EMM Labs EMM Labs DA2i Stereo D/A Integrated Converter
The DA2i makes digital playback feel startlingly natural, combining iron-fisted bass control, vivid tonal color and expansive, precisely drawn space. HiFi News praised its involving full-range authority, while Stereophile found its timbres remarkably lifelike. With comprehensive streaming, Roon readiness and extensive digital inputs, this is a deeply resolved reference source built to disappear into the music.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
96/100
Build Quality
91/100
Features Connectivity
87/100
Value for Money
89/100
Pros
Exceptionally natural, transparent sound with lifelike instrumental timbre and an unforced, deeply involving presentation.
Authoritative, controlled bass paired with vivid detail, wide soundstaging and sharply defined images.
Comprehensive digital hub: network streaming, Roon Ready operation, major streaming services, USB media playback and AES/EBU, coaxial, optical, USB and Optilink inputs.
Cons
Premium £34,995/$35,000-level pricing makes it a major investment.
Offers less user-adjustable digital tuning than some rival DACs, favoring EMM Labs’ fixed design choices.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 96/100
Reviewers describe an exceptionally transparent, lifelike and deeply involving converter, with natural instrumental timbre, authoritative bass, and unusually convincing spatial presentation. Its presentation combines lavish detail and control with a smoothness that keeps digital playback from sounding overtly digital.
Tonal Balance and Musicality
96/100
Stereophile found that "every timbre" sounded natural and called the DA2i among the clearest, least tinted windows onto music it had heard. Hi-Fi News similarly calls it sensationally involving, praising bass weight and control alongside a full-range presentation that commands attention without sacrificing refinement.
Resolution and Detail
95/100
The DA2i repeatedly drew praise for resolving low-level information, space, microtonal detail, and the separate identities of instruments that could otherwise blend together. Hi-Fi News describes its vividness as breathtaking and notes perfectly formed notes and convincing acoustic ambience, while Stereophile's measurements confirm strong low-level linearity over a very wide dynamic range.
Digital Performance
96/100
Reviewers consistently hear an unusually effortless, analog-like digital presentation: Dagogo called it the best digital unit heard and said it approached analog without surrendering digital's benefits. Measurements support that impression with low correlated jitter, low phase noise, a 116dB A-weighted signal-to-noise ratio, and successful handling of intersample overloads; Stereophile suggests it may set new standards in its class.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
91/100
Hi-Fi News describes substantial, minimalist casework with a "hewn from solid" feel, backed by a 16kg chassis and separate boards for streaming/input, processing, and DAC functions. It also notes shielded in-house conversion and clock circuitry, while Dagogo highlights the refined exterior and crisp OLED display.
Features Connectivity
87/100
The DA2i is a genuinely comprehensive DAC/streamer, offering AES/EBU, coaxial, optical, USB-B, USB-A media playback, Ethernet, and EMM's OptiLink alongside both balanced XLR and RCA outputs. It is Roon Ready, supports major streaming services and internet radio, handles PCM through 384kHz and DSD128 depending on input, and includes MQA decoding.
Value for Money
89/100
At $35,000, the DA2i is plainly a major investment, and reviewers acknowledge its premium pricing. However, Stereophile found its sound nearly matched a playback chain costing more than $25,000 extra while requiring considerably more associated hardware, and Enjoy the Music concluded that its high price can be justified by its sound quality.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- Digital inputs
- EMM Optilink (CD/SACD), AES/EBU, COAX, TOSLINK, USB audio & Network
- Stereo analog outputs
- XLR & RCA
- Output impedance
- 300 ohms balanced (XLR) 150 ohms unbalanced (RCA)
- Output levels (High/Low)
- XLR outputs: 7V rms (19.14 dBu) / 4V rms (14.34 dBu) RCA outputs: 3.5V rms (13.12 dBu) / 2V rms (8.31 dBu)
- Finish
- Available in silver chassis with black insert or all-black high-grade machined and anodized aluminum metalwork.
- Dimensions (WxDxH)
- 438 x 400 x 161mm
- Weight
- 16kg
Manufacturer's Description — EMM Labs
The Pinnacle of Digital-to-Analog Conversion
The EMM Labs DA2i represents an evolutionary leap in the realm of digital-to-analog conversion. As our flagship 16xDSD (DSD1024) converter, it stands as a testament to our relentless pursuit of perfection, crafted to redefine the boundaries of your listening experience. With unparalleled sonic clarity, the DA2i offers an immersive soundstage that transports you to the heart of the original recording.
Revolutionary Discrete DACs
At the core of the DA2i lies EMM Labs’ proprietary Dual Differential DACs, complemented by a newly designed Class A analog output stage. These meticulously engineered, in-house DACs capture every nuance, dynamic shift, and spatial detail, ensuring that your audio is reproduced with the precision and integrity of the original performance.
State-of-the-Art Integrated Network Streaming
The DA2i is equipped with an advanced network streaming system, featuring an isolated power supply dedicated to preserving the purity of your audio. Supporting high-resolution formats such as DSD, 2xDSD, DXD, and MQA®, the DA2i seamlessly integrates with streaming platforms including Roon, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz, Deezer, and V-Tuner. With just one click, a world of music is at your fingertips.
Unrivaled DSP and Jitter-Free Performance
Our next-generation MDAT2™ DSP works in harmony with the 16xDSD DACs, processing audio in real-time to deliver unmatched quality. The DA2i also incorporates our enhanced frequency acquisition protocol (MFAST™) and the cutting-edge EMM Labs asynchronous clock (MCLK3™), reducing jitter to industry-defying levels.
Advanced Input and Power Isolation
The DA2i’s digital input system features enhanced isolation for USB and network interfaces, safeguarding your signal from external noise and interference. This ensures that your audio remains pristine, untouched by external factors.
Proprietary Power Supply System
EMM Labs’ latest proprietary switch-mode power supply powers the DA2i, delivering exceptional stability and precision. Each component within the system operates at its peak performance, ensuring a superior listening experience.
Elevate Your Audio Experience
The DA2i is more than just a digital-to-analog converter; it’s a statement of audio excellence. Designed, tested, and meticulously crafted in Canada, the DA2i is built to set new benchmarks in high-fidelity audio, elevating your system to unparalleled heights.
The DA2i / DA2 V3 is the best sounding digital source I have heard in my system - full stop. I am not one of those audiophiles that replace equipment every few months, and I have not heard of other DAC offerings at this price point within my system. I have heard EMM Labs as well as other similarly priced DACs many times at audio shows over the years, and had always lusted over owning a more recent EMM Labs DAC." - Lou W
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- A 10 Audio Room 4 Music — in-store — Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Noord-Holland, Netherlands (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
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