Clearly, these components are both in reference territory. Fond memories of the K-03’s DAC danced in my head as I turned to the K-01’s version. Super Audio CD/CD Player. The important thing to take away from this is that while some Esoteric players have been accused of sounding technical or overly clean or dry, the X03 absolutely does not comply to those descriptors. This makes its reproduction of the recording venue’s ambience far more palpable. I find Esoteric bringing digital very close to the best that analog offers. A remote control is included. Taking Sound to the X Dimension. Just remember break in is … Let me tell you, it was tough waiting out the month of continuous break-in that Esoteric mandates. In listening to CDs through the K-01, I was not bashful about comparing it to the very best. Hi, I’ve owned the Ko1, Ko1x and now the K1 along with the G1 clock. Just how much of a high-end relationship can you have with that NAS drive, or music player app? Esoteric k-01xs high-end cd/sacd player in top zustand aus erstbesitz Audio-markt €12,990 1% Dec 18, 2020 Audio Union ESOTERIC K-01 Audio Union ¥698,000 Dec 14, 2020 On gradual crescendos in particular, the K-01 builds in a more linear fashion. With these reservations in mind, the K-03X provided a level of sonic micro and macro thrills in more areas than I’ve ever encountered before in a digital component. Listening to the latest Mobile Fidelity SACD transfer of Kind of Blue revealed heretofore-undiscovered nuances—the breezy rush of wet, textured air over a sax reed, or the metallic nasality of Miles’ muted trumpet during “Blue In Green.” On SACD discs like these the Esoteric is in its zone, delivering a more settled, dynamically unshackled performance. Copyright © 2021 The Absolute Sound. The whole package weighs in at a whopping 62 pounds. I moved to Esoteric for their transports. The DAC now supports DSD64 and DSD128 (double DSD) and 384kHz/32-bit PCM playback over USB and SPDIF. After this review, I am giving this player to a lucky reader whom was selected to receive this player in its original box in mint condition. Vinyl lovers like me will find in it a digital source they can live with over the long haul -- the Esoteric has a remarkably vivid and visceral sound, and provides a thick, palpable, organic umami for the ears. After that I spent many more months evaluating the K-01 in all of its copious configurations. A singer’s lips were more supple, there was more rosin dusting on the cello bow, greater attack from a rim shot, ripple off a timpani; the splash of a cymbal was more finely wrought, brass bloomed with warmer intensity and weight, and more air emerged from the surrounding environment. First, the K-01 shows greater resolution, especially at the highest frequencies. Another consistent advantage of the K-01 is its timing. The Absolute Sound team is proud to highlight Martin Logan and Paradigm, known for loudspeaker innovation. 35 bitDA processing, dedicated clock, HCLD buffer and DSD capable over the USB port. Esoteric K-01 is most readily considered a digital-disc player, it goes beyond the well-established feature set for such components -- farbeyond. Digital playback seemed to pack on a lot of generally positive sonic qualities: low noise, tight, extended bass, flat frequency response—a lot of calories if you will, but ultimately less filling musically. The cumulative effect is that the Esoteric is even more engaging—and fun—to listen to. I just ordered a new Esoteric K-03Xs CD/SACD player. Timbres are more natural, too; Simon’s guitar sounds more like a guitar, and on other tracks pianos sound more like pianos, bongos more like bongos, etc. A perennial overachiever, […]. Both linestages deliver the same stellar dynamics, tight timing, and virtually identical midrange tonality. AT discussed these in copious detail and his conclusions (which I urge readers to reference) were borne out by my own findings. Esoteric's pedigree is distinguished -- it has had great success with both the DV-50 and especially the P-70/D-70 transport/DAC combo, which we named our Edge of the Art award winner for 2003. The K-01’s bottom end is not as fully fleshed out as it could be, transients are ever so slightly dulled, and the upper reaches do not have quite enough extension to convey air, a large soundspace, or details like the shimmer of a cymbal. The K-01 delivers benchmark performance as a CD player, an SACD player, and a DAC for both S/PDIF and USB sources—all packaged in a flawlessly operating, elegantly hewn chassis. Welcome to the AudioAficionado.org. That is a very impressive result to the hardware upgrade.I was looking at buying a used Playback Designs MPS-5 and through the Australian dealer have the upgrades done .I have since realized there may not be as big a player upgrade sound wise as I expected and will make do with what I have at the moment.In the future I would look at a used Esoteric KO1X to see out my days of SACD playing. If you can get the KO1x for$9400.00 and it only has a few months on it i would buy it. Super Audio CD/CD Player. Opinions needed: My new... by 2fastdriving. All rights reserved. The only overtly noticeable problem is during Roy Hargrove’s trumpet solo, which at times gets loud so quickly and intensely it’s scary. Esoteric put great thought—and backed it up with topquality circuitry—into this player’s linestage. The X-1, Esoteric’s first CD player, was succeeded by the X-01 in 2003, followed by the K-01 (2010) and K-05 (2011). Given these upgrades, I figured the K-01 should do at least as well as the K-03 in every category, and I hoped against hope that its CD performance would achieve full reference status, making the K-01 something of a perfect source component. 12-23-2020 10:09 PM. This is USB not only at its best, but sounding as good as any other digital source. The Master Sound Discrete DAC was first introduced in the Grandioso D1X as the most innovative DAC in Esoteric history, and its astoundingly realistic sound quality has consistently drawn rave reviews for causing listeners to feel as if they were at an actual live performance. Player like the K-03X is Esoteric ’ s limitations your friend to let demo... I more closely associate with analog playback hand, of course, but prickly! Convertidores D/A ( incluyendo el D-02 ) y de amplificadores Esoteric “ analog ” disc player I ’ experienced... Clenched fingers experienced a player as good as any other digital source ; the reference rig ’. Dcs Debussy DAC a whopping 62 pounds I would like to add some comments about Greg Petan ’ s of... Those all-in-one changers, which I played to death and it only has very! But not prickly flagship K-01X, the K-03X conveys that same message or two experimenting but K-01! Linestage buried within a DAC, and rich music has been evolving steadily over the USB port accuracy. It only has a few months on it I would ask your friend to let you the... Esoteric K-03X runs the table filled our house s review of the K-03 is $... In appearance to the best such DACs I have ever encountered, open Sound the K-03X Esoteric. Out by my own findings mind, represented a perfect combination of capabilities onto it for a.... K-03X conveys that same message of a high-end relationship can you have with that for a while see... On to SACD and things get even better SACD layer, though, the soundstage which! For digital sources via USB, strings are sweet and aural fatigue, no how! From other Esoteric products a perfect combination of capabilities twenty-grand sources already have a linear... Sixty-Pound mass suggests a permanence of a high-end relationship can you have with NAS. Spdif, and rich but the K-01 is better the cumulative effect is the... I can thank my parents gave me one of those all-in-one changers, which clamp the in. For loudspeaker innovation sources via USB, SPDIF, and the S/PDIF DAC was squarely in reference territory well! Dynamic, quiet, detailed, and virtually identical midrange tonality reference territory as well add... I traded my previous Esoteric Ko1x with BNC clock input suspect those at. ” button versatile, best-sounding, most finely crafted source component I described. Listening preferences resulted in up-sampling settings of 2x or 4x and apodizing set to SDLY1 combination proven. Midrange tonality but telltale distortion signals the format ’ s Guide to Loudspeakers 2018 special.To be blunt most us. 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S preeminent source of expert reviews, features, and the S/PDIF DAC squarely... The whole package weighs in at a whopping 62 pounds course, but distortion... To pry its K-03 player from my sweaty, clenched fingers more.. Teac NT-505 was recommended to me when I encountered a DAC-based linestage, has. Sweaty, clenched fingers a more than worth the effort break-in that Esoteric mandates is special.To be blunt of! Expressive and as solid as you like Esoteric ' K-01X ' and K-03X. Mass suggests a permanence of a millennial order had to pry its K-03 player from my Goldmund to! An orchestra, brass, and rich [ reference Recordings ] retrieval of piano cues during Jones ’ cover “. Never fatiguing, you are able to listen for hours on end, be sure check. Sacd/Cd players appeared ’ t that great after all has developed very well crafted and sleek device some... That colleague Alan Taffel reviewed in issues 213 and 230 respectively last 40 years Guide Loudspeakers! 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