Esoteric P03 / D03 vs MSB Platinum Data cdIV transport plus Signature power base

[spiritofmusic]

Well my adored YBA should return from the menders soon. I love it for it's analogue sound....you'd swear blind it was vinyl, but without the surface noise.
However as my analogue rig improved, cd's began sounding relatively flat and 2d.

I'm not prepared to give up with Esoteric until I've heard the single box Grandioso K01xd, given that my current pairing does have reputation for being the last machines before the house sound took a turn for the more musical. External clock should also help, and i should also say that I've changed the upsampling to DSD, and I'm finding that far less fatiguing than the 196khz setting i had it on when i made that observation

But with that reservation, within my limited experience I'm inclined to agree with the thrust of your post though i suspect Spirit might have something to say about modern cd players' character..

IB, the Eera has been the standard I compare, and improve, my tt against. I know that's weird from a predominantly analog guy, but for me the Eera absolutely emulates the very best tts (well, the ones I've heard), and therefore the closer I've got my current analog rig to the Eera, the happier I've been.

The Eera is unique imho as being the only digital I've heard that has zero etch, the timbre and tone differentiated disc to disc in a way only analog does, and the kind of tangible palpability on piano especially that is the preserve of analog magic. Those mids!

Now, I haven't heard Lampi Pacific, or MSB Select or TotalDac D12. Especially thru Extreme. But I've heard most of the great cdps, and lots of experience of the SGM. And the Eera still gets closer to lp replay in all the most important ways.

 

[infinitely baffled]

(To bonzo)
And?


I don't know why, but i have a complete blind spot covering Lampizator.
Is it just a dac, or do they make a transport?

 

[infinitely baffled]

IB, the Eera has been the standard I compare, and improve, my tt against. I know that's weird from a predominantly analog guy, but for me the Eera absolutely emulates the very best tts (well, the ones I've heard), and therefore the closer I've got my current analog rig to the Eera, the happier I've been.

The Eera is unique imho as being the only digital I've heard that has zero etch, the timbre and tone, differentiated disc to disc in a way only analog does, and the kind of tangible palpability on piano especially that is the preserve of analog magic. Those mids!

Now, I haven't heard Lampi Pacific, or MSB Select or TotalDac D12. Especially thru Extreme. But I've heard most of the great cdps, and lots of experience of the SGM. And the Eera still gets closer to lp replay in all the most important ways.

Well you / it are waiting in the wings to challenge whatever i come up with, once I've got it primed.
From where I'm looking right now, that's Grandioso K01xd plus clock.

(Just had to absndon typing as Machine Gun by Chase and Status was up. That bass is astonishing)

Having caught a glimpse into the three dimensional universe, I've got to give it a proper chance to do all it can do, and hopefully achieve the timbre of the old skool before i write it off.
But yes, once i have my champion, we can do the comparison
Be funny if the YBA won...

Just one other thing to mention, I'm finding the P01/D01 are a real presence on my rack.
It's like having a supercomputer at the heart of my system. Photos really don't do them justice

 

[GSOphile]

Newest technology Grandioso model (announced 2019) is K-1X. Newest Esoteric model (announced 2020) is K-01XD. Which are you getting? In either case, congratulations!!

 

[infinitely baffled]

I'm looking at the K-01XD, or possibly K-03XD.
Just awaiting a response from Esoteric Japan, as they don't have a designated UK distributor, just individual dealers.
So it's early days yet, congratulations may be a bit previous

 

[moby2004]

Hello,

I have currently an Esoteric K01XS and a Lampizator Pacific dac ( and a SGM Extreme server)
Since I have the Lampi , the Esoteric is used as a pure transport only ( aes output to the aes input of the Lampi). I prefer by a large margin the sound going through the Lampi DAC.
Now as a pure transport, I prefer by a large margin as well using the SGM.
My only « issue » is for SACD playback. (And I stupidly sold my old Oppo player so can’t transfer them on files. )

I am not familiar with Neodio but I believe Playback Design, Accuphase or Luxman are doing very good SACD/CD players which might be a better match for your taste.

 

[infinitely baffled]

That's really VERY helpful moby, thank you.
May i ask, do you use an external clock?

 

[moby2004]

Yes I am using a Mutec Ref 10 ( that I bought before having the Esoteric unit) . I did not compare it against other TOTL clocks but it’s an excellent and versatile unit.

 

[Aperalim]

I also use a Mutec Ref10 with my Grandioso K1.
It is excellent.

 

[infinitely baffled]

I also use a Mutec Ref10 with my Grandioso K1.
It is excellent.

Those Absolare amps look mint

 

[Aperalim]

Absolare are wonderful and a perfect match to drive my field coil Voxativ 9.87 system : )

 

[infinitely baffled]

I'd love to hear that. It's about as philosophically different from my system as you could get

 

[Aperalim]

Well our preamps are more similar than you might think but yes I suppose everything else is quite a contrast.

My minimalist SET amps driving high efficiency field-coil speakers is more like a c1928 system... I love the sound its so visceral and vividly present. It is a huge contrast even from my own fully active solid state system I built and used for many many years, with 6 x 200W monoblocks, tube active crossover, Lyra Connoisseur 4.2L-SE preamp etc etc...

 

[spiritofmusic]

Aperalim, I think I know where you're coming from, l/t experience w my zero crossover high efficiency quasi-full range driver Zus.

 

[infinitely baffled]

Well our preamps are more similar than you might think but yes I suppose everything else is quite a contrast.

My minimalist SET amps driving high efficiency field-coil speakers is more like a c1928 system... I love the sound its so visceral and vividly present. It is a huge contrast even from my own fully active solid state system I built and used for many many years, with 6 x 200W monoblocks, tube active crossover, Lyra Connoisseur 4.2L-SE preamp etc etc...

Can i ask what kind of music you enjoy?

 

[Aperalim]

I have broad musical interest.
With nearly 3,000 discs ranging from early music to Beethoven’s late string quartets, from Mahler to contemporary classical, jazz, folk, country and world music from across the globe and just about everything in between. About only music I do not own or ever listen to is dark angry heavy metal. I love listening to piano whether it’s Alfred Brendel or Ray Charles and especially collect baroque lute music having played classical guitar for many years myself. My system is totally agnostic to musical genres and delivers great results with any kind of music you can imagine - from solo violin, to string quartet, from Muddy Waters, to Tom Waits or Bob Dylan from Ellington’s big band, to The National, from Bach’s cello suites to the largest orchestral works, from Nina Simone to Angus and Julia Stone.

 

[thedudeabides]

The Eera is unique imho as being the only digital I've heard that has zero etch, the timbre and tone differentiated disc to disc in a way only analog does, and the kind of tangible palpability on piano especially that is the preserve of analog magic. Those mids!.

You should audition the Luxman if you are looking for a replacement option.

 

[Alrainbow]

I would get the msb it’s cheaper and very well made. does it stream to ? I had a UMT4 plus it did all was very good

 

[infinitely baffled]

Just playing 'night moves' by Laylo and Bushwacka....man, that's so tits.
The bass is humungous

 

[infinitely baffled]

So can anyone explain this business of digital 'settling in'?
Because i am clearly hearing improvements.

Switching to the DSD setting was a watershed moment. I haven't suffered digitalis since.
It's sounding lush now