Wow, This is exciting, I'm glad there is someone to share about these absolutely GREAT source components from Esoteric. This is my fourth Esoteric front end, I had the X-01/D2, the K-01, the D-02/P-02 combo, then with the G-01, and now this great source. I have always favored the Esoteric voicing, but always felt I has forfitting something to hear that detail and explosive dynamic presentation that I like with Esoteric. I think I could have been cool with the D-02/P-02, but after hearing the D1/P1 in my system I am glad I auditioned them and further more glad to now own them. These are Esoterics best source components I have heard, and by a wide margin over there other offerings.
I thought the D-02/P-02 was pretty good with Redbook, but I had heard better, but not anymore. The P1/D1 playback redbook CDs as good as I have heard in my system. Very natural presentation, drums and piano are in the room real. I have much to say but just want to get a few words in for now.
Very excited to see a thread for P1/D1 owners to talk tales and share tips. This is what I hope to be the ultimate in digital playback....with a little help from my friends on AudioGon. |
As the hours accumulate on the combo the level of realism is startling. This week I visited a friend with the same Ypsilon amps and preamp as I am using. He is driving Rockport Altairs with Tara Evolution cabling and Ypsilon DAC and Transport. We listened to all kinds of music for about 6 hours total. The reproduction of drums on his system is as good as it gets, which I have always thought to be one of the hardest instruments to blend Ina group, espiecally sounding real. Robs system is unbelievably convincing and equally fun to listen too. No drop off in resolution at the expense of detail. It's one of those systems that I could listen too all day and want to do it again tomorrow, no fatigue from listening. Usually the drums can take a toll on me, to get them to intigrate well they typically need decent volume, and then can't be too loud without wearing me out. I think the key is the level of realism. If the drums are not real sounding they just wear me out, couple of hours and blaah!
I came home and listened to tunes and noticed how good the P1/D1 reproduce drums... At any level, but espiecally loud. These Esoterics with drums are startlingly real. The level of resolution with instruments and sounds are as good as I have ever heard. I am using Salon II's for speakers with low hours, no uber priced super speakers, and it is amazing how good the whole system sounds. And again, I believe without the resolution, espiecally with digital it is difficult to listen long! ...And all this is with Redbook CD! This source is so good, as good as I have heard. I can only image, as they settle in with more break in time, it will improve even more, it makes me laugh!
I was listening to Eagles /!Hell Freezes Over which is live! Between tracks the live crowd cheers and claps. I can't help but too clap and cheer with them... And thankfully I don't have to clean up after them! |
Hi G, No volume control on the new Esoterics. The D1 does not have it and the upgraded K-03X & K-01X no longer are equipped. When I had my K-01 I used it direct for awhile. At the time I had a Bryston preamp for multi channel, which is a pretty good preamp, and the K-01 was amazingly good sounding, but, After awhile I ran it through the preamp. I mostly listen to CDs and SACDs, so I would think that with Hi-Rez straight through the DAC could be the best hookup.
When I upgraded to the D-02 I had the Esoteric C-02 Preamp, and without doubt liked it better with the preamp.
And now I have no choice! there is no volume control offered. I am running the Ypsilon preamp and love the sound mated with the Esoteric. It clearly helped the D-02 balance out and I liked the darker overall presentation.
With the D1/P1 I am very satisfied with no filters using the ES-Link 4 HDMI protocol. The music just flows through these machines. Overall much more resolution than the D-02. I always felt that the D-02 was as good as it gets with retrieving detail. Finding the information on any format and playback was really good, but better with some stuff than others. When I got the Ypsilon preamp in line, that was as good as I had in my system, but Redbook didn't have the texture and resolution that the D1s provide. The D1s are great all around as any DAC I have heard, though I have not heard many of the top rated ones, I just don't feel like I am for loss, and can concentrate on other parts of my system to match the strengths of these babies. They may not be for everyone, but I would bet that more listeners would be happy with these Esoterics, and that may not of been the case in the past. For me they excel at everything Esoteric is known for, and they do well what they were not known for with the D1s. Best of dynamics, great detail, top of the line resolution, ultra super quiet noise floor... music arrives from nowhere, effortess flow, extremely smooth and incredibly lifelike presentation. I have not experienced any of that glare or occasional brightness, that plagued my K-01, just delightful, satisfying music! |
Hi G, In a conversation with an Esoteric Exec. , he thought the processing needed for the new protocol was an issue/conflict with the volume control, though no one in Japan had substantiated that remark, he believed it to be true. I see or hear your point, one less component, one less set of cables, one less power supply, etc. Simplicity has its strengths, espiecally in HiFi. But, in my case with the Esoteric stuff, I had a better listening experience through the preamps, both the Esoteric C-02 & Ypsilon. Soundstage is much more natural with the Ypsilon in line, and as I stated a couple posts ago, the Ypsilon has a calming affect on the digital, although with the P1/D1 I hear none of the brightness or lack of weight with CDs that I heard with the K-01 espiecally. The Esoterics I had in the past were all excellent with SACDs, and the X-01 was great with multi channel, but at times CDs were lean and lacked the weight that so far has been one of the remarkable qualities of this player! |
Hey G, You are right. I believe Esoteric is aligning themselves as a disc player/USB DAC combo player, with disc playing still being the main focus. I believe they will leave Integra to deal with the fluxuations in mainstream marketing with convienence and features being the focus.
After listening through the P1/D1 for almost 3 months now, there is no question in my mind that this is a Disc player, and an expectitional one at that, far exceeding any of my past experiences with other players.
As you say, time will tell if that is enough for further research and development of the future replacements for these awesome machines! |
Hey Guys, Trying out for rent clock set-up, so far like the results. The G-01 is very flexible with outputs, and I am auditioning the 10Mhz outputs. It brings everything into sharp focus, and really puts performers in the room. I will keep you posted!
Tom |
Where is everyone, Summertime is not so good for blogging forums I guess. Will a couple of significant differences in the presentation after 4 months. I know I am repeating myself, but the Redbook performance of this rig is substantially better than anything else I have heard. I was listening to a 30 year old Copy of Rhyming Simon. This disk has always sounded anemic and soft, Paul Simon very forward, everything else just there. This rig brings it to life as good as I think it could possibly be. Usually the albums of these old CDs blow away the CD, in this case everything snaps into place, and without the problems associated with a thirty-five year old album. Of course I could buy new vinyl, but that is what the P1/D1 does so good. And think I saved $30.00 ! Pretty cool, hah! Just think, with every CD this rig resurrects I save $30.00, in 20000 playbacks the rig will have paid for itself! |
Hey Zephyr, It has been tough, I have many projects coming to a close and hope to get to more serious listening before RMAF and a local dealer party coming up soon. Looking into making the break from the Salons and at very least hearing some new canidates.
As for clocking, I have been pleased with both 10Mhz and 22Mhz, but am still listening in 10Mhz, so I guess that says something. Also, I have purchased 50ohm adapters for the cable inputs on the clock. It makes no sense to me to build a system around 50ohm outputs, of which I need 3 and there are only 2, and have only 75 ohm inputs on the equipment. Anyway, I need some time with the adapters in line to know more, I have barely listened to music in 6 weeks.
Keep you posted and will give you a call Mark!
Tom |
