Esoteric SA-50

[kach22i]

Local stereo store going out of business, had a demo unit Esoteric SA-50 CD/SACD made in 2006 so I bought it as a back-up CD player, and if I can get the sound right will be my player of choice.

Started out with CD to preamp 1-meter RCA interconnect, some very old Audioquest Turquoise from the later 1980's, so thin, and so much glare.

Switched to a very old half meter RCA Audioquest brown, not as shrill sounding but still a far cry from replacing my even older McIntosh MCD7009 (with similar mechanism I've read).

Then I took the Nordost Blue Heaven interconnects (late 1990's) off the Mac and put it on the Esoteric, much better sound and the Mac liked the brown cable better surprisingly.

I still have a somewhat bleached out sound. Syrupy sweet horns on the Mac sound like rape whistles on the Esoteric, full chested male voices sound weak and transistor radio-like, sexy mature female vocals sound worse than a teenage pop star over synthesized.

However, all bashing aside, there is so much promise because of the extended highs and huge soundstage are near epic compared to the more intimate and musically seductive Mac.

I need to flesh out the sound of the Esoteric in a major way, my first inclination is to get a power cord and CD to tube-preamp RCA interconnect that is really juicy and plump.

Recommendations?

I do not know what setting or filters the dealer preset on this machine, maybe they are just way off for my system. I have not yet had time to play with the settings but read no filters are best in three articles, like this one saying quote:

DSD upconverts a PCM audio signal to Direct Stream Digital.

6moons.com audio reviews: Esoteric SA-50

I go back to the store in a few days (open on Saturday only) to pick up my original shipping box kept at a remote site.

I want to pick up a good power cord (read it will help) and a good 1/2 meter or 1 meter pair of RCA interconnects.

They are a former Kimber Cable dealer, saw some on the wall when I was there. From what I read Kimber is fast and light like Nordost, and that isn't working for me.

I've been considering new Luna Cables, probably "orange", or maybe a used Cardas of some kind.

Recommendations on how to proceed are appreciated.

I could hold off on buying cable for a while until I've exhausted all the settings on the unit (playing regular old Redbook CD's only at the moment), but if the dealer has the right Kimber Cable (which would that be?) or had some MIT/Transparent/Synergistic Research or other exotic brought in on a trade-in at a cannot refuse price, what should I look for or want to stay away from?

EDIT: Temporarily SS amps are being used until I refurbish my big tube amps. Martin Logan "Aerius" speakers which may roll off the very upper trebble and naturally recess the soundstage. Not issues with the new CD player which I find to be just the right amount of forward and sparkle but has no flesh on the bones.

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[kach22i]

I went back to the audio store and picked up the CD player box, it barely fit into my car, it's huge.

Talked to the sales guy and he set me up with the following copper.

1 Kimber Power Kord PK10 "Base" 6-feet ICE w/wattgates ($200)

1 pair Kimber Select KS1011, 1 meter w/WBT ($400)

I told him my other consideration was to use the player as a transport. He said give it time, was in the owner's second system for the past 13 years and hardly ever got played, it isn't even broken in.

I replied that I read 500-1,000 hours is break-in time, which surprised even him.

I put the power cord in first, it removed all the upper and upper-mid haze and fleshed out the sound a lot all on it's own, more bass too. I've always thought power cords were BS, not anymore.

Then I put in the interconnects, more goodness I felt that I made the right decision in my purchases.

Esoteric SA-50:
Pros; huge soundstage, cohesive arrangement, manages to get the electrostats more forward (a good thing), extended highs, very articulate, song lyrics suddenly became important somehow, subtleties galore, revealing, etched and dynamic.

Cons; Still not as solidly fleshed out as the Mac, emotionally dry, leans to the technical side.

In short, the Eso plays like a recording mix even on live recordings.

McIntosh MCD7009:
Pros; human and instrument scaled soundstage, bass, rhythm, fluid musicality, and most importantly conveys emotion of singer's voice.

Cons; highs not as extended as they could be, too much right, center and left - binderless and unetched.

In short, the Mac plays like a well rehearsed seasoned band but a bit fragmented at times.



Nil Lara's utter contempt and anger at the church collecting money from the poor and dismay that the monkey only dances for money is conveyed frighteningly well on the Mac, on the Eso he's phoning it in.

Diana Krall's recording doesn't suffer as much on the Eso, in fact on the Mac I hadn't really noticed it was a live recording, but the Eso made this fact omnipresent.

The Eso is breaking in, the power cord on it is breaking in, the interconnects on it are breaking in, I have high hopes it's going to open up and get to an emotional level. If not, just means more pressure on me to get my big tube amps operational again.

When the Eso is in full form it should surpass the Mac in most every respect, just not today.

As an aside, the blanket I put on my subwoofer to dampen reflections was embraced by my cat. She didn't seem to affect the soundstage, ended up on my lap for some of the time.

 

[dan31]

I think your really going to like that player. Just keep playing and enjoy. The K-03 XD is on my short list if my disc spinner bites the dust. You bought a quality piece.

 

[kach22i]

Near me a similar model?
$3,500

Used Audio Equipment and Pre-Owned Specials at Paragon SNS

Paragon is pleased to offer special pricing on open-box, demo, new-in-box discontinued, refurbished and used high end audio equipment. Shop and buy here.

www.paragonsns.com

Esoteric UX-1 with APL NWO Modification - CD/SACD DVD/DVD-A Player, Pre-Owned​

Looks like a nice upgrade from mine (paid $2,100 but $2,800 on places like ebay).

The power cord and interconnects were maybe 1/3 of list and Audio Dimensions in Royal Oak, MI still has nearly full shelves.

If I didn't already have three turntables..............choice of Oracle Delphi turntables too.

I almost made it into Overture Audio in Ann Arbor, they always some some interesting stuff, bought lots of items there over the years.

 

[kach22i]

I had an epiphany last night and found out what I needed to do to get the most out of this CD player.

Play it.

What I've been doing is playing one or two songs on the Mac, then the same one or two songs on the Eso. I finally let the dog run loose and she's everything I hoped for.

The strategy was to play live CD's because other than Diane Krall the other day sounding a bit larger than life and kind of nephilim-like, the richness of her voice was uncompromising. I never heard of a CD player that only liked live recordings, but I did mention I could hear some music as a studio mix, and that took away from the listening experience. In retrospect, she must have been one of the later recordings I played.

Anyway, the live CD I choose to play first was the live in France Roxy Music CD, same one I heard at Audio Dimensions years ago on Magenpan 3.6's and Audio Research amplification, an experience to remember as the owner claimed it sounded better than if I actually been at the concert (possible). It's a fairly long CD with lots of tracks, but it wasn't until the very last track that the emotion of the music got through, I even had some Phlegm flowing it was so beautiful.

Then the possibility that this CD player takes +45 minutes to get sounding great hit me, so I went to my rack to pick out a CD.

Started at the "A's" and went through the "B's", snagged Tim Buckley, London 1968 and wow I was not disappointed, it was outstanding in fact. Guitar, vocals, vibraphone you name it all had a realness to it, I felt at times that I was at the concert via a time machine.



Part-2: This evening

Now that I know I have to warm up the CD player and the rest of the stereo system, I put in a CD, fed the cat, fed myself and went into the listening room just as the CD finished.

Luscious Jackson, lead guitar sounded real, like could make your ears bleed there was so much extension. This bass heavy CD delivered across the board, really got it's groove on.

The Big Picture CD has some songs that sound similar to the lead singer of The Babys, the other vocalist sounds a bit like Tom Jones, just something I like to hear once in a while, not a great nor a poor recording just wanted to hear the new CD player do justice to.

King Crimson, one of the discs from a four disc set, just outstanding. Drums were especially good including the Hi-Hat in the drum kit, I turned the volume up a couple of notches............luckily did not blow up my little Rotels.

I'm a happy camper.

Hope you are too.