There were lots of well-known names represented in the EMM Labs room at RMAF 2019. EMM Labs, founded by Ed Meitner in 1998 in Calgary, Canada, is the world’s premier designer and manufacturer of high end and professional digital audio converter systems.
The beautiful Focal Utopia Scala V2 speakers provided the sound for this system. Focal is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year.
The source in this room was an SME Model 15 turntable with a DS Audio optical cartridge. The EMM Optical Equalizer in this room is a significant debut. Designed by Ed, these are the first optical phono stages commercially available for DS Audio optical cartridges by an audio manufacturer other than DS Audio. This is a huge step forward for optical cartridges, and it represents a lot of hard work by both companies. They were using the DS Audio E-1 and DS Audio W-2. You can read our review of the DS Audio W-2 cartridge here.
The System
Electronics were from EMM Labs and their Meitner Audio line. They also used the Shunyata Denali 6000/S V2 Power Conditioner. This system also included a full array of Kimber Kables and HRS racks.
“Designed by Ed, these are the first optical phono stages commercially available by an audio manufacturer other than DS Audio”
That’s incorrect, Soundsmith sells the Strain Gauge, even before DS Audio entered the market.
Thanks for your comment. You’re right that there were optical cartridges before DS Audio. I’ve amended our statement to say that these are the first optical phono stages commercially available for use with a DS Audio optical cartridge other than those made by DS Audio. I hope that’s clearer, and again, we appreciate the feedback.
I’m adding to this comment some information provided by Garth Leer, owner of Musical Surroundings and the importer for the DS Audio products: “Further to your comment. Soundsmith makes Strain gauge cartridges NOT optical cartridges. These are also amplitude or displacement generators, not velocity based as found in MM and MC cartridges. Toshiba was the first company to make optical cartridges in the 1960s but they were not practical until current times with LEDs replacing the light bulb and modern photo diodes.”