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.
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.

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.
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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