSD and thinking to upgrade it or go to the Meitner gear.

Looking at the recording companies, quite a bit higher portion of the them are using EMM than dCS. Also the Meitner is quite a bit more feasible financially.

Txlef did your the the latest dCS with the Verdi transport. The DSD upgrade with the Verdi supposed to be substantial sonic improvements. By the way, I love the brass on the dCS.

I just ordered the DCC2 and modded Phillips from Bill at GTT. The pair is a bit under $12k. I heard the full dCS setup as well as the Meitner setup in Bill's very fine listening room (Lamm, Tenor, Kharma), and to my ears, the Meitner sounded far more musical on both CDs and SACDs. Compared to the Meitner, the dCS sounded almost brassy. Interestingly, the Meitner upsamples (is that the word?) redbook to DSD. Whatever. Even CDs sounded much, much better on EMM Labs than on dCS. My understanding is that you must use the modded Phillips or the new EMM Labs transport; since there is no industry standard SACD digital out, Meitner (and everybody else?) uses a proprietary digital connection.

Give Bill at GTT a call; he is very cool and will take the time to talk with you even if you aren't buying (I should know; I took up many hours of Bill's valuable time over several months before I ever gave him a dime of business).

Tireguy -- Excellent information -- thanks!

Rsbeck- You can not plug a DAC6 directly into an amp for it is nothing more then a 6 channel DAC, it would need to be used in conjunction with the switchman mkII(preamp). As where the DCC2 can be run direct because it has a built in 2 channel switchman. The Switchman mkII is another $4995, the meitner transport is $4995, so it is a bit more money to use the DAC6. Using the DCC2 all you would need is a transport(and of course an amp and speakers), the DCC2 adds 2 sets of analog inputs as well as the digital inputs, to allow use as a preamp(in the analog domain) for an additional source- tuner, cassette deck or another cd player for example. Hope that answers your querry for I don't know how else to say it.

I did order a transport with my DCC2 but I managed to wrangle up the last modified Phillips :)

Tireguy --

Did you order a transport with the DCC2?

Can you plug the DAC 6 or DCC2 straight into your
amps, or do you still need a pre-amp?

If the price of the DAC6 and DCC2 are the same,
but the DAC 6 has a lot of extras -- why purchase
the DCC2? Why not the DAC6?

I'm very curious about the DAC6 and DCC2 -- appreciate any and all info you can give.

Thanks.

Rgd- You are correct, the DCC2 is a slightly different creature then the DAC6. The DAC6 is nothing more then a 6 channel DAC, as where the DCC2 is a 2 channel DAC, with a built in 2 channel switchman(analog volume control) and 2 sets of analog inputs(RCA and XLR on both) which can be controled via the onboard switchman. The price on the DAC6 and DCC2 are the same $9995 retail.

Drubin- There is really very little information available online aside from the word around the campfire. I am looking forward to seeing what the DCC2 will look like, maybe I'll see a picture soon or I will see the real thing soon enough at which point I will post pictures on my virtual system and add any new information I find.

Tireguy - I thought the 2 channel Meitner DAC was going to be part in parcel with a Switchman preamp in the same chassis at a similar cost to the DAC6?

Drubin - check out www.positive-feedback.com for David Robinson's take on the Meitner set-up. If memory serves me right it replaced a very hotrodded SCD-1 (possibly the most modified SCD-1 on the planet).

Where can I find information on the DCC2? EMM Labs web site appears to be strictly for the professional products.

Having heard both of them the same day at the show in Montreal last month, the Emm labs was in a different league then the dCS. Both had great associated equipment, the DAC6 just got the listener so much closer to the music. I have heard dCS before more then a few times and it is good but its not worth the money not by a long shot, it never really blows me over as being the best out there. The week after I heard the DAC6 I ordered my Emm labs DAC and transport! I went with the 2 channel DCC2, for most people the DAC6 is a lot of extra's that they will never use. I am curious what others fealt who heard both.