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Meitner DCC2 vs. Analog - Opinions Please

I have been been contemplating the move to analog for a year or two, and have collected about 70-80 discs in preperation. I also have 600 or so CD's and a smattering of CD/SACDS.

I was thinking along the line of VPI HRX (7k or so used), a Shelter 90X cartridge (2.7k), and a phono-stage such as an ARC REF used (4.5k?) or Aesthetix Callisto (4-5k?) and interconnects ($500 or so). I would also need to reconfigure my rack and maybe get longer interconncets for my amps, but lets leave that out for now. That would add up to about 17k or so if I threw in a VPI 16.5.

Now, it seems I can get (new) the Meitner DCC2 and CDSD for the same 17K, less about 8-9k I could free up by selling my ARC REF2 MK2 pre and ARC CD3, for a total outlay of about 8 - 9k. I could also sell one pair of my Audioquest Diamond X3 (might not do this, I really like them) and I would not have to change my rack.

Can anyone comment on how close the Meitner gear might be to a rig such as I described? It seems like upgrading my CD player and adding SACD would be more cost effective than spending all that money to play less than 100 discs.

Also, can anyone comment about the pre-amp section on the DCC2 vs. the ARC ref2mk2?

Thank you all in advance for your thoughts.

Ron
rlips
gladstone
296 posts
 
I have both the HR-X and Meitner DCC2/CDSD, as Tireguy indicated. I can't be as certain as Mike L. is about the superiority of vinyl across the board.
I've also heard the SME 30, Rockport, Verdier, Forsell, Walker, Avid etc.
I think it comes down to the recording engineer--some SACDs and CDs sound better than analogue, probably more like what you would hear in a concert hall. But a lot of vinyl sounds better than CDs and SACDs--smooth and a pinch warmer and mellower.
You can't go wrong either way. Vinyl keeps improving as far as cartridges and tables are concerned. So does digital technology. For the sake of convenience, variety of new recordings, and the punch that digital delivers, I would probably go digital if that was the only choice.
But I wouldn't say that unless I had isolated my transport with the Machina Dynamica Nimbus stand. That brought digital into another realm.
rlips OP
105 posts
 
Thank you all for the great responses. It looks like I have an opportunity to aquire the Meitner gear near new at a discount, so I will start with that route. It should be in my system by middle of next week.

I will listen both with and without my tubed pre (ARC) and report back. I am not ruling out analog in the future, but I think, for now, the nod goes to the digital based on my library. I will continue to try to aquire vinyl in anticipation of adding anolog.
spsound
2 posts
 
the Audiogon classified ads usually tells the story. why so many Meitner Dac6's for sale and why is the new Meitner DCC2/CDSD units surfacing for sale now?
tireguy
1,964 posts
 
Every component comes for sale for one reason or another, doesn't matter how good it is. People's lives are complicated and there are MANY possibilities. I have seen the extreme high-end turntables for sale many many times in the past, what does that mean? Absolutely nothing. But now that you mention it there is something to be said of a digital component that retails for $17k that is selling for $14k.
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