Esoteric P03 - D03


Hi all,

I currently own an Esoteric X01-D2. I'v recently been offered a very good! deal from my dealer to trade this for a stock P03-D03 distributor wants to get out. I was no expected as I was really shopping for an analog extension to my system. So I have accepted.

I was very happy with my X01, although I think it was actually better (in relative terms) with red book CDs than with SACDs, contrary to what magazines say. However, given I'm basically buying at second hand price for a new unit, and returning the X01 at a very good price, I decided to go ahead.

AS said I was happy with the X01-D2. Reasons for change, basically 2: Flexibility of a separates, specially allowing me to use DACs digital input with my streaming mod transporter, if desired. It can also handle higher saple downloads than the transporters DAC.

Of course, a gain in overall quality. Specially when it comes to SACDs, but also to CDs, given the D03-P03 working together flexibility and configuration alternatives. I've read a lot about how good this 2 together are, but have not had any direct feedback.

Regarding this last point, a question: I've been told by my dealer that Esoteric importer says the best way to connect these 2 is new Esoteric i-link cable. I don't think I want to go this way, but have no experience. Not only the cable has to be very expensive... but from reading the manual, digital XLR seems the way to go. I-link seems to be more oriented to multichannel, which I don't really care for in this se up. Any suggestions? How are you, other P03-D03 owners doing this connections and what are your experiences on it? Also, any direct experience among these 2 units. What areas of improvement should I expect, in your own experience, compared to the X01-D2?

Thanks
Eli
eelii08

Showing 1 response by fplanner2010

I'm arriving a bit late to this thread, but I have directly compared the 7N D6100R Mexcel Acrolink digital cable with the SR D-3 in my system between Esoteric Transport(UX-1Pi with an original UX-1 assembly) and 32-bit DAC. This was done in December 2008 and is in more detail on my system site (pt 1).

As I said in the system discussion, I would have been quite happy with the Mexcel cable, had I not heard the D-3. In my system, the D-3 was more involving and created a much deeper soundstage with better layering front to back of both voices and instruments. It should be noted that I have an all-SR system, so there was undoubtedly a bit of "synergy" (sorry...) going on. The differences between the cables was not subtle - in my system, the SR D-3 is world-class. YMMV
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1&ctg&3&&