Is the EMM DAC6e or DCC2 /CDSD the best out there?

Elberoth2...well I guess we just disagree on what we respecitvely heard. Perhaps due to system matching. But yes EMM to me has far more "openess" and sense of air around the instruments...and that is what I like about it. Disagree about mid range as well though dCS may had more solid bass (not necessarily more tight). At any rate, each to his own: at this level all Ithink are really good and its about tastes and system matching

Guidocorona, I must admit I do not know for sure how long the break in was but I suspect well enough given I had loaned a the demo model from a dealer. I am more of a jazz, blues, rock person though I do love Bach for some reason. I generally agree with what you are saying but my own personal exp with X-01 was very good, I do think it lacked what I described before: it had "hard" character if you know what I mean though I must stress this was only to a minor degree and in relation to Meitner. At least that was my own experience: I also listened to it over 3 hours or so as the dealer had to take it away: perhaps more time with it would have chnaged my mind. At any rate, I personally just think the capability of best of what digital has offer has sigificantly improved over very recent years including Esoteric, Meitner, Ayre, and the likes. At this level, its not about better and that was why I said I "prefer". I did think after all Esoteric was better at retrieving inner detail at times, though I may be mistaken. I believe JA at Sterophile's measurements showed the Estoeric gear rolled of high frequencies on SACD playback rather quickly: I wonder that has anything to do with it, though I am no measurement freak either. My old players were ML and Camelot Techonology stuff before the upgrade to Meitner and for that I am absolutely sure there was huge improvement! Its matter of preference and system matching.

Very interesting, indeed.

Elnerth 2: I noticed in a different thread u had not used the ST cable btwn the Meitner transport and DAC or DCC2. Huge, huge difference. Try it out.

Well I think the vinyl vs digital debate is really a dead issue...digital has made great advances and yet some still prefer vinyl and I respect that but so what at the some time. For me personally, I gave up vinyl long ago for convenience of playback, storage of software etc...and now added is the ability to burn, rip etc onto other portable deivices so I can have music for everywhere I go. Enuff said.

Elberoth 2: sure thing, guess we just have different priorites in what we are looking for, or its matter of system matching.

Chrisla: Many say the Ayre needs a lot of break-in.

Brainwater...when u r ready please do post your impressions of Indra....would be very much interested to hear your observations...thanks.

Personally I definitely prefer Meitner over Esoteric and dCS. Esoteric does excel on inner detail, but Meitner is far better in terms of transparency and just a general sense of openess. In way it sounded if Meitner had a larger sound stage, both left to right and front to back. Also better at transients & decay. Esoteric was v good at resolution, inner detail, dynamics but lacked that sense of naturalness if you will. dCS goes even further in terms resolution, detail to my ears but again lacks the special air around the instruments or color of timbre. In a way, I guess Esoteric and dCS sound like GREAT digital but Meitner approxiametes analogue LPs. At least that has been my own experience so far.

Zanden, Reimyo, I have not tried but hear great things about them: however they do not provide SACD capability, which of course may not matter to you. Zanden though if you want the full set up will cost you!

I also think that not only is the Ayre 5xe (2 channel universal) very very good indeed, but among all the high end players best value for money. Personally prefer it over Esoteric. I already have the Meitner gear, the Ayre is my top choice for second system I am considering building.

Whatever the case, you really need to audition them yourself. At this level, all are exceptionally good, and a lot depends on your own tastes.