Good review so far, and looking forward to hearing more about it.
I'm also a turntable first kind of guy, and recently bought an EMM Labs DAC2X V2 and NS1 Streamer (the two units connected by Meitner's Optilink). His stuff is just special, probably because he gets that the "A" pat of the D/A process is essential.
Since you have Qobuz, here is a track to try - Snarky Puppy's "Sintra." Listen when the woodwinds come in after the intro. Listen for the small percussion instruments in the background. If you A/B between a lesser DAC and the EMM, the differences are just unreal. Another track that I noticed wholesale differences (and don't laugh) is Taylor Swift's "August" from her Folklore album. There is so much going on in that track...low fi, high fi, layered vocals...and as much as I heard through my system both through my prior Lampizator DAC and on the vinyl version, the EMM took things to a whole different level, especially with the NS1 in the chain.
Enjoy the new toy!
I'm also a turntable first kind of guy, and recently bought an EMM Labs DAC2X V2 and NS1 Streamer (the two units connected by Meitner's Optilink). His stuff is just special, probably because he gets that the "A" pat of the D/A process is essential.
Since you have Qobuz, here is a track to try - Snarky Puppy's "Sintra." Listen when the woodwinds come in after the intro. Listen for the small percussion instruments in the background. If you A/B between a lesser DAC and the EMM, the differences are just unreal. Another track that I noticed wholesale differences (and don't laugh) is Taylor Swift's "August" from her Folklore album. There is so much going on in that track...low fi, high fi, layered vocals...and as much as I heard through my system both through my prior Lampizator DAC and on the vinyl version, the EMM took things to a whole different level, especially with the NS1 in the chain.
Enjoy the new toy!