A Revelation
When I receive an updated version of a product that I have previously reviewed, the changes are more often evolutionary rather than revolutionary. By this, I mean that the designer has in fact improved areas in which the product was already strong while weaknesses remain. This clearly is not the case with the latest version of the EMM Labs DA2i. To borrow a baseball idiom, it is a homerun!
About eight years ago, I reviewed and subsequently purchased an EMM Labs DA-2 digital to analog converter and the companion TX-2 Transport. At the time, I felt that the DA2 was the best digital unit that I had heard and the one most closely approaching analog sound without giving up any of the benefits offered by digital. This was after having owned the Esoteric D-02/P-02 for a number of years, then the EMM Labs XDS1. Subsequently, the DA2 went through a number of updates, all of which improved the resolution and, in some instances, the bass, but none of which significantly changed the nature of the sound. Note that the comparisons made in this article are to the DA2 V2 which in itself was a major upgrade from the original.
Last year, I auditioned the Linn Organik in my home and found it bettered the DA2 in some ways, but not so much so that I was tempted to sell the DA2, particularly since I knew that an upgrade was in the works. More recently, I spent several days at Goodwin’s in Boston listening to the Wadax digital stack and realized that the EMM Labs DA2 had been surpassed by a rather significant degree, particularly with respect to the resolution of low-level detail, dynamics, focus, soundstage and noise floor. I knew from conversations with Ed Meitner, the founder of EMM Labs, that the DA2 was being redesigned from the ground up. In discussing this with Ed’s son Amadeus, who currently heads production, he commented that only three parts from the earlier unit remained and that even the faceplate had changed. It was in this context that I requested and subsequently received an EMM Labs DA2i for review.
So, What Has Changed?
Ed Meitner’s acclaimed analog stages have long been the foundation of EMM Labs’ extraordinary sound quality, and the DA2i and DV2i proudly continue this legacy. With a newly engineered folded-cascode output stage, devoid of overall feedback, Ed’s latest design enhances bandwidth and delivers unparalleled stability. A hallmark of Meitner’s approach has always been the focus on bass precision and control—an area where excellence sets the stage for performance across the frequency spectrum.
Key advancements extend to EMM’s iconic asynchronous clock, now further refined to minimize jitter and maximize stability. The power delivery system has also been meticulously optimized: every stage receives perfectly regulated power, tailored for its specific needs.
Introducing the Meitner X-Power system, a cutting-edge in-house switch-mode power supply with over 95% efficiency. Purpose-built for the DA2i and DV2i, this system isolates power delivery between digital, analog, and streaming stages to eliminate interference, allowing each circuit to perform at its absolute best.
Processing has also received a major overhaul. EMM Labs’ custom FPGA—responsible for digital conversion, upsampling, and frequency management—has been updated to complement the revised clock architecture. This upgrade boosts performance at higher sampling rates while preserving the proprietary Meitner Digital Audio Translation (MDAT2) scheme for seamless digital playback.
The input stage now features an entirely reimagined streaming protocol. Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect, Qobuz, Deezer, and vTuner Internet Radio are all supported, offering streaming up to 2x DSD, DXD, and full MQA unfolding. For MQA playback, the system automatically activates specialized filters, while non-MQA content utilizes EMM Labs’ proprietary in-house design filters to deliver uncompromised sound quality. Additional enhancements include superior source isolation, a USB media input for local file playback, and EMM’s proprietary Optilink connection for seamless integration with the legacy EMM Labs TSDX and TX2 SACD transports—hinting at future potential applications.
Visually, the DA2i and DV2i have been elegantly refined with a crisp OLED display, designed to prioritize both aesthetics and functionality. This display automatically powers down after 30 seconds of inactivity, removing screen glare and distractions, so listeners can immerse themselves fully in the music.
Regular readers of my reviews will be aware that my listening reference is, first of all, live music, and that my experience is that analog reproduction using a first-class turntable, cartridge and phono stage generally does the best job of recreating the illusion of live music in one’s listening room. My experience with Redbook CD is that the format from the last fifteen years or so can give satisfaction, particularly with pop music and jazz, but that they lack the air and micro-detail in orchestral and other classical music contexts. Even with pop and jazz, analog can sound warmer and more natural and relaxed. The amount of difference we hear between Redbook and analog can be very system dependent and certainly less noticeable on a less resolving system. The DSD/SACD formats changed the digital game to a fair degree, but I generally still prefer analog. Looking ahead, I will say that the EMM Labs DA2i has advanced the state of the format noticeably.
I should also note this: Ed Meitner was very involved in the implementation of DSD digital into commercially viable SACDs some years ago. He also developed computer boards for recording with SACD which in some cases are still used today.
I have always felt that Ed’s digital gear presented SACDs in their best light and demonstrated that the near abandonment of the SACD medium by the industry was one of the larger and more unfortunate mistakes in a world whose history is so full of curious twists and turns.
In speaking with Ed, however, it is in his advancements in the art of extracting and eking out the best of Redbook sound that he seems most proud. That has been one of his greatest challenges in recent years – to take something inherently compromised, and surprise everybody with great results.
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