What would be the best transport for Meitner Dac 6

You have no choice at this time. Only the Phillips sacd 1000 works. Fortunately the problem with it seems to have been solved.

Tbg is correct, unfortunately, if you want a transport that will take advantage of this DAC's SACD capability (and both Tbg and I are assuming you didn't get it for redbook), the only choices are an EMM modified Philips SACD 1000, as Tbg refers to, or the new EMM Labs transport purportedly in the works, which may be pricey. As I understand it, the EMM DAC 6's DSD interface is proprietary, as there still seems to be no industry standard for this interface--none of the other current SACD transports out there from dCS and Accuphase can interface with the DAC 6 for the DSD signal, as they have their own different proprietary interfaces, and no other currently available players in the US have a DSD digital output that I know of.

If you can swing the DAC6, whats another 4-5k for a transport?

As far as standards go, in the pro world its' pretty much: unencrypted, with ability for external word clock sync. Hardwarewise, it can be over BNC, firewire, XLR, etc. Meitner's pro stuff does the above, I believe. For the consumer stuff - not sure. Probably some encryption but the ability is there to do it unencrypted, as the whole pro world must do.

-Ed

FWIW, I have a meitner-modified SCD-1 with DSD digital out, unencrypted, built for pro use. Not that I can swing a DAC6 or DCC2 anytime soon. Maybe if he did a straight 2-channel dac w/o preamp...

Both Tbg & Rcprince are correct about the SACD. However, any transport with an AES/EBU output, would work into the DAC6 and still give you the ability to hear what I believe is the finest redbook playback available.

Jonathan Tinn
Distributor
EMM Labs

I want to say that my repaired EMM modified Phillips sacd 1000 has been performing flawlessly for the last week.

I must say that seeing the collaborative effort to fix those SACD 1000s as documented on AA, involving both modifiers and Philips repair personnel, has been a pleasant surprise.

And a great relief for me. Mine is still working properly with it more recent MACE chip.