The Upgrade Company LLC
New Member
Your memory after 4 years has gone a little foggy. The Reimyo CDP-777 CD player was never even hooked up or played because it's transport had become stuck from the long trek out to your place in it's owners trunk, without being boxed up. It was never played at all. Instead another client of ours lent his player for the afternoon, an upgraded Theta Compli video player, and the same Transparent Opus XLR interconnects you had at the time, in RCA to connect the Compli. The Compli was connected single ended versus your $25,000 EMM LABS CDSD-SE/DAC6e-SE combo run balanced. We all agreed the modest upgraded Theta Compli was being A-B compared at a disadvantage due to it being hooked up via the single ended inputs to your preamp. The Theta Compli fared extremely well in your own words Mike. Fortunately I had made a tape recording of the entire listening session, so all of your comments are now on record. There is no disputing them. In fact you had to go back and forth 4 times to get a good hold on the minor sonic differences. We agreed that the Compli exhibited a blacker background with greater transparency, while the EMM set with it's much higher output levels and balanced connection was more dynamic. We also agreed that the frequency extremes were more pronounced on the Compli: bass was stronger and the top end more pronounced. It can be heard on tape that the soundstage presentation of the EMM set was much more "up-front", "Front row" versus the Compli's more "laid back" number of rows back sonic perspective. You much preferred the "up front/front row" sound of the EMM set. Myself and nearly all of my clients prefer a more balanced laid back musical and lush soundstage. to each his own.
Additionally you can be heard on tape indicating that you "got a sweet deal from Meitner on your EMM set for beta testing and helping them voice it prior to release". It's clear you side with manufacturers, and that's fine.
EMM LABS and others have helped you and I would not expect anything less from you.
With regard to who's since chosen to avoid whom, you stopped by The Upgrade Company's demo room at the 2006 Rocky Mountain Audiofest to say hello to us. That was nice of you to stop by. You sat down and we talked but I did not play anything for you because I was very turned off at your version of events as slanted by you to others. That was the last time I'd ever spoken with you. During our chat at RMAF 2006 you did invite me back out to visit at some point in the future to do some more listening which was nice. I really like your remodeled horse barn listening room, you've spared no expense, it is sweet. You were a very gracious host that afternoon. I would be open to doing another round of comparisons someday with more present to witness. Opinions vary, it's all in fun. The latest EMM gear can be dramatically improved upon even though they're using an Esoteric drive and non-switching power supplies now. The parts selection still contain "For Profit" capacitors etc. and the wiring and signal conductors are still unshielded. EMM deserves credit for improvements however. I would never agree to upgrade yours however. Perhaps Paul Reale would fly up with his EMM set to directly A-B against your latest choice. Now that would be interesting.
I would like to point out that during the 2006 RMAF Show in Denver, one of EMM LABS demo rooms was right next door to ours and when they found out we were displaying both the stock versus upgraded version of their $11,500 (at the time) CDSA-SE side by side, EMM LABS abandoned their demo room entirely, kept the door locked and displayed elsewhere. They were not about to be caught red handed with us pointing out all the cheap parts, lack of shielding etc.
Additionally you can be heard on tape indicating that you "got a sweet deal from Meitner on your EMM set for beta testing and helping them voice it prior to release". It's clear you side with manufacturers, and that's fine.
EMM LABS and others have helped you and I would not expect anything less from you.
With regard to who's since chosen to avoid whom, you stopped by The Upgrade Company's demo room at the 2006 Rocky Mountain Audiofest to say hello to us. That was nice of you to stop by. You sat down and we talked but I did not play anything for you because I was very turned off at your version of events as slanted by you to others. That was the last time I'd ever spoken with you. During our chat at RMAF 2006 you did invite me back out to visit at some point in the future to do some more listening which was nice. I really like your remodeled horse barn listening room, you've spared no expense, it is sweet. You were a very gracious host that afternoon. I would be open to doing another round of comparisons someday with more present to witness. Opinions vary, it's all in fun. The latest EMM gear can be dramatically improved upon even though they're using an Esoteric drive and non-switching power supplies now. The parts selection still contain "For Profit" capacitors etc. and the wiring and signal conductors are still unshielded. EMM deserves credit for improvements however. I would never agree to upgrade yours however. Perhaps Paul Reale would fly up with his EMM set to directly A-B against your latest choice. Now that would be interesting.
I would like to point out that during the 2006 RMAF Show in Denver, one of EMM LABS demo rooms was right next door to ours and when they found out we were displaying both the stock versus upgraded version of their $11,500 (at the time) CDSA-SE side by side, EMM LABS abandoned their demo room entirely, kept the door locked and displayed elsewhere. They were not about to be caught red handed with us pointing out all the cheap parts, lack of shielding etc.
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