Turntable or go into SACD, Simon Yorke vs EMM Lab

Ceol is absolutely correct in his extensive appraisals. For the last several years I listened almost exclusively to a high line vinyl set-up: Basis Debut V Vacuum, Graham 2.2, Dynavector DRT-XV, Manley Steelhead + $5k worth of wire to tie everything together- $30k+ total. I bought an Audio Aero Capitole Mk.II and still listened mostly to the vinyl rig. I then bought the original Meitner set-up w/ modded Philips, DAC 6, and Switchman II. With the exception of a few direct-to-disc recordings, the Meitner rig SMOKED the vinyl rig. Most importantly the Meitner gear TOTALLY REVITALIZED my CD collection, which is the heart of many of our music collections. I simply could not justify owning a mostly inferior, mostly redundant (title-wise) vinyl rig.

The indecision about the future of SACD, or any other hi-def. format, is really secondary to the importance of the superior Meitner CD reproduction. CD WILL NOT be replaced by ANY NEW FORMAT!! CD will remain the digital format of choice for virually all new recordings. I believe that the replacement for CD will be a downloadable format- yet to be introduced. SACD is an interesting niche product, nothing more. SACD will perish, as will DVD-A because the mass market doesn't give a %%*# about the slight sonic superiority of these audiophile formats. Without mass market demand these formats are doomed.

If one can purchase a transcendental CD playback system- AKA Meitner system,to listen to the mass market digital format of choice- AKA CD, with very little chance of obsolescence in the foreseeable future, AND could probably pocket a bunch of money by selling a mostly redundant playback system- AKA Vinyl--- it seems the choice is not terribly complicated. If the hardcore vinyl hobbyists want to keep their vinyl rigs for personal / nostalgic reasons- more power to them. But from a price/performance standpoint there is little argument what is the best approach.

Just my 22 cents worth.

CD "SMOKED" your $30k vinyl rig? CD sounds better than vinyl? Are you sure you weren't the one smoking?

I think you're a little late on this post. dgad already made his decision.

Hi Fbhifi,

Athough Dgad has made their decision NOT to upgrade their CD replay this has indeed been a highly informative thread.

You nailed it when you said 'THE MEITNER RIG TOTALLY RE-VITALISED MY CD COLLECTION'...this was precisely the point I was trying to make earlier in the Thread.

I stumbled upon the Meitner equipment in Jonathan Tinns (contactable at info@chambersaudio.com) Tenor / Kharma room at the June 2003 Stereophile show in SFO.

I had never heard of Meitner and had no pre-conceptions
..however after just a few seconds into an old Van Cliburn solo piano CD I knew I was listing to a breakthru in digital re-play...I know what a real Steinway sound like.

I ordered the Meitner solely on how it rendered CD.
In fact, I didnt hear a single SACD until I got my unit in January 2004 ...for me SACD and the discovery of PURE DSD and its parallel to Direct to Disc Vinyl was the icing on the cake !!

My contibution to this thread is not to knock Vinyl...I love it and still have an extensive collection...I was simply trying to point out two things.

1. The Meitner will uplift a CD collection beyound your wildest expectations...demonstrably close to vinyl.

2. Digital audio is not all bad & not descending to MP3...

Just as HDTV is raising the bar in video / TV we should applaud and support both DVD-a and SACD for raising the bar on digital audio re-production.

Finally, dont knock what myself & Fbhifi are saying if you have not heard the Meitner rig in a truly revealing system.

A Meitnerised Philips SACD 1000 at $2k and Meitner DCC2 at just under 10k is both sonically better & cheaper than any top drawer CD/SACD player combo with conventional Pre-amp and interconnects...

Several audio associates of mine are changing over to this simpler & sonically superior solution & putting money in their pockets !!

This I think will be my last post on this thread..

If anyone wishes to view my simple 'less is more' system they can do so on audiogon...

If anyone wishes to E-mail me directly you are most welcome.

Yours in Music

Ceol

Robm321- I'm sorry my reply wasn't timely enough for you.Whether dgad has, or has not made his decision is not relevant to the bigger question of superior musical playback. Why are you revisiting this post, if the case is closed?? My one and only question to you is- have you heard the Meitner equipment. If you haven't- your comments are totally without merit.

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Ceol - Thanks again for another mature, patient and informative perspective.
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At this point, my Analogue side yields far better musicality, sound staging and sonics than my Red Book side (fully upgraded Electrocompaniet with a Spider Clamp) which I felt until I set up my TT rig was spectacular. Thanks also for sharing your experience and perspective with regard to the Meitner products. Please continue to share your insights in spite of any rebuffs that you might encounter. Your posts have really opened up some real positive possibilities for improving my system and my enjoyment of music.
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I feel like the EMC is a significant step or steps up from anything else I have tried (at more $$), but I keep hearing wonderful things about Ed Meitner’s products. Ironically, last weekend, after your first post, I was at a good friend’s house and was amazed at what his Meitner DAC and Transport did for some Red Book CD’s. I don’t think I would have been as attentive or open-minded were it not for reading your post prior to the visit. The detail, sound staging, warmth and ability to re-produce an experience in close proximity to live performances in a living room was quite overwhelming and surprising.
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I have quite an extensive Red Book library in addition to a more extensive LP collection and my new sense is that I should look long and hard at the EMM products. What would you think of pairing a Meitner DAC and the EMC as a transport ? Would the Meitner transport be a significant upgrade over the EMC ?
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Rbm321 - I would say that up until last weekend, I would not have thought that a CD could provide the closeness to the emotion of the music that I get from Vinyl plus the detail, sense of venue, warmth and sound staging. I feel that my TT rig really approaches as close to as good as it can get - (Teres 340-2 TT, Graham 2.2 & Basis Vector tonearms, Koetsu Rosewood Platinum & Shelter 901 cartridges and a Supratek Cortese Pre_ - Yes, my TT rig can always get better and there is plenty more to learn, but after listening to the Meitner set up last weekend, I am going to seriously explore the possibility of adding a Meitner DAC to my system. At this point I and anticipating that I might end up having two great options comprised of all the beauty of Analogue / Vinyl and an amazing improvement in my Red Book Collection.
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I did not think it possible prior to hearing the Meitner set up to get so much of what LP’s can offer. I would suggest that you, if you haven’t, get your ears around a Meitner set up somewhere and enjoy one of life’s pleasant surprises. I also suggest that you will miss quite a bit in life if you choose to continue to not to be a bit more objective and open minded to new ideas/experiences (not only in audio) as you bump into them. On the other hand, I greatly appreciate you taking the time to express your experience and opinions (Thanks). If it weren’t for the passion that people like you have expressed towards Analogue, I would not have built a TT rig and missed out on a lot of great music/recordings and been limited by what is available on CD.
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Ceol –
Thanks for taking the time in sharing your experiences. Please keep writing and sharing. Please feel free to contact me directly.
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