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Best CD between EMM Labs & DCS

Hi,

I'm living in France, so do not have the chance to heard EMM Labs because it's not imported.
I know well DCS to own a Delius & Purcell (no DSD) during few years
I've tested the new Audioaéro Capitol Reference, which sound to tubey in my system.

Few questions about EMM Labs :

- are they as good as they seem to be ?
- How could you discribed their sound ?
- why no reviews on this product ?
- why so many people sale them used ? There is few DCS on a used market, but there is a lot of EMM Labs combo ?

The system I will put them is :
- Lamm M1.1 (the hybrid one) - which should be replaced by a Lamm Tube (ML1.1 or ML2.2)
- Kharma CRM 3.2 as speaker

Thanks

David
davidri
teajay
1,333 posts
 
Davidri, look at my thread entitled, Reference DACS: An overall perspective, it contains a ton of information that you are seeking.
puremusic
226 posts
 
Hi David,

I suggest you also consider taking a look at APL Hi Fi's NWO-2.5 which is based on the Esoteric UX-1. A European version (240V) of the NWO-2.5 is also available from APL (843-665-6113). This is Alex Peychev's original design that uses the UX-1's excellent VRDS NEO transport and chassis. Several people who either own or have heard the NWO-2.5 recently posted extremely positive impressions on the APL Forum. (http://www.aplhifi.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=558) This player is a major milestone, it is the cutting edge of digital.

After extensive listening sessions with several top players including the EMM Signature combo, Reimyo, Spectral SDR 4000S, and Zanden, one of the posters concluded that "nothing comes even close" to the NWO-2.5. There is also a post on Teajay's thread (referenced above) by an Audiogon member who has listened to many top players including the EMM, Zanden, and dCS combos. He concluded that the NWO-2 (which has since been bettered by the 2.5) beats them all "in a non-subtle way." Both gentlemen claim that the NWO is at least on par with the state of the art vinyl (and sometimes better).

Based on my sublime experience with Alex Peychev's previous design (the APL AKM 3910) and based on the high praise of the NWO-2.5 by several people with highly discriminating ears, I recently ordered an NWO-2.5.

Best Regards,
John
oneobgyn
410 posts
 
The EMM Labs ARE that good

Here is a review I put up after I did the upgrade on my DAC6e to the Signature Edition

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/frr.pl?rdgtl&1147623814&read&3&4&
dgad
782 posts
 
I met someone who has both units. He prefers the detail of the DCS over his EMM unit. He considers the EMM warmer in sound (latest signature version) and a better match for a lean system. He now has them in 2 systems so I was not able to AB them. I would suggest that is a matter of sonic priorities and system matching. I have always prefered systems I have heard w. EMM over systems w. the DCS.
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