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Jtinn's Responses in Digital	Posts
The best CD Player for the money Without a doubt any of the Sony SACD players. You get a terrific CDPlayer as well as SACD	729
Any better DAC then dCS Scarlatti? Check Stereophile's February issue or the link below. Michael Fremer compared the dCS Scarlatti with our player, the Playback Designs MPS-5. http://www.stereophile.com/. . .	151
Audio Aero Capitole MK II: Performance & Problems The tubes cost $15 each to replace plus labor	126
Is the EMM DAC6e or DCC2 /CDSD the best out there? It is the best I have heard on both CD and SACD. My status is obvious, but those who know me, know I am adamant that I have not heard better	118
CD vs. SACD vs. DVD-Audio vs Vinyl vs... All I can help with is CD vs. SACD I compared the CD end of a Sony 777 with a Meridian 508-24 and for laughs a Rotel RCD 7??. The Meridian was just slightly better than the . . .	112
Comparing Wadia vs. Meitner Wow, this thread is quite interesting. I have had a number of Wadia trades both with and without the GNSC Statement mods. I am personally surprised that so many like the Wadia. I. . .	103
EMM Labs CDSD / DCC2 - Initial Listening Session Tim: Rolling over from laughing my ass off. :) Bill: I am incredulous of you inability to decipher the jargon within this inane thread. This thread is wonderful	73
scd 777es sacd sony mod worth it? I am a big fan of "pecunia". Detlof: After having extensive conversations with Mes I can assure you that your modded unit will be absolutely top notch and tough to beat. . .	67
Any experience with the new EMM CDSA SE ? I love it :) Jonathan Tinn EMM Labs	66
The current SOTA SACD player Well done Brent	60
should everyone just order emm? Yes	60
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 . . .	60
Museatex Bitstream vs Bidat The Bidat is substantially better. It is not a fair comparison	59
Any Good SACD Player Plays CD Well The EMM Labs is the best I have heard on SACD as well as CD. I am the distributor for this product and that being said, it is in a class of it's own	57
EMM Lab DCC2 & CDSD Better connection? Guys, I have been trying to post for the past 3 days or so and it seems that Audiogon is having a problem getting it to the thread. I cannot believe you guys are actually . . .	53
The"new" look Capitole Lordgorian: There are only two Capitoles in North America and they arrived yesterday. Both are in Montreal and certainly your source is mistaken. The word is there are dramatic . . .	51
Weiss Minerva Dac Jwm: Add Playback Designs MPS-5 or MPD-5 to the list of those that will do true 24/192. Jonathan Tinn Blue Light Audio	46
Best sacd player Since I am affiliated with EMM Labs, you might find me to be biased, but I will share with you what I hear. I have listened to many modded SCD-1's including those by Kern and . . .	46
About the EMM Labs DAC Rcprince is correct regarding the interface. That being said, any transport that outputs via an AES/EBU connection, would greatly benefit from the use of an EMM Labs DAC. . . .	46
DACs: Burmester vs. Meitner vs. dcs Sm2727: What was the rest of the system? If you like the dCS so much, I have some available that were traded in for the EMM Labs	41
Playback designs followup? Arthurp: The unit you heard breifly was, as you know, not close to being broken in. You know that and you need to read his question more carefully. I do not believe you are either. . .	38
EMM Labs DAC6 Jposs: In some ways, you are absolutely correct. The reliability of the transport mechanism is quite suspect, but I am sure it will be worked out. On the other hand, sonically it . . .	36
Best Dac you ever heard As a dealer for Audio Aero, I will convey one customer's findings. He is a user here and if anyone would care to contact him directly, I will be happy to email you his information. . .	35
EMM Lab CDSD transport motor resonating Nikki: Feel free to call me at 503.221.0465 and I will be happy to troubleshoot with you. You can also email me your phone number and I can call you. Best Regards, Jonathan 503.. . .	34
Digital Audio Denmark convertors Vincent: With all due respect, where did you hear or have a chance to compare the Playback Designs? I know of no one in Las Vegas that has one. Nor do I know of anyone who has lent. . .	33
cd player or computer with dac Audioengr: With all due respect Steve, you could not be more wrong. The DAC IS the ONLY thing that is important. If the DAC is designed correctly than very little else matters (. . .	32
DCS Verdi Elgar Purcell VS. Audio Aero Capitole Having been a former owner of the dCS gear (not the Verdi), I did have a chance to compare it to the Capitole and for me, it was not even close. After my comparison, I became a . . .	31
Playback Designs vs. Berkeley Contact Bruce Brown at Puget Sound Studios. He has done the comparison. Also Mike Lavigne. Jonathan Tinn Playback Designs	29
AA Capitole Mk II - what the evaluaions brought? I had a couple of the MK II's in NY at the HE Show and to be honest, they were fresh out of the box with no break-in time. I thought they were quite good but not where I wanted the. . .	27
SACD 2...for those who have not heard This is nothing to worry about at all. It is actually SACD 2.0 vs. SACD 1.6 which is currently out	26
Audio Aero Capital CD vs SACD Patricku: If you are talking about the Audio Aero SACD Player, I would be surprised if it released this year. Certainly nothing until September. Mikelavigne: Thanks again for your. . .	26
Problem with my Sony SCD-777ES As a shot in the dark, you may want to get out a Q-Tip and isopropyl alcohol and attempt clean the lens. It may work and save you a real hassle in shipping. I hope it works	25
Shopping CD players: my big adventure I do not like the ARC CD2, although I am a big ARC amp and preamp fan. I would recommend, without a doubt that you go to OADE.COM and call them and order a Sony SCD777 SACD player. . .	24
Playback Designs MPD3 Audition Doggiehowser: Thank you for your thorough efforts and comments. I hope you have a chance to do the comparison again once the Playback Designs MPD-3 is fully broken in. You might . . .	22
dcs sound Audiomeca Mephisto II & Enkianthus. Much more analog sounding. I never thought I would own anything else, then I heard the Audiomeca. It is gorgeous sound and just so natural	22
another thread on DACS/players...thoughts please Teajay: With all due respect, the Playback Designs sounds nothing like the Meitner gear. I am quite shocked that you would say that after you say you heard both. I am not trying to. . .	21
Sony 9000ES: DanWright or StanWarren Mod I took a peek at the mods that Dan Wright is doing and they look terrific. I know a few people that have gone that route and are extremely pleased. Jena Labs raves about the work . . .	21
Shootout: AMR CD-77 vs. AR CD7 vs. Wadia 581se Kgproperties: Does the quote "No good deed goes unpunished", have a ring of truth for you? I want to thank you for the time you spent conveying your experience with the. . .	20
Elect. EMC-1 Mk II vs. Audio Aero Capitole Mk II ? I clearly prefer the Audio Aero Capitole. It is the best sounding CD player that I have heard and with the ability of running direct, you can sell your preamp and acheive better . . .	19
How good do SACD players play normal CDS I compared the Sony 777es with the Meridian 508-24 and an older inexpensive Rotel. The Meridian did a much better job than the Sony and the Rotel was as good as the Sony. It was . . .	19
Question on Emm labs Dac6 vs Dac6e Kgturner is correct. The differences are the added RCA connections and one less fan. Some of them had rackmount ability and some did not. Sonically there is no difference	18
Do you keep your EMM DAC 6e on? The EMM Labs gear is designed to work for the pro world. Although it should be properly ventilated, leaving it on all the time is fine. It will definitely take some time for the . . .	18
New EMM LABS transport Who said it started shipping 3 weeks ago? Not true. It will be a while before people are able to respond. The first shipment went out this past week	18
Is this a deal or what .... The Wadia equipment was very good in it's day, but digital, more than anything else currently in audio, does not stand still. I have compared the Audio Aero, Audiomeca directly . . .	18
I'm taking votes Thsalmon: The CD12 is an excellent player. Personally I like the Audio Aero Capitole MK II (which I sell) a bit better, but they are fairly close. I would recomend not spending . . .	18
Audio Aero Capitole 24/192 too foward and bright? SOS: It was my understanding you could not get the line. As a matter of fact a mutual customer of ours shared with me that you preferred the Capitole when you were trying to get . . .	18
Great cd players that can connect directly to a power amp? Audio Aero Capitole is phenominal	18
SACD Player with hi-rez digital input Playback Designs MPS-5	17
SACD player is not that great. Throw the Custom switch on the back. It will change everything	17
"tube" cd players? I am a dealer for Audio Aero and have carried many other brands. They make the finest tube CD players that I have heard. The differences between the top selling cd players and the . . .	16
SACD player as CD transport? Although the CD section of the SCD-1 is quite good, I run it though my Levinson 360s with excellent results. It is comparable with any transport I have used in the past. As far as . . .	16
Resolution Audio CD55 Gary at the Audio Gallery in Lake Oswego, OR is a complete loser. If his was the only store in the world that carried the be all, end all in hi fi equipment, I would prefer to . . .	16
24/96 Format The question as I see it might be regarding CDs that say recorded or remastered using 24/96. These are CDs and not DVDs ....right? So, is the 24/96 format that is being used, for . . .	16
GNSC Wadia Statement Mods/Heard Them? Let's just say, if you really like the Wadia sound, you will really like the Statement mod	15
WADIA / dCS / AA Capitole - the ultimate CD ??? . Are you running these units all through a preamp or direct? My experience with all of them, which has been quite extensive, is that the Audio Aero was the only digital front-end . . .	15
What cd player or cd transport/dac is next for me? I have had the Levinson digital, the dCS delius and purcell and none come close to the Audiomeca or Audio Aero. Audiomeca makes the Enkianthus DAC and Mephisto II Transport and CD . . .	15
Puccini+Uclock vs APL NWO 4.0 SE vs PD MPS-5 Where in Europe are you? We have plenty of distribution in Europe. It should be fairly easy to hear one, Best Regards, Jonathan Tinn Playback Designs	14
EMM transport clarification There is quite a bit of confusion which maybe I can help clarify. The CDSD was upgraded to CDSD Signature Edition. For most CDSD owners, the Signature Edition is identical to . . .	14
DCS P8i Vs. EMM CDSD/CC2 Elberoth2: What clouded future	14
ACCUPHASE DP85 I heard the Accuphase DP85 and it sounded very syrupy. While I am a dealer for other products, I was considering taking Accuphase on specifically because of their release of an . . .	14
Marantz SA-1 (Super Audio CD player) ? I have compared the Sony SCD1 with the Marantz and although I bought the Sony, I thought the Marantz was better in a few areas: 1. Loading time was much faster 2. CD Playback . . .	14
Buying Hi-End CD Player or Transport.. The two best that I have heard are not on your list. The Audiomeca Mephisto II CD player and the Audio Aero Capitole 24/192. Both use the Anagram dac and are far more analog . . .	13
Recommendations for a Digital interconnect. An inexpensive digital cable that I hear is excellent is the Goldmund. If you can find one, give it a shot	12
any one comparing DCS with upsampling to SACD? dCS gear even using upsampling does not compare at all to SACD. The only dacs I have heard that approach SACD sonically are the Audiomeca Enkianthus and the Audio Aero. Both . . .	12
Is Pure Music 1.8 better? Much better. It will do much higher resolution	11
Is the EMM CDSD transport in very short supply? Rgs92: Both are true. EMM Labs is extremely backordered not only because they have had metal work supply problems, but also due to extreme demand	11
good CD player with variable output? Audio Aero Capitole MK I or MK II	11
Levinson 390s vs Mephisto II The Mephisto II is a better sounding CD player, especially with the drawer open. The benefit of the 390S is the ability to bypass the volume control. I am a dealer for Audiomeca . . .	11
Dodson MKll D, Levinson 360S, dCS Delius I like the dCS Delius the most, but you would need to go with the Purcell as well. The Levinson is dated technology and probably will not be upgradeable. The Dodson is the way to . . .	11
Sony SCD-777ES as a transport I think it is a mistake. I compared the Sony with a Levinson 37, a Meridian 508.24 and an old $300 Rotel. The Sony sounded equal to the Rotel and was not even close to the Meridian. . .	11
EMM labs upgrades for CDSD and DCC2 Frankg: I am really surprised as well at how good redbook is. I am putting in some CD's I really have not enjoyed listening to because of poor sonics and although it is not perfect. . .	10
Have you heard SACD? It truly is amazing (Detlof, way to go!!!), and I like it quite a bit better than DVD-A. What I still have a problem with is the software availability, not just in our neighboring. . .	10
Sony SCD-1 balanced or unbalanced? I found that with my SCD-1 that running balanced, the unit was very inferior and sounded much better when run with single ended cables	10
Sony sacd "custom setting" It is not a problem, but the best place to call to be sure is your amp manufacturer. The custom setting makes a HUGE difference	10
more bang for buck new emm labs dcc2 signature or Mike: Raquel brings up a very good point. The MAXX's in the wrong room could prove very problematic which might not show with your WP 7's. As far as the EMM Labs DCC2e Signature . . .	9
Use SCD-1 with EMM DCC2? The only thing that you can do is run the analog outs into the analog inputs of the DCC2 for SACD. The pcm can be outpu via the digital out on the Sony into the digital in of the . . .	9
Cary CD 306/200; what else? For a bit more, you can get an Audio Aero Capitole MK I. It has an analogue volume control and sounds best running directly into an amplifier. Sell your preamp, the extra . . .	9
Need help from Wadia and ML CD player owners If you could stretch a bit financially, I would highly recommend the Audio Aero Capitole. There is one for sale right now and I have not heard a better CD player. It has . . .	9
Sony 9000es mods and break-in Send it out for mods first, you will just have to reproduce the break-in time	9
Where is the best place to buy SACD http://www.oade.com - They have a number on their website. Call them, they have the lowest prices anywhere. SCD1 $2900 shipped (9/00) 777 $1500 shipped (9/00	9
the hrx format They really are terrific. I have all of them	8
Noise from emmlabs CDSD with certain CDs Are you running it into a line conditioner? If so, which one	8
why the best brands dont use hdmi? Probably because the interfaces are changing all the time	8
Audio aero Capitole MkII The Capitole works great with all of the amplifiers mentioned. I would worry more about the amplifier / speaker combination	8
Anagram STARS Resampling dsp - which brands? Actually I think ONLY Audio Aero uses the STARS technology. The others listed use the Anagram chipset, but a different resampling technique. This is one thing that seperates the . . .	8
Best DAC to match CEC drive model TL 1 I have heard the combination of the CEC TL 1 with both the Entec Number Cruncher 2.1 as well as the Audiomeca Enkianthus and both combinations were marvelous. If you are . . .	8
Suggestions on CDP I would definitely listen to the Audiomeca Keops or Obsession. Wonderful players! I think you may find them to be in an entirely diferent league from what you have	8
Will an external DAC work on SACD? Unfortunately the answer is no	7
Emm Labs Transport with other DAC? The transport is an excellent transport, but the magic is when combined with an EMM Labs DAC. I would recommend going with another transport or getting an EMM Labs DAC to combine . . .	7
Is the EMM Labs DCC2 dac better than the DAC6e? I would say, it depends on your need for a preamplifier. If you do not have a world class preamplifier, the DCC2 is better. If you are just asking regarding the DAC section of each. . .	7
EMM & AURAL SYMPHONICS V2 OPTIMISM CABLE Jjwa: I think it is ridiculous. Those I have spoke with that are experts in the field of fiber optics say it is absurd and snake oil. The comments made to me was "someone is . . .	7
Aural Sym IoGel with EMM Labs/Meitner cables It is not recommended for the EMM Labs gear. It has been tried with poor success	7
No 30.5 & 31.5. Still of reference quality ? The build quality and aesthetics of the 30.6 & 31.5 are excellent. Unfortunately, technology has passed them by. Personally, I feel there are a number of other systems that better . . .	7
EMM Transport V. Meitner Phillip Transport Both pieces (DCC 2 / CDSD) are exceptional and equally important. The Philips was a means to an end, but never really represented itself as an EMM Labs product	7
What would be the best transport for Meitner Dac 6 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. . .	7
What is the story with 24 bit masters 24/96 . They have been remastered at the higher bit rate but are still standard PCM. The 24/96 re-issues are generally quite a bit better sounding but DAC's do not see them as more than 16. . .	7
3 player shortlist, help me make a choice..... I encourage you to be careful with the 39 as it is about to be replaced by the 390 or 390S. If it limited only to the three you have mentioned, I would probably recommend the YBA. . .	7
Viny to a hard drive. Please help me. Currently the best solution is the Korg MR2000S ($1200 or so). It will record effortlessly and save the file as DSD2X. You definitely want to do this once at the highest resolution. . .	6
24/192? In some ways the sound appears better, but ultimately, I have heard some very good 16 bit players wipe the floor with most 24/192 upsamplers. The problem is in the multiplication . . .	6
Theta Miles VS Resolution Audio CD50 I highly recommend the Audio Aero Prima. At only $1700, it is a steal. It is wonderful sounding and, of course upsamples at 24 /192. Good Luck	6
Tubes for BAT VK-D5 Try the Seimans 7308 if you are looking for warmer than the 6922 but still neutral. Or for extremely warm try the Amperex 7308. Both very tough to find. Good Luck	6
bricasti M1 vs Playback Designs MPD-3	5
What would you do??? Audio Aero into the Pass. Cleaner, simpler, more musical	5
New vs. old version of EMM Labs CDSD There is no such thing as a MK II	5
CD Player: Audio Aero Capitole Mk I vs. Mk II Here are a few differences: 1. Upgraded transport 2. Newer version of the Anagram chipset 3. Much beefier power supply 4. Better chassis construction 5. Higher quility volume . . .	5
Delius/Purcell Combo w/o upgrades--a good deal?? As a former owner of dCS equipment, I give you fair warning about their service.... horrible! I was very impressed with the combo, but after living with them for a while, I found . . .	5
Audio Aero Prima 24/192 C.D Player The Prima is quite good. What you loose with the Prima is the ability to run without a preamp. The Capitole while being more expensive, gives you an remote controlled analog gain. . .	5
Best CD Player to drive a Power Amp direct? Sutts is absolutely correct, the Audio Aero is the way to go	5
One box cdp's vs. seperates I have found two - the AudioAero Capitole and the AudioMeca Mephisto II. They are both better than the separates that I have had. I have had the dCS, Levinson, etc. They are . . .	5
AA Capitole 1 or 11 The MK II has greater resolution, bass and extension in the highs than the MK I. It also has a few software problems which have been resolved in the latest chip. The MK I plays . . .	4
Who is makes a CD/digital specific power cord ? Shunyata makes the Python and David Elrod makes the EPS-2 which are both exceptional with CD/Digital specific equipment	4
Richard Kern Modified XA777ES SACD Review - long Nice review. Thank you. I too have heard the fine work that Richard does. He improved an SCD-1 for me with some of his earlier mods and the changes were not subtle. Enjoy it	4
Audiomeca Obsession Tube CD Player Yes, it is a marvelous value. Very analog sounding like the entire line	4
Any opinions on the Dodson 217MKiiD? The Dodson is one of the top 3 dacs in the world, behind the dCs and Accuphase. I would recommend it highly along with a Sony SCD-1 or 777 player which is great as a transport and . . .	4
phono preamp to use with emm labs dcc2 preamp Just a few out of many recomendations: Manley Steelhead LAMM LP2 Deluxe Tom Evans "The Groove" The turntable: Grand Prix Audio Monaco SME 30/2 SME 20/2 EMT 948	3
What are Sonic differences DAC6e Mk 1, 2 ,3, 4? There is no such thing as a MK1, 2, 3 and 4. There is a DAC6 and a DAC6e. The only differences are we added RCA connections and removed the fan which was for rack mounting	3
Dimensions of Meitner Transport? 5-1/4"H, 17-1/4"W, 15-11/16"D	3
SACD player with Analog Volume Control. Actually Tireguy is correct. Dan from Modwright not only can add an analog volume control, but already has. It is excellent. I have heard it numerous times and am completely . . .	3
WADIA 270/27ix vs. CAPITOLE I am a dealer for Audio Aero so this post may seem a bit biased. I had the Wadia combo, which I had taken in on trade just prior to the Audio Aero arriving for us to audition. I . . .	3
break-in time for philips 963sa I would guess about 400 hours based on my experience with the Philips SACD 1000. Be patient	2
Is Levinson 31.5 still the best transport for $$ The current state of the art is the EMM Labs equipment. My customers have gotten rid of the following in favor of the EMM Labs: Accuphase DP75v Accuphase 100 / 101 Audio Note DAC . . .	2
Help Audio Aero Capitole problem This is fairly easy to fix. It is just some fine tuning of the magnet on the back of the drawer. Call Globe (the distributor) 800-330-3804 if you need help	2
Audio Aero Capitole-Changing Tubes Hifimatt: It is a very simple soldering job that can be done by any local tech in a matter of minutes for a minimal charge. The tubes are also quite inexpensive to replace	2
Musical: Ikemi, Wadia831, or Naim CDX I would strongly consider the Audiomeca Mephisto II as a player or transport with the new Enkianthius DAC. Very analog sounding without detail loss. Exceptional aesthetics as well. . .	2
How good is the Mark Levinson 35 DAC? It was very good in it's time, but it is basically obsolete. I have not had a 36 in quite a while so it is hard for me to say, but the 360s is by far superior	2
Anyone compare Abbingdon to Playback Designs Contact cincy_bob he has both	1
Anyone else love their Accuphase 75V? If you like it so much, would you like to buy a second one	1