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

Stanhifi,

I wonder what you can get in an analogue system for under 10 that can crush the EMM. Let me add it up in terms of parts.

Cartridge $2000
Turntable $2000
Tonearm $2000
Phonostage $2000
Cables & record cleaning machine $2000

We are at $10,000.00 very fast.
Under 10K we can do as follows; Nottingham Spacedeck w. Space arm & an OK cartridge. It will get close but it won't have the balance of the EMM Gear. It probably will excel in many areas but lack in many as well. The EMM is tough to outdo on SACD. If you want to find out fly down & try it. I will put an inexpensive cartridge & tonearm on my system & see what it brings. The problem is you need to spend a lot to get true deep bass from vinyl & not sacrifice anything else.

Brainwater, so well put. Are you a gambling man willing to take wagers?? Any odds makers / bookies out there?

I used to think it was amazing. Now I just think it is amazing until you listen to great vinyl. My vinyl front end is back & is better. I don't mind listening to Digital nowadays as I did before but the Emm combo is not as good as top notch vinyl. I guess there is room for improvement. Is it possible is the question. SACD is great though & very very close. CD is more distant.

Guidocorona & Oneobgyn,

I am using Elrod Signature power cords. I haven't tried the others you have both mentioned but believe firmly in my Elrod cables. I find they significantly improve the sound on everything I have tried them so far. I have some other cords that I did compare & it was an immediate difference, too significant to go back.

On to the question at hand. Using Elrod power cords on both my Vinyl & EMM set, on SACD it is very close. On CD though it is significant. In either case w. my analogue system there is just no doubt. Analogue is better. Not by much consistently, and on some recordings CD is better, but for the most part vinyl is definitely better.
What analogue systems did you both compare in your systems to your EMM setup?

P.S. I love the EMM gear & never thought analogue would be better. Once I upgraded my phono preamp & cartridge there just was no doubt.

I am not trying to start the SACD/CD/Analogue debate. It is more about just knowing the truth.

Mind you, w. EMM gear, I wouldn't run & buy an analogue setup unless you are willing to spend at least 10-15K on the setup. Otherwise you will fall short. I wonder if some others can chime in here.

I missed this thread for a few days. From my experience Mike is on the money. My analogue front end was always better than my Audio Aero. Unfortunately once my cartridge died I was without analogue for a while. I just listened to my Audio Aero and was basically unsatisfied. I then purchased my EMM setup. From memory, I was sure that my analogue would not equal the EMM setup. My previous cartridge, a Koestsu just didn't have the dynamics nor the extension to compete w. the EMM. I had to change phono preamps & cartridges which took a lot of time. Once my analogue system was put together w. now a VdH Condor & WN Audio phono section, my EMM setup was definitely still better sounding to me. But once my cartridge and phono stage began to break in everything changed. It became quickly aparent that analogue is better sounding in my system compared to my EMM setup. An analogue system that is compromised in any area will be bettered by the EMM setup. Especially in the bass and treble regions. In my system w. a Nottingham Hyperspace w. SME V & Condor I have incredible bass & midrange. My top end is just boardering excellent. In fact from the low end to the highs my analogue setup is equal to digital. In terms or musicality, image palpability, and harmonic integrity analogue is superior. Prior to my cartridge breaking in (still not done though 100%) we all felt the EMM was better. Once the Condor finally began to break in all my friends, only one of them an audiophile, the rest musicians prefered analogue to digital. When the LP was a poor recording obviously this was not the case. I don't know how anyone can conclude that any digital is better than vinyl unless they make the direct comparison in a system they are familiar with. That being said, I fully agree the EMM is good enough in most cases to abandon the pursuit of vinyl. The EMM gear is excellent and the sound is highly involving. I would easily accept the EMM setup as a parking place in terms of sources for most people. But my lowly analogue setup, not SOTA to all but for me in the ballpark, is better than SOTA digital of today.