Are there digital front ends with the body...

Both of these options represent the best digital solutions money can buy.

When did you compare "the best digital solutions money can buy" to EMM Labs Signature combo? Any of the newest dCS gear? Latest Esoteric combos? Ayre? AMR? In your system? Direct A-B?

Regards,
Alex

hi alex:

as a dsigner and modifier of digital hardware, you must know that there is no best dac/transport combination, just as there is no best preamp, no bets amplifier, no best speaker, etc. . why audiophiles persist in asking this question is beyond me. perhaps you have an answer.

as far as body is concerned, a subjective term as it is, one might want to consider some of the older tube players, like the cal tempest or aria.

"Body" has nothing to due with accurate, neutral and transparent reproduction of a recording. In addition, there is only as much "body" as exists in the recording's mix, which varies from disc to disc (or lp to lp).

If one seeks "body" beyond what exists on a recording and what is reproduced by a transparent system, then one seeks coloration to please their subjective taste. There's nothing wrong with that, but the term has no bearing on "the best" digital or analog source machine, which by definition should be neutral.

If we're defining "best" based on subjective rpeferrences, then all bets...and comparisons...are of no value unless one happens to know the listening preferences of the person offering the opinion.

IMO...

As surprising as this may be I agree with Tvad and Mrtennis.

Mrtennis, for me, best is a live performance, preferably unamplified. I have this favorite local jazz trio playing in a nice restaurant for Sunday brunch. It is very noisy on Sundays but I went there on a week day and recorded the piano player live. My brother knows how to play acoustic guitar so I recorded him too. I did this so I can recreate the live performance as close as I can with my audio system. If you can have a natural and realistic reproduction of a piano, guitar and violin, with all details, resolution and natural decay, then your system is indeed “the best”.

In order to properly evaluate my digital players, I have designed and built the rest of my audio system. It is not for sale, it is for a reference.

Regards,
Alex