EMM Labs XDS1

[LenWhite]

Thanks. How long did your unit took to run in?
And what was the initial sound like when you first took it out of the box?

My XDS1 probably has about 250 hours on it now. During the initial 100 - 150 hours it didn't possess quite the same ability it has now to produce a sound I can only describe as "delicate" characterized by full bodied well defined voices and instruments throughout the frequency spectrum.

 

[jeromelang]

got a reply from emm lab


Thanks for purchasing our flagship player the XDS1. Yes, this unit has the latest software so you don't need to upgrade it at the moment. Sorry there is no way to display the software version however our programmers are working on a new update to enable this feature. We hope that this will be available in the near future.

Cheers

Shahin Al Rashid
Director of Sales

 

[Peter]

Some people are saying that Meitner has left EMM lab to set up Meitner lab.
Is that true or false?
I am under the impression that Meitner is still at the helm at emm lab, the new company is just a sideline.
Can anyone clarify?

Your question caught my eye, so I wrote to EMM. According to Shahin Al Rashid (VP Marketing?), Ed Meitner is still at the helm of both companies.

 

[jeromelang]

Gee, I really wish audio gears sound their best straight out from the box!

I am beginning to doubt if it will ever sound as good as what everyone say it would.

 

[Violetmachan]

I would second that thought......especially when the xds1 is said to be at the cutting edge for single box cd/sacd playback in an ideal world for that selling price the item should be finetunned and primed so that it sounds at its best just out of the box

I also have a brand new unit for the last 20 days......hence powered on for the same and cd/sacd use for about 280 hours......it has it's merits tonality and instrument representation is getting life like.......but it's still not come together as yet.....hope it evolves to that with more time

The reason I stayed with emmlabs was that the cdsa-se which I used from 2008 and upgraded to the metal transport in late 2009.......did really come to its full potential only towards the end of 2010.....the upgrade was done to get more life like sound........so I am happy to be patient for a while.......hope it works

 

[jeromelang]

Thanks for the encouragements.

In the meantime, waiting....., wishing......, yearning.......,

 

[jeromelang]

Does anyone also feel that RBCDs sound generally louder on the xds1, compared to SACDs and to other CD players playing the same RBCDs?

A number of RBCDs sound loud, sibilant, almost to the point of fatiguing.

 

[LL21]

Does anyone also feel that RBCDs sound generally louder on the xds1, compared to SACDs and to other CD players playing the same RBCDs?

A number of RBCDs sound loud, sibilant, almost to the point of fatiguing.

Hi JL, just to make sure...would you say that you have heard those same cd's in other systems where they did not sound loud, sibilant? I have listened to Clapton Unplugged as one of my test CDs for 20 years now...just the opening Track 1 for starters. On many systems, i can say that clapping and whistling seems quite harsh...bright...fatiguing. I have heard this on some incredible SOTA systems sound this way, and so i nearly thought that was how it was supposed to sound...until i discovered, on certain systems, it can actually sound very natural, just like a crowd of people simply cheering and clapping and whistling.

My system is one of those...for right or wrong...based on my own preferences, cd's and ears...because i have acquired the equipment over the years to play my music the way i enjoy listening to it.

Coming back to you...have you heard these cd's sound great with other sources in the same system...or at least sound great in any system?

 

[jeromelang]

Hi JL, just to make sure...would you say that you have heard those same cd's in other systems where they did not sound loud, sibilant? I have listened to Clapton Unplugged as one of my test CDs for 20 years now...just the opening Track 1 for starters. On many systems, i can say that clapping and whistling seems quite harsh...bright...fatiguing. I have heard this on some incredible SOTA systems sound this way, and so i nearly thought that was how it was supposed to sound...until i discovered, on certain systems, it can actually sound very natural, just like a crowd of people simply cheering and clapping and whistling.

My system is one of those...for right or wrong...based on my own preferences, cd's and ears...because i have acquired the equipment over the years to play my music the way i enjoy listening to it.

Coming back to you...have you heard these cd's sound great with other sources in the same system...or at least sound great in any system?

My concern is that RBCDs seem to sound louder than SACDs on XDS1, where, previously, I remember they sound about the same on my SCD-1, SCD-XA9000ES (2 units), DVP-NS9100ES.

this morning when I played Dire Straits' "Love Over Gold" SHM SACD, I turned the level on the Pass Lab X2.5 all the way up to [16], and when I played the first pressing, blue-swirl West Germany RBCD of this same recording at the same vol level, it was much louder than the SHM SACD to the point of hurting my ears. I had to lower the X2.5 vol setting to [11] to feel comfortable. When I last played the same discs on both the SCD-1 and SCD-XA9000ES, the sound level on the RBCD was lower. The RBCD sounded bass shy (probably used the master for the vinyl release). Now it is the opposite. The SHM SACD on the XDS1 sounds bass shy, and the bass of the RBCD became boomy.

I read somewhere that one of the XDS1 firmware upgrade was supposed to alleviate previous problem of peak clipping on RBCDs?

 

[LenWhite]

I have very few RBCD's with a mastered volume as low as most of my SACD's in any musical category. SACD's appear to be produced with more head room than RBCD's all things being equal. This has been my experience with every SACD player I've owned including the SCD-1.

In my system well recorded and mixed RBCD's at the correct volume setting sound dynamic and involving. However I do think many RBCD's are somewhat compressed with a "fat" bottom end, and don't possess the openness, instrumental body, and delicacy of many SACD's.

The XDS1 playback is more analog like than any other SACD player I've owned - by a considerable margin.

 

[Parmenter Sound]

Hi Len, I would have to agree with you (The XDS1 playback is more analog like than any other SACD player I've owned - by a considerable margin), I use the XDS1 for my reference digital playback and it is the best I have tried.

 

[joeinid]

Bump

EMM Labs XDS1 vs Playback Designs MPS-5. Has anyone moved on to something else or do you still have your units and still love them? Thanks!

 

[Steve Williams]

I'm happy with my PD MS5. Previous to that I used Meitner CDSA SE and Meitner MC DAC. Also excellent but PD is spooky good

 

[joeinid]

Thanks Steve!

 

[Bruce B]

I'm happy with my PD MS5. Previous to that I used Meitner CDSA SE and Meitner MC DAC. Also excellent but PD is spooky good

Same here... Had EMM Labs separates as well, but moved on to the PD MPS-5.

 

[joeinid]

Thanks Bruce!

 

[jeromelang]

So, has anyone directly compared the XDS1 against the MPS5?

 

[Steve Williams]

I have

If I can say anything the Meitner has perhaps a slightly better lower end but at the end of the day th PD is the one which rocked my sonic boat. Besides it is slightly more than half the cost of the XDS1

 

[Mike]

I wonder if there has been a comparison of the CDSA-SE and the Playback Designs MPS-3, which, I hope, is in the spirit of this thread.

 

[Steve Williams]

Well there has been one done but it was by a Meitner dealer so you know which way he voted