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Esoteric Grandioso P1/D1

Hello, wanted to start a thread on the new flagship Esoteric Grandioso P1 D1 digital system. Haven't seen any out there and also there is not much information on the web either. Just a couple of reviews and that is about it.

Idea is to share experiences and knowledge on this digital playback system from owners, people that has listened to it, with first hand experience for whatever reason, or just for those who may be interested to ask questions as potential future owners...

If you are reading this, you probably know the system is composed of 4 pieces: A transport, the power unit of transport, and 2 mono DACs for each channel.

Additionally, you can use (and I do recommend it to a great extend) the clock G01, so overall a 5 pieces system.

This digital replaces the old 01 which has been in the market for a long time and brings new interesting features it will be nice to discuss in depth.

Some are quite new or at least not seen before in high end audio like the use of a proprietary transfer protocol (ES-LINK 4) using HDMI cables.

it allows direct DSD and 352.8kHz/48bit PCM ultrawideband digital transmission using an HDMI cable for each DAC.

http://www.esoteric.jp/products/esoteric/p1d1/indexe.html

But most importantly, to discuss it's music reproduction qualities and different configurations and experinces.

Despite being out there for a while already, I can't understand why there hasn't been much said about them. I guess Esoteric should expend a bit in adds to get the atention of the pro audio publications... :-)

Anyway, I have these for less then a month, and despite having very little hours on them, they are quite something. However they are still evolving so will wait on my side a while still to talk in detail about the sound.

Hope this thread is of use and helps owners, potential ones, and others gather and share lots of information.

Thanks
Eli
eelii08
eelii08 OP
169 posts
 
Interesting. I think they went for simplicity to achieve the purest sound possible here. Not only taking out the volume; If you go the recommended way in connecting them, ES LINK 4 using HDMI, the options available in terms of up sampling, filters and the like are very limited.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hi Colekat, I am confident that Esoteric engineering/marketing had a very carefully reasoned process that led them to omit volume control in their latest DAC designs. Whether their decision optimizes the long term success of the product line, or causes an eventual flexing of highest end market-share instead, only future will tell.

Guido
onestaudio's avatar
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onestaudio
143 posts
 
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!
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
Interesting thread. I've decided to just muddle by with my P02/D02 and see where the market is around CES time. I have a rubidium clock but don't have it in the system due to spatial constraints. Not even thinking about how to squeeze a 4-box source into my new rack. :-)

If Esoteric brings the new P01/D01 to RMAF this fall, I will definitely give it a listen. Without hearing the new pieces, I struggle with the concept of spending lots more money to marginally improve upon the existing performance of my p02/D02. My best option, if I like what I hear at RMAF, is to get the pieces into my system and see how they sound. I am also a bit concerned about Esoteric now being run by a mid-fi company, but that's another issue for another thread...
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Harve, in fairness, Teac was never born as a consumer audio high end company either.... Its bread and butter consumer audio products were lower to barely mid-fi at best, before they gradually opened up with Esoteric offerings.

Thus, I am not too concerned with Integra's past... Though its future in the high end is still unclear and requires some corroboration.

G.
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