Esoteric announces new model Grandioso N1 network player

B

brodricj

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2017
Messages
1,941
Location
Australia
This is interesting, N1 has 2 x connector for external DC power supply. The question for me is whether N1 + PS1 is as good as N1T + D1XSE.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2025-09-13 at 09.33.13.png
    Screen Shot 2025-09-13 at 09.33.13.png
    168.8 KB · Views: 4
So essentially an updated Grandioso version of the N-01XD SE? On the surface, a very appealing offering. The SQ of the new DAC will be the real key. Would love to see a reasonably priced single box partnering SACD transport.
 
Last edited:
brodricj said:
I've asked Esoteric many times now when P1XSE solo will be released but they are not saying. You'd think it would be a trivial exercise for them to do a single box SACD transport in Grandioso or K series..
Click to expand...
Yeah. I'm not a $50K SACD transport guy. For me the DAC is where the value is. An SACD transport, Grandioso or not, needs a substantially lower price tag. Otherwise, a CD transport may have to do in a mixed marriage with an N1. Or maybe just use a K-05XD as a transport.
 
GSOphile said:
Yeah. I'm not a $50K SACD transport guy. For me the DAC is where the value is. An SACD transport, Grandioso or not, needs a substantially lower price tag. Otherwise, a CD transport may have to do in a mixed marriage with an N1. Or maybe just use a K-05XD as a transport.
Click to expand...
I will not buy another SACD transport. If I got a good offer for my Grandioso SACD transport I would sell it and not replace it. The G4 network module in the Grandioso network transport is so good I hardly ever use the SACD transport any more. And when I do use it it's only to relieve the guilt feeling of having such an expensive box sitting there taking up two rack shelves doing not much other than playing eye candy. The Grandioso N1 with next generation G2 DAC + PS1 might be cheaper and actually sound better than N1T + D1XSE.
 
Esoteric says that in most systems you would not be able to pick any differences when comparing N1 vs N1T + D1XSE. N1 + PS1 would be a compelling choice, and cheaper than the flagship combination.
Yesterday I attended an audiophile get-together where the N1T + D1X was pitched against the Wadax studio player. The Esoteric combination was more detailed and holographic sounding than the Wadax, but it was close. Except when the Esoteric was connected to an external SSD nothing touches it. The Esoteric flies in an orbit all by itself when playing from external USB drives. Wadax does not support external USD drives, however as a single box streamer the Wadax was good. The Esoteric combo was clocked to a 10 MHz master clock generator. We tried to clock the Wadax but couldn't get it to work. I suspect there might be something proprietary going on here and only the Wadax clock is supported by the Wadax studio player. We tried 44.1kHz, 48kHz and 10 MHz with the Wadax and none worked.
 
Hello folks, I decided to register here as I have ordered an N1 + PS1 power supply. I have the C1X Solo as my preamp and also the E-02 phono stage so I'm already an esoteric fanboy. I had auditioned the K1X + PS1 in my system and really loved what I heard but was hesitant to pull the trigger as all my CDs are ripped to my Innuos Zen Mini and felt that I'd be paying for what would be a superfluous feature. Luckily the N1 got announced and I jumped at the opportunity.

As others have speculated I too wonder if the N1 represents the best that Esoteric offers vis-a-vis digital considering the next gen DAC + other enhancements. Regardless it should be a big improvement over what I'm using currently and no doubt be a perfect match with the C1X Solo. Hoping that the sound melds detail, attack and clarity with an analog naturalness.

Also a question regarding power cables: Considering the PS1 does the heavy lifting (taking over the D/A and buffer feeds) relegating the power supply in the N1 to just the network engine and digital circuit is it fair to assume that only the PS1 needs a high quality power cable and something more modest can be used on the N1? I ask as initially I'll be feeding both with Shunyata Venom NR-10 power cables but would consider upgrading to a Sigma-X for the PS1 but not for the N1 as that would be too much.

Cheers.
 
Gazza13 said:
Hello folks, I decided to register here as I have ordered an N1 + PS1 power supply.

Also a question regarding power cables....
Click to expand...
The only thing that will beat the N1 + PS1 is the N1T + D1XSE. And then only in the most revealing of hi-end systems. As I mentioned, according to Esoteric in most systems they will sound identical. And as for power cables, you really should be looking at the discontinued Shunyata Delta V2 NR or better (both cables the same). However I would qualify that by saying don't throw money at anything more expensive than a Delta V2 without first buying a Waversa EXT-LAN Reference isolator. The Waversa will yield more of an improvement than any power cable, or even the PS1. It is the best value bang for the buck money can buy.
 
brodricj said:
The only thing that will beat the N1 + PS1 is the N1T + D1XSE. And then only in the most revealing of hi-end systems. As I mentioned, according to Esoteric in most systems they will sound identical. And as for power cables, you really should be looking at the discontinued Shunyata Delta V2 NR or better (both cables the same). However I would qualify that by saying don't throw money at anything more expensive than a Delta V2 without first buying a Waversa EXT-LAN Reference isolator. The Waversa will yield more of an improvement than any power cable, or even the PS1. It is the best value bang for the buck money can buy.
Click to expand...

Cheers. The Waversea looks interesting but as I already have a network filter with the Network Acoustics Eno2 I don't plan to replace it anytime soon, even if there's improvements to be had.
 
Gazza13, welcome!

I replaced a Shunyata Alpha NR V2 PC on my K-01XD with an Alpha-X PC. BIG uplift in performance in every way - bass, dynamics, tone, detail, sound stage. If you can afford an N1, please don't kneecap it by skimping on PCs. (I'm also a C1X solo guy!)

Looking forward to hearing you comment on your new N1.
 
Last edited:
GSOphile said:
Gazza13, welcome!

I replaced a Shunyata Alpha NR V2 PC on my K-01XD with an Alpha-X PC. BIG uplift in performance in every way - bass, dynamics, tone, detail, sound stage. If you can afford an N1, please don't kneecap it by skimping on PCs. (I'm also a C1X solo guy!)

Looking forward to hearing you comment on your new N1.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Good to see a fellow C1X Solo owner. And trust me, I don't believe on skimping on PCs having recently added a Sigma-X to the Solo. Just hoping to avoid over spending.
 
Just a brief note on the C1X solo used with some Esoteric DACs: After break-in I found Esoteric's proprietary ESLA link protocol (over standard XLR interconnects) between the solo and the K-01XD to be a significant improvement over the standard XLR link protocol.
 
Last edited:
broderick, interesting. I have what I believe to be pretty good XLR interconnects between the solo and my K-01XD. Do you use the ESLA feature in your Grandioso stack?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top