esoteric products

zephyr24069 and dgarretson,

Thank you for the replies much appreciated. I have read up on the K-01X and the filter settings for both CD and SACD. There are two different audiophile sites I regularly post on and zephyr you are also on it, as I have read your posts. ;) Yes, Ivan got me jumping on it due to the price and immediate availability. I will definitely use them all and find my own settings. I am so waiting to hear this unit setup in my system. I also anticipate the long break in for the different filter settings. I have read on those other sites that a few owners like the SLDY2 setting. I owned an Ayre CX-7e that had two filter settings. Is the SLDY2 favored by some due to a smoother roll off?

No offense to the Oppo owners as I am one also, but the Oppo is a good SACD/CD player that has shown some benefits from a good upgraded power cord and the right cable XLR or RCA interconnect to sound it’s very best! My opinion for the record. I know that the Oppo BDP-105 can be a bit more forward sounding and labeled "bright" in it’s presentation to some upon first listening. It is actually bringing out detail that may sound harsh in some owners systems. I briefly had an Audio Research Reference CD 9 player in my system to compare CD playback between the Oppo and the Audio Research and there was no comparison between the two. The ARC CD 9 was much warmer and more analog sounding and had wider and deeper soundstaging most likely due to the tube section. The issue is it cannot play back other formats, it is CD only. I have been in contact with a new Esoteric K-01X owner who had the CD 9 previously and explained away my concern of the K-01X regarding midrange comparisons. If all goes as scheduled, the unit should be here on Friday! ;)

You are very welcome...Esoteric just further added to all of our audiophile nervosa :-) factor by debuting a Grandioso K1 as yet another new product to lust after potentially!

Dgarretson: +1 on your comments about a 10 Mhz master clock to input into the K-01X. It does not seem to have a 50-ohm input on it for 10 Mhz so the SRS is a great, low phase-noise choice. The Cybershaft clocks I happen to like have the right specs, low phase noise, etc...as well but they are 50-ohm output devices.  I believe the Esoteric G-01 and Grandioso G1 clocks (the latter to hit our shores soon from what Ivan/others say) are also contenders.

They just debuted a new line of integrated amps, Grandioso F1, F-03A, F-05 and F-07 plus a new limited edition customized black case version of the K-01X (BR), K-03X (BR) and F-03A (BR) for their 30th anniversary out of Japan with availability in other countries reported to be a bit later this year. 

I would say this company under the new owners is very alive and well.

Statman,

DV/SA- 60 player was my listening experience. The SACD playback crushed its CD playback.

Thanks Jafant much appreciated. I have about 200 hours on the unit now. In comparison to SACD vs CD, Yes SACD depending on the disc sounds fantastic. I also have some CD's that sound very good on the K-01X! It appears they advanced the playback capability of both formats. I am still hearing instruments and "air" in voices that were never heard in my prior setup with the Oppo BDP-105. They sound so naturally clean and crisp with the ability to actually "hear" the lyrics on the songs without reading the accompanied lyrics often on the booklet . I never experienced a more wide and deep soundstage reproduction. I had read on the other forums from other owners about the wide presentation, but to hear it in person is a mind blowing experience! 

Statman/aka Sharp 1080