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  1. #1
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    Esoteric K-01X in studio system

    Yesterday the new Esoteric K-01X arrived and is now installed in the studio sound system. It replaces an Esoteric K-03 that is now serving my living room system. The K-01X is a gorgeous machine, not unlike its older sibling. It's heavier, too. I am excited to have the Esoteric K-01X SACD/CD/DAC in my studio two channel system. She is a beauty for sure.





    I had given strong consideration to the possibility of going with a DAC only arrangement in the studio system. The main contenders were the new Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC Reference Series 2 and the EMM Labs DA2. Ultimately it came down to how I use the sound system. I like to spin SACD's and having the option to spin friends CD's. A DAC only option would have eliminated a particular source I consider important. Once I made the decision to maintain a transport in my sound system there was only one other single box choice on my list, the Esoteric K-01X.





    I placed the new K-01X on Stillpoints Ultra Mini's in the same location where the K-03 had been so that I could continue to have the Aurender N10 Music server reside on top of it. I like the way those two components look in close proximity. I wound up listening to the N10/K-01X until 3:00 AM last night. Even right out of the box the Esoteric K-01X sounds remarkable. I left it playing with the Aurender N10 on repeat and it now has approximately 25 hours on it. I plan to continue this break-in process for several hundred hours, switching between all of the upsampling and filter settings, as well as using the transport for CD's and SACD's. I am familiar with the two K-03's I broke in so I am prepared for the K-01X to blossom like a rare orchid as the hours are logged. At this moment the K-01X sounds impressive but the future will deliver more as the break-in hours accumulate. I can already hear improvements I like but will wait until the player has "matured" with several hundred hours of use before focusing a critical ear on its performance.


    Dan

    STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital coax,
    Sonos Connect, Stillpoints Ultra SS & Ultra Mini, PurePower 2000, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario

    LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205 Signal Sleuth, Sonos Connect, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable,
    Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD40 w/m505A tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Stillpoints Ultra Mini, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113

    VINTAGE - McIntosh 4300V, McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, JBL 4312A

  2. #2
    Audioshark
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    Re: Esoteric K-01X in studio system

    Congrats Dan. K-01x is awesome in any system. I love mine. Sometimes you just want to spin a CD - especially when you don't have patience at the moment to "rip". It looks beautiful next to the Aurender N10. A real one-two digital punch.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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    "We can hear everything we measure, but we can't measure everything we hear. Let your ears be your guide."

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  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Re: Esoteric K-01X in studio system

    Mike.......Thank you. You had me seriously considering the Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC Reference Series 2 but I kept coming back to knowing I would miss the transport. The K-01X strikes me as a comfortable balance between the best of both worlds. I hadn't given much thought to how long I owned the K-03 that's now in the living room system but it was purchased in December 2012. That was a fast 50 months between that purchase and the new K-01X. The second Esoteric K-03 I recently sold to Tom (MtnHam) was 44 months old with barley 400 hours on it. Time sure flies by when you're having fun.
    Dan

    STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital coax,
    Sonos Connect, Stillpoints Ultra SS & Ultra Mini, PurePower 2000, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario

    LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205 Signal Sleuth, Sonos Connect, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable,
    Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD40 w/m505A tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Stillpoints Ultra Mini, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113

    VINTAGE - McIntosh 4300V, McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, JBL 4312A

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    Re: Esoteric K-01X in studio system

    Here I am enjoying the K-01X last night. It how has 64.5 hours on it. The break-in continues.


    Dan

    STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital coax,
    Sonos Connect, Stillpoints Ultra SS & Ultra Mini, PurePower 2000, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario

    LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205 Signal Sleuth, Sonos Connect, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable,
    Sony DAT 60ES, Nakamichi BX-300, Micro Seiki DD40 w/m505A tonearm, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Stillpoints Ultra Mini, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113

    VINTAGE - McIntosh 4300V, McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, JBL 4312A

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Esoteric K-01X in studio system

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