The Ultimate SACD Machine


I'm considering getting an SACD player again. I have a number of SACDs but abandoned the format a couple years ago in favor of vinyl.

I am considering mainly the EMM Labs CDSAse or a Marantz SA11S2 or SA7.

Critical information:

- I'm concerned really only with jazz. 40s-60s jazz. (All the new titles on the format has me interested again.)

- As per above, my priorities are truth in timbre and tone and total lack of HF grain or glare. "Analog-like" may have become a cliche but it's what I'm after: though vinyl as a medium is shirley flawed (yes, I meant to call you Shirley), for me it has always given the best sound - meaning the most natural, realistic, and fatigue-free sound.

I expect that the EMM Labs machine has a gap over the Marantz in these qualities. It should, for the price. How large is the gap, for those who have heard both extensively?

Is there another machine I should consider? ($5K used would be absolute top budget and a bit of a stretch.)
paulfolbrecht
I'm the guy who started the thread, Tmsorosk, so keep your insults and your cluelessness to yourself, perhaps.
12-14-10: Paulfolbrecht
Tvad - that 6moons review says barely six words about the Luxman's SACD performance.
Oh well, cross it off the list.
Don't sweat the decision too much Paulfolbrecht. The probability of whatever you buy spending more than a few months in your system is small.

;)
Tmsorosk, I don't think posting an impression as it comes to me merits any sort of criticism, really.

And Tvad, I'm sorry, but your advice was clearly just barely on-topic.

I am going to try at least a couple of the new-generation SACD machines but am not holding my breath.