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In Reply to: RE: Esoteric K-03, X03SE or McIntosh MCD 500 posted by Dr.Phil on December 22, 2013 at 19:44:32
Well I do not know if you have tube mac or not but I use tubes (leben/cj)and stats (ML Summit) and the I bought a used X03SE (seller was going to the new K01) to replace a Sony 777. The Sony was fine but I got tired of no disc errors and wanted something quote unquote reliable. Did my due diligence and was hoping the esoteric sounded at least as good as the Sony. Whew what a relief. My buddy also owned a 777 and wanted to compare so I brought it over and he had it in his system (cary tubes and big Maggies) and ended up with the K03.
I think the Esoterics are great machines. Not a bang for the buck type but worth the price of admission to me. Been rock solid reliable and a very enjoyable purchase.
Happy listening.
Follow Ups:
The system I plan to use the K-03 In. All solid state and decided upon by the musical ability of each.Preamp Marantz Reference S2, power amp McIntosh MC402, speakers Quad ESL 63 totally rebuilt including power supply by Electrostatic Solutions.
PJB
Edits: 12/24/13
The K03 is wonderful.
What do you like about it so much?
Mine will arrive Thursday.
PJB
Sounds very natural, beautifully made. One of the best I have heard at any price.
Esoteric K-03 player costs in the UK £11,495 ,incredibly according to one review the transport is audible when playing. some owners say it is too bright, having listened to earlier Esoteric models this stereo only obese player would not interest me at any price. Audition before purchase.
Edits: 01/01/14 01/01/14 01/01/14
The only better player I heard is the new DCS Vivaldi, again very natural
The K03 is not bright it is well balanced and controlled.
The drawing mechanism makes no noise it runs ultra smoothly
And yes the best is never the cheapest, but this is the norm for everything
The price in the UK seems obscene
you better move in another country that does not charge 20% VAT
dCs prices are also obscene another brand that is of absolutely no interest to me .
It appears that you have never heard a well setup mch system if you had you would probably not buy a stereo only player. TAS says re Esoteric K-03 RB CD not as good as other players but SACD very good. Anyway Merry Xmas to all.
Edits: 12/25/13 12/25/13 12/25/13
While they cost more they at least give you the quality and reliability for what you are paying for. Many smaller companies who build their own players with OEM parts always seem to have issues. This is why I stay with the Major Japanese made players.
Like the Sony, Marantz, Esoteric, Luxman, Accuphase. Denon and Yamaha. The few US made ones I've owned none ever play without issues on a yearly basis.
PJB
Any owners care to give me any suggestions once I receive it. I don't have 2,200 hours in a year to break it in. So some real word advise.
PJB
Other owners suggestions are meaningless, how it sounds to you in your listening room is all that counts. After say approx.150 hours burn in, it is unlikely that the sound will improve. I wasted 750 hours trying to burn in a obese Marantz SA7-S1 that got rave reviews but I did not find it gave as Quad coined the 'closest approach to the original sound' compared to far cheaper players.
Edits: 01/02/14 01/02/14
Thanks for your input. 150 I can see but those who have wrote 2,100 or so I find it hard to believe. I mean what for the 1st six months you just let in play 24/7? I fully understand the power supply breaking in with use and other components. But one guy wrote 700 per filter setting, and with each output XLR or RCA, so if you switched then that output would need 700 hours. I know burn-in happens, but who is going to run their unit a month non stop per filter, not have much time to listen I'll tell ya! LOL
PJB
Will be interested to know how you find the Esoteric after 150 hours.
Arrived safely. One heavy unit and it looks good. Running the burn-in disc that Esoteric includes. I can say from my first X-03SE I owned this unit is by far better right out of the box.
PJB
Never mind how it looks, how does the sound compare with another obese player the Marantz SA7-S1 ?
I found the SA7 very enjoyable. The K-03 sounds wonderful also. I let it settle in before get my take on it. With all the filters I am sure it can sound anyway I find enjoyable.
PJB
I owned an X03SE but could never get it to work to my satisfaction. The soundstage was impressive but I could never relax fully listening to it. There was always something I didn't like. More about sound than music. Ended up selling it. Maybe it was a question of synergy. Certainly one of the most beautiful piece of equipment I've owned, it set a standard for build quality. At least with those you know where your money goes. Part of me misses it.
JB
Edits: 12/23/13
No worries, everybody hears things differently and no problems if it didn 't float your boat.
When I purchased mine used was worried it was just going to be nice looking and reliable. Was very relieved when it sounded great to me. I have a few years with it and it is a definite keeper for me. I got to enjoy sitting in front of it in another system that made for some great evenings of music. My friend is digital only and much more involved in how sacd/cd sounds through his system. It passed his test and he got a K03 so it is nice to know your not the only lunatic in town.
I much prefer my vinyl rig over ANY digital system I have experienced and use my esoteric when the brew kicks in or I am in a lazy mood.
I had a Sony 333, Sony 777, and now the Esoteric. I could live with any of them truth be told and can certainly rationalize why many would not go with an Esoteric. I started digital late with a Nakamichi CD2 and did not upgrade for decades until I scored a Sony 333. (I was starry eyed at some sacd demos) The Sony slayed and I mean destroyed the Nak in redbook as well and I was flat assed amazed as I thought digital could not sound THAT different. Since the 333 it has been incremental advancements and although my X03SE is better it is not a OMG type of difference that the sony did to the nak. My friend has a oppo player and a cheap 8 watt SET with homebrewed horns and that system sounds killer good. However having a TAD driver with custom wood horn can sure cover a lot of sins in my book. He did borrow my Esoteric at one point and I did not come over and hear it when he had it but he stated it was much superior to his Oppo.
I just responded to the post as (a): I have direct experience with 2 of the 3 players (never heard a Marantz). (b): I also have heard the Esoteric in a different system and (c): the poster and I have similar tastes with his listing of gear.
I'm not a background listener and have a dedicated music room and listen for hours without tv, computer, or other distractions. I have an awful lot of rock both redbook and sacd, classical, folk, and blues through the Esoteric and just posted as I believe the X03SE was easily worth the money (used for this kid no way I am buying any Esoteric retail) and the build quality is evident and makes for pride of ownership. I love mine and wanted to show a little Esoteric love on the post.
Merry Christmas and happy listening.
Steel head you said it nicely. Having owned both vinyl and digital they have the toss ups at list with the SA7. To me it is not the format but the mastering, each adds it's own sound. I've heard LP rigs sound brighter that my CD player due to choice of arm/cartridge. Where Digital throws people is the evenness of it but done right and setup with as much care as turntable it is very good also.
All the CD bashing is to promote PC audio knowing full well the boomers are becoming fewer and fewer, then promote vinyl again which should never had stopped in the 80's But the same mags, promoted digital CD, and had many great reviews on players and records that raved about the sound, now of course boo to CD's, well I beg to differ. I own a few thousand of them and I have no plans to start rebuying them again as down loads, and having heard burned copies of CD's and PC audio I really am not sold at all. I sound like Mickey raving against digital...LOL To me if you have so many great recordings then buy a good CD player and enjoy them. I am looking forward to the K-03. I made my mind up. Will I miss the SA7, only time will tell.
PJB
Gotta agree.
I have vinyl here that is pathetic and digital that is glorious. However on average vinyl here has more lifelike dimensionality in my room. The highest fidelity at my shack is with vinyl. The background is close to digital black as I have vac holddown and excellent isolation. To be fair I also spent a lot more on my vinyl setup. The low output coils I use can really unravel the high frequencies and vinyl is my normal go to. I am not a total Luddite as I would like to tangle with J. Elison over on vinyl but I can't as I reached the same conclusion he did as the vinyl I rip to cd on my Alesis masterlink I do not think I could tell apart when I spin it in my Esoteric (and I have tried to do this screwing around).
In any event I have digital that I totally enjoy and can live with for the long haul. Congratulations on your K03 and if it sounds as good as I heard it frequently at my friends (he spent serious coin from a Esoteric dealer in NY who took it back from a buyer who moved up to K01-which is ironic as my X03SE score was a guy doing the same damn thing. (Which makes me think I would like someone to haul a K01 over here and throw it in the mix).
Congratulations on your K03 and I will be very interested in your reaction to it down the road. Please post here or through inmate mail after you get it spinning.
Merry Christmas and happy listening.
Steelhead great points! What caught my attention:
I reached the same conclusion he did as the vinyl I rip to cd on my Alesis masterlink I do not think I could tell apart when I spin it in my Esoteric (and I have tried to do this screwing around).
This above shows that a CD player can sound as good as the vinyl when ripped and played back properly. The issue is then back to how well the CD was mastered. I've heard the same story before with vinyl lovers who have stared to convert their LP's.
So it seems that digital can be most enjoyable as I have found having many of my CD's sound better than my old vinyl and those do had great care taking in the mastering from the master tape. But many are not mastered to the high quality that audiophiles systems demand, but the same CD's sound great in the car audio and mid-to cheap systems.
LP's or 24/192, SHM, Blu-Ray,or SACD formats cannot change crap into a enjoyable listening experience.
PJB
Never missed my obese SA7-S1 nor did the guy I sold it to. I also own hundreds of cd's & sacd's and will never go to downloads,however I no longer play my collection of LP's very happy with mch SACD & BD , Stereo only folks do not realise what they are missing, the fault of reviewers who promote the absurd ITU 5.1 setup which for me is both impractical and unlistenable
Edits: 12/24/13
I can understand how you feel. But the beauty of life is we each have our own things that we enjoy. Glad you enjoy what you have. That should be the point of this hobby. Find what you like then enjoy it and then stop reading all the reviews on new gear which is designed for one thing, and that is to get you to buy something new. I heard system 30 years ago that sounded wonderful, and not as many today, I wonder why.
PJB
I also heard wonderful systems 30 years ago or more however
there are far better ones now.
Edits: 12/24/13 12/24/13
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