XDS1

About the XDS1

The EMM Labs XDS-1 is a premium SACD/CD player and digital-to-analog converter designed for audiophiles and professional studios. It supports Red Book CD and stereo SACD playback, and also functions as a standalone reference DAC with AES/EBU and Toslink digital inputs accepting PCM up to 24-bit/96kHz (with firmware updates expected to support 24/192). The player uses a proprietary Meitner MDAT algorithm to upsample and condition digital audio to twice the SACD/DSD sample rate (2xDSD at 5.6MHz), preserving phase, frequency, and dynamic integrity of the original waveform. Its MDAC discrete dual differential DAC circuit avoids typical multibit DAC nonlinearities, delivering clean, detailed sound with a low noise floor. The XDS-1 employs a unique asynchronous data receiver (MFAST technology) that locks to frequency but not phase, minimizing jitter from incoming digital streams. It features a high-isolation resonant mode power supply for silent operation, a rigid internally braced chassis with low resonance, and an Esoteric VSOP slot-loading drive mechanism for fast, reliable disc loading. Outputs include balanced XLR (5V, 300 ohms) and unbalanced RCA (2.5V, 150 ohms). The unit weighs 17 kg and measures 435 x 400 x 145 mm. It is controlled via a precision-machined aluminum remote and offers remote-controllable polarity inversion in the digital domain. The XDS-1 is highly regarded for its transparency, imaging, and three-dimensional soundstage, representing EMM Labs' finest all-in-one CD/SACD player to date.