esoteric x-05 player

First of all, just relax. It may take a few hundred hours to break in fully.

Second, if the Esoteric is like my Wadia, whenever it's powered up, it will take around 24 hours for the components inside to warm up and stablize.

You probably aren't to a point where you can tell anything about the X-05 yet. Give it a few weeks. Run a CD through it on repeat and just listen to the Lector while it's breaking in.

Chuck

Icorem, having owned several Esoteric players, DV-50, X-03SE and currently an SA-50 I can tell you with a high degree of certainty that if you love the smoothness of the Lector (which I think is a very good player) you are likely to be disappointed with the Esoteric. The Esoteric has much different "sound" goals vs. the Lector.

Personally, I prefer the sound of Esoteric over the warmer sound of the Lector (or Audio Aero Capitole and other "warmish" sound digital players). It seems based on your other equipment (pass labs, Lector) that if you still feel the Esoteric is too detailed for you, then this may not be the best player/brand for you.

I'd give it a bit more time to break in, but in the end, I just doubt you get the warmth you want.

But also, I would suggest possibly the room treatments you have considered already. Your hardwood floor and bare walls are probably adding to your feeling of need to warm things up.

Will a tube DAC warm up the Esoteric? Sure and there are a lot of different ones that will do this. But is this really the best approach to reach your goals? I can't answer this with certainty, but I would have to suggest not.

Just stick a cd in it and hit the repeat all button... come back in a month.

Regarding your system, wouldn't it sound better if you put those amps near the back wall and brought your speakers out into the room?

I had an X-05 in my system for 6 months. The sound never changed, IMO. I just couldn't make it work, but that's my opinion. I would definitely give it a month and see if it improves to your liking.