Let

be a fixed causal filter. The first result of this paper shows that for any positive integer

and any delay time

there is an "optimal model" for

out of the class of differential-delay systems of order

(and utilizing delay

). The second and main result shows that unless

corresponds exactly to a purely differential system of order

then there always exists some delay time

and corresponding differential-delay system of order

that is a better model for

than even the optimal purely differential system of order

.