If the Esoteric K03Xs CD/SACD Player has harsh leading and trailing edges...

Addicted to hifi

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Sep 8, 2020
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I found a simpler path and a cheaper path through Luxman. Having sold my 03Xs I’m not missing anything rather I’m able to enjoy great resolution without strain or harshness. I’m waiting for the return of my ARC Ref CD9. The unit had a power supply issue. I heard it only briefly before it failed. Frustrating because the cost of 2xshipping is rather high @$1kUSD plus the cost of repair.
Cart go wrong with luxman.I love my d10x.
 
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Phillyb

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2012
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Funny, I owned the Esoteric K-01 and I found it very musical. I used no tweaks on my cables or power cords. Which can cause issues with the balance of the signal where highs become forward etc. If I played 1950s Sinatra the playback was as warm as the tube gear the cording was made on. Played current produced over processed compressed music and it sounded that way. Loved the K-01 one of the better CD players I owned. I downsized after selling it to a Marantz SA-10 which sounds very good also but does not have the grunt of the K-01, and that is due to the K-01's huge power supply. Marantz is elegant, and does not push you with detail but lets the music flow once you get the settings right and allow burn-in of about a month or more.
 
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carolus

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Dec 20, 2013
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Outside topic K-03 (sorry):

I follow Phillyb .....
I listen via Esoteric K-01, standard (factory) power cable, output via RCA & silver spiral cable (Qunex) to X-over 5-way (horn) ...
It's music in heaven....
Allez, salukes.
Karel (happy owner K-01)
 

hongkongfoufou

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2018
468
201
148
Funny, I owned the Esoteric K-01 and I found it very musical. I used no tweaks on my cables or power cords. Which can cause issues with the balance of the signal where highs become forward etc. If I played 1950s Sinatra the playback was as warm as the tube gear the cording was made on. Played current produced over processed compressed music and it sounded that way. Loved the K-01 one of the better CD players I owned. I downsized after selling it to a Marantz SA-10 which sounds very good also but does not have the grunt of the K-01, and that is due to the K-01's huge power supply. Marantz is elegant, and does not push you with detail but lets the music flow once you get the settings right and allow burn-in of about a month or more.
Thanks.
Very funny.
I have a Marantz SA7S1.
I sold it.
I buy an Esoteric K-03Xs.
Powercord is the Hijiri Nagomi.
Have a great day
 

mtemur

Well-Known Member
Mar 26, 2019
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I find Esoteric players edgy, analytical and impossible to listen. I think it’s better to have a CD only unit. IMHO Audio Research CD9 sounds great as well as Ayon transport/DAC combo. I believe it’s hard to beat a NOS’ed marantz or philips player with TDA1541 and CDM1,2,4.
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Just in case you have not tried this. I find digital to needs clean AC power. Preferably on a separate line.
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
10,517
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Assuming your player has a digital out you may consider an outboard dac like the Lampizator Amber 4. Nothing harsh there.
 

Phillyb

Well-Known Member
May 31, 2012
152
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I've owned 3 Esoteric SACD players, the early ones had an edge the latter ones not. Having said that, my room is now treated with GIK panels, and what a difference they made, so how much was my room on the earlier Esoterics, I now have the K03Xs after owning the K-01, K-01X and it is superb, and I grew up on vinyl. It is not harsh, detailed naturally, and the bottom end if on the record can shake the room. My other unit the Marantz SA-10S1 was excellent also, and beat my K-01 overall in sound, a bargain that player is. So how any player or system and gear sounds in one room/system can sound much different in another. It's like cooking you have to put the right ingredients together to get the taste that you enjoy. It takes work, time, and experience, just buying gear is never the answer to a well-grounded system, fix your room and spend money there it is the best investment you can make, and for God, sakes get TV screens out from between the speakers and the racks, have your amp between the speakers and the rack elsewhere. Let your speakers breathe, and stop all the reflection off TV screens racks, and such. Have a room designed for an audio system.
 

gadawg58

Well-Known Member
Apr 7, 2018
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I have owned a couple of Esoteric cd players .. K-01 and K-01X then tried the P-02X/D-02X transport dac combo and was amazed. Nothing analytical or edgy here. That said it does front end an entire tube system and I’ve noticed I really liked Esoteric digital front ends with tube systems. Someone mentioned system synergy earlier and I’m a huge believer in ensuring all components work together to deliver a more enjoyable musical experience.

George
 
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hongkongfoufou

Well-Known Member
Mar 3, 2018
468
201
148
I've owned 3 Esoteric SACD players, the early ones had an edge the latter ones not. Having said that, my room is now treated with GIK panels, and what a difference they made, so how much was my room on the earlier Esoterics, I now have the K03Xs after owning the K-01, K-01X and it is superb, and I grew up on vinyl. It is not harsh, detailed naturally, and the bottom end if on the record can shake the room. My other unit the Marantz SA-10S1 was excellent also, and beat my K-01 overall in sound, a bargain that player is. So how any player or system and gear sounds in one room/system can sound much different in another. It's like cooking you have to put the right ingredients together to get the taste that you enjoy. It takes work, time, and experience, just buying gear is never the answer to a well-grounded system, fix your room and spend money there it is the best investment you can make, and for God, sakes get TV screens out from between the speakers and the racks, have your amp between the speakers and the rack elsewhere. Let your speakers breathe, and stop all the reflection off TV screens racks, and such. Have a room designed for an audio system.
I prefer listen my CD with the ML 360S...
It's a old picture, now I have Magnepan 3.7i...
and Esoteric E-03 is replaced buy an Accuphase C47...
I must to think to sell E-03...LOL

2018-08-04_00005.jpg 2018-08-04_00010.jpg
 

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