IUJONA, you should add the Teac Esoteric X-01 to your short list. I agree completely with TJ. . . at this level of performance it will be largely a matter of personal preference.
It is likely you won't go wrong with any of these boxes. I purchased the X-01 based on personal preference over DCS single player and stack, Accuphase DV77, Bel Canto PL1A, Bermester 001, ARC CD3 Mk. II, AA Capitol II, APL 1000.
I am enchanted by its staging, imaging, nuanced detailing and extreme grace. Won't categorize it as warm, and yes, it is merciless with bright etched recordings. Either way, make sure CDPs are well broken in before evaluating them. X-01 is only now starting to come into its own after about 300 hrs of continuous play. I imagine most other units of this caliber behave similarly. It is said for example that the AA Prestige will keep improving for the first 1500 hrs of playing time.
By the way, one of the reasons I bought the X-01 is Teac's stellar reputation for long term reliability. |
IUJONA, I thought Lyric had EMM Labs, but I may be wrong. I also vaguely remember Audio Outlet (914--666-0550) may be carrying EMM. Worth a call. |
DJad, try a pair of Shunyata Helix Anaconda Alphas on your EMM boxes. Then let us know if they are still playing second fiddle to your vinyl rig. |
Henryhk, how many hours of breakin did the Esoteric X-01 you listen to have when you compared it against the EMM? Detailed and slightly digital sounding are the typical features of the creature when it is not completely broken in. Conversely, once broken in, X-01 excels in the very size of the stage in the three dimensions, the sense of separation and air around the instruments, and the decaying resonance from the venue and from the instruments. String players will tell you you can hear the 'sound of the Rosen' in quiet passages. Whether it is digital or analog sounding is not terribly material, however what is true is that it is very sensitive to recordings that have been equalized with an artificial treble boost to compensate for poor equipment. Recordings with flat equalization more typical of some classical recordings sound absolutely marvellous. : try J. S. Bach's suite #6 for cello played by M. Rostropovich and you will hear what I am talking about.
Yet, not having heard the EMM, I am not qualified to make any better/worse comparisons. |
Henryhk, it is quite possible that the X-01 may have either more treble energy or a more extended treble than the EMM.
It is also possible that the X-01 may generate by itself some treble distortion. Yet I have at least some indication that treble harshness or distortion in the X-01 may be caused by some ICs mismatch instead. . . e.g. I have experienced it with both AWQ Panther and Cardas neutral reference.
In either situations the treble distortion has largely gone away by replacing the front-end to linestage length of Panther with an AudioQuest Sky.
I am qualifying with 'largely, because in both situations there was occasional residual harshness, but the 2nd length of IC had not been replaced by a higher quality one.
Oddly enough with the insertion of the single length of Sky, not only distortions were largely removed, but the treble became more extended. It would have been very interesting to audition also an EMM under identical circumstances. |
HenryHK, I forgot to mention that during the Panther/Sky X-01 audition the X-01 was powered through an AudioQuest NRG5, which in itself accentuates treble response. In the Cardas Neutral Ref vs AQ Sky situation I have had the X-01 equipped with its own stock powerchord, which puts it at a relative soundstage, imaging resolution, and sweetness disadvantage if compared against players equipped with an aftermarket chord. In either case, I have been concentrating on RedBook performance, as I own but one single SACD. I am not in a position to offer any meaningful findings on SACD performance of X-01 yet.
IUJONA, I have had several occasions to audition equipment at SoundBySinger in NYC and always been delighted by their professionalism. My first exposure to X-01 was in fact at Andy Singer's shop in NYC as well. |
I have just posted a mini review outlining sonic differences on Esoteric X-01 when powered alternatively by Epiphany and Shunyata helix Python VX. See:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1126432063&openmine&zzGuidocorona&4&5#Guidocorona |
Very intriguing findings MGottlieb, have you been using Purist Dominus PC on the X-01? Have you tried any other PCs on it, such as Shunyata Anaconda VX and Electraglide Epiphany and what were the perceivable differences?
As I installed X-01 on Oct 15th, My unit has now over 400 hours of redbook playtime on it in repeat mode and is still sweetening, while opening up audibly.
Even through its stock power chord, a ludicrous Audioquest Quartz RCA between it and my aging LS2B, yesterday, playing works by Gibbons performed by the Rose Consort, my jaw was seriously losing altitude: treble, alto, tenor, and bass viols, positif organ and cembalo were simply staggering.
If the hypothetical addition of DCS processors opened the stage any further, this would bleed through the walls into the yard next door, and my neighbours would accuse me undoubtedly of pernicious invasion of privacy. |
OneObGin, have you actually auditioned the ARC CD7? |
Dgad, I do not run vinyl at all, thus my comment was inherently tainted. You may try though the new Helix chords both on your vinyl and your digital rigs. They are considerably better than the old series and they are at least worth a listen and a comparison with your Elrods. |
Oh wow! That was so awesomely profound Stan. . . are you having a good turkey dinner today? (chuckles!) |
KarmaPolice, I was not attempting to disparage EMM, on the contrary. . . it is my experience that high quality front ends benefit from high quality PCs. My recent experience with Teac X-01 seems to corroborate this hypothesis, whereas I achieved best results witha Shunyata Python Helix VX and an Anaconda Alpha (non Helix) as a close 2nd. I can only conjecture that Anaconda Alpha helix may be even superior. I just can't see any reason why EMM should be any less sensitive than X-01 to PCs. |
Stan, there are several ways to answer:
1. Sure thing, if it makes you happy.
2. Sounds like faith-based audiophilia to me.
3. "Credo, ergo esst!"
4. Watch your induction step Stan, I think you are missing a couple pieces!
5. And how was Thanksgiving turkey?
G. |
Stan, with the exception of 5, which is only a Seasonal Cheer, all answers are somewhat fitting and pretty well equivalent. Although I admit of being rather fond of 2. How about trying Faith-based Audiophilia on for size? |
"Sure Stan, if that makes you happy" G. |
Chrisla, was the UX-1 broken in? If it sounded distinctly metallic, it was likely not yet broken in. Furthermore, UX-1 is a musically compromised unit. It's brother, the X-01, should sound a lot better for music reproduction, with twice the DAC chips (4 per channel). Like the EMM, it does not support DVD nor video. Costs the same as UX-1. Will need approx 700 hrs of break in on redbook alone to sound correct. X-01 is extremely sensitive to PCs. . . and so is I suspect EMM. Try Shunyata Helix series Anaconda or Python on them. . . you may be in for a treat. |
Hey Stan, why not take up Oneobgin's offer? It's your opportunity to prove you are not suffering from a little case of 'faith-based audiophilia!' |
Stan, that was 'ad hominem'. thus unwarranted. Please avoid. |
Thank you JFZ. No I am only a concerned reader who gets amused by 'screechy' posts. Please do not leave these discussions. As you noticed, some of us are naturally emotional. You should read some of the 'nastygrams' that fly out of my fingers in the office every day. So, no big deal, Stan, Judy, and all, relax. . . and did you notice by the way? It's Friday already!!! |
Mike, I have no problem believing that your SODA may often appear to exceed the performance of the EMM. Unfortunately your generalization from this statement that analog is inherently superior to digital is invalid.
Similarly, if you had said that your EMM were better than your SODA, and thus concluded that digital were inherently superior to analog, that to would constitute an invalid induction. I am afraid that the entire broad argument of analog/vs digital superiority or viceversa is inherently specious and I am quite sure even old Ludwig Wittgenstein would find it problematic on purely logical or epistemological grounds. |
Apologies for the typo Mike, yes I meant your SOTA--state of the art) analog rig.
As mentioned, I have no argument with the fact that you and your guests may find the SOTA to be superior to the EMM, and in fact I'd be interested in knowing more details of your comparative findings, e.g. ICs, PCS, and types of recordings used (redbook/SACD?), have you had many opportunities of comparing the same recording on vinyl and SACD ?
I have also no problem if you state that overall you truly prefer vinyl over digital and you find it more musical/satisfying, etc. . . That is a purely subjective statement, and therefore valid by definition.
The problem is rather in the generalization steps that lead you to make an unequivocal statement of superiority of one format over the other one--irrespective of direction I should add. My objection has nothing whatsoever to do with the music or the sound, but only with the process. You start with the postulation that (1) the EMM is the very best that digital has to offer, and (2) if SOTA is found to be superior to EMM, (3) SOTA must be superior to digital, and because (4) SOTA is the best of Vinyl. therefore (5) vinyl must be superior to digital.
The problem is in the postulation in statement 1, which to be valid must be held as a universally accepted truth--which in this particular case it is unfortunately not, as there does not appear to exist an objective unanimity on the subject.
Regardless, I'd love to listen to both your rigs some times, as I have not been fortunate enough to listen to either EMM nor SOTA! As for old Wittgenstein, I suspect he listened mostly to live music. There is a book called Wittgenstein's Vienna (or The Vienna Of Wittgenstein) which may shed some light on the subject. Have not read the book yet.
Guido |
