should everyone just order emm?

Ironically option 4 is your best bet in terms of bypassing the issue of technological obsolence.

While EMM enjoys a very good reputation, there are other options out there as well. My Audio Synthesis DAX Discrete, placed on a slightly tweaked Machina Dynamica Promethean Base, matches the resolution of my analog system, and provides nearly as much enjoyment.

FWIW, the DAX Discrete is more popular in Europe than here in the US.

Audio Synthesis Website

Ironically enough, I know how to spell obsolescence. Just not in my last post however. :-)

Robm321, you make a good point about spinning vinyl. Advancement in the vinyl realm presumably is near its zenith. There is however a lot of titles available only in digital format and the digital technology has improved considerably. I suspect most of the folks here, including myself, that have been willing to pay $10K plus for a digital front end have wrestled with the issue prior to parting with their cash. To keep things in perspective, my Audio Synthesis setup cost roughly half of what my vinyl playback system cost and nearly matches the performance.

Jtinn, are you familiar with the Audio Synthesis DAX Discrete Variable? It excels at all the qualities you mention regarding the Meitner unit; plus it offers the added benefit of an exceptional digital volume control.

Jtinn, I am not positive, but I believe that SACD's are converted to PCM. I presume that the DAX Discrete volume control succeeds so magnificently because of the massive oversampling.

I am pretty illiterate with regards to the technology so I will quote from the Audio Synthesis website directly.

"Oversampling for simplicity
In all of our audio designs we have always prioritised the simplicity of the analogue domain. Our world famous PASSION series of L-pad Vishay Bulk-Foil attenuators illustrate the importance of minimising analogue complexity to achieve essential levels of realism - otherwise lost forever by passage through the usual myriad of analogue components.

Here in DAX Discrete we have chosen to spend considerably more design effort in the digital domain including automatically oversampling the highest resolution 24 bit input data, up, to over 700kHz, in order to eliminate any active analogue electronics in the audio path. This achievement carries an expensive digital overhead - but the gains in emotional involvement are entirely priceless."

All I can say is that it works very well. In order for me to listen late into the evening I am forced to listen at very low volumes. I do not notice any loss of resolution when listening at these low volumes. I would love to compare the two units directly sometime. I will contact you privately within the next couple of months to see what can be arranged. Thanks for the offer.

Here is the link to the complete Audio Synthesis description for their product. It's pretty interesting reading.

Audio Synthesis DAX Discrete

Tbg, how does the resolution of the Exemplar 2900 compare with the EMM?

Man, I would like to try an Indra. Too rich for my blood at this point however. What has the Indra offered besides resolution gains? I'm a high-resolution fiend.

On a less expensive and unrelated side note; I have been auditioning the Marigo Audio Signature 3D CD mat and have been impressed with the relaxed, analog like, quality it brings to the mix. If anything, system resolution has improved with its use as well. Pretty impressive.

Do you consider the Indra performance to be transcendant, as some of the reviewers suggest, or more along the lines of highly evolved. IOW, is it a brand new creature?