Brodricj,
To understand more, None of their 1 box players, even the k1 or the latest k-xs series has esl hdmi connections. Sorry, Esoteric products range is truly fragmented into distinct ranges currently.
To be fair, the xs uncoporates a toned down xlr ESLink which will allow data above 24/96 to the appropriate dacs. Try hooking that up to a P1 transport. It. cannot work apart from using USB connections, obsoleting all the technological marvels of outputs designed for the P1.
I considered the N01 to play as a dac to my K01x at one point.
No ESLink meaning the Sacd transport would become redundant in my K01x. Ludicrous!!!
The D02x was long in tooth in the dac chip it used.
So, basically Esoteric felt their 1 box players where not up to the standard to deserve linking to their flagship D1 range with a very similar transport mechanism employed in both. Again, pure nonsense.
The D1, never heard it but for that amount of investment, technologically dac chip wise has been left far behind and a replacement was inevitable based on how Esoteric designed their dacs. I am certain it still sounds fantastic.
I was forced to start looking at the Msb dacs, Apart I felt the Select was just too much of a luxury. I like Cavair and champagne, but more often than not, a nice Wagyu burger and beer get me off more often than not.
As such, the price of the Select had just too much premium in it.
I of course would go for the Femto 33, it could be slaved to a front end short of I guess the Msb transport because it requires a signal telling what frequency to output. It doesn't work for streaming with files of different sample rates.
The clock specs is unquestionable, but at 44k and 48k, it it basically a Toyota sedan priced as a Posche. My choice was that I was not falling into this trap.
Esoteric has woken up?
Well, the partial reasons I see in the D1x has been their wakeup call and deserves a chance.
What so good about it?
1. True implementation of Mqa. It states the P1x can play mqa discs and be decoded by the D1x.
If for any reason, they limit is via USB connection to the D1x and not implement it for all the output connecting to dac. To all that read this post, is Esoteric design is a failure it the digital world, and possibly won't be around long to keep up with the changes and I will pony up for the Msb, they then deserve every bit of premium.
2.A discrete dac supporting what, 64bits, meaning software updates and theoretically cannot and will not be outdated even in 5 years time with updates.
Unless, we see cd' or streaming with double the highest resolution then. This will not happen, CD has a limited bandwidth way below the specs in the D1x.
It will be a new era where a new format has been introduced successfully and it is time to change the D1x for a totally new era.
3.The output stage has been fitted with their top preamp output stage.
It can be upgraded easily to whatever significant technology advances then, but again the output stage is highly subjective and more a matter of choice what and how to implement it. There are no real significant advancements in this area for the past 10 years. Its an analogue design anyway.
A new opamp, say a muses 04 will not steer me to an upgrade unless it is a replacement board which can been easily done as the power supplies are more than sufficient to accommodate any upgrades here.
A new chassis made by aluminium adopted from their Atlas transport. That is more marketing hype, I expect at least a titanium chassis to be of a worthy upgrade.
So there what is lacking besides a lack of remote to control the inputs. My legs will easily solve this issue by walking that few meters to push a button, that's fine.
So based on my analysis of this player, Esoteric has stepped up.
Looking at it, they will focus their efforts in ditching AKM chips which is a very welcomed move and focus R&D to slowing trickle down starting with the D02x and finally down the whole range within the next change in product cycle.
The D1x being the initiation of this new direction, deservedly will be taken care of for more than the typical 5 years change in product cycle.
This will end the problem with them implementung a AK4999 in the D1x and when a AK 5000 will has already been developed and priming for production and marketing in the next year or two.
Use this chip for the whatever, k01xs, k1, N1 and D02x replacements in 2 years time? What will one do? Esoteric should rightly dump the prices of the theoretical D1x with the AK4999 below the pricing of the new offering as this is a player which is outdated and personally a disgrace to have it as a flagship using a old chip design.
This will then earn my respect because the top model now is fit for "a due for replacement" note in their website.
Upgrades will want the latest technology.
The only way it that the it can remain a flagship is to market to say, the new dac chips development cannot surpass what we use in the vastly superior sounding dac using yesterday's technology.
Diaclaimer: AKM has outdone themselves with the AK4999 in the pinnacle of dac designs and will raise the prices for this dac chip.
All new offerings made after the AK4999 will be halted and AKM will focus to solely produce the AK4999 for the next 5 years as we have and cannot find any new technically way to improve our flagship chip which surpasses sonically any of our engineers can design.
A big retrenchment in AKM looming?
I guess full merit should still given to modular design dacs. But small pcb board replacements is not that difficult.
Sorry for the long winded thoughts of mine, but I believe their new dac is destined to be keeper for some time to come!
With these points, I have thus placed my renewed faith in the Esoteric products which I have voted with my wallet.
Not so much opinions of whatever products, Money talks, I guess.
, however the bass is not over-emphasized/exaggerated at all. That may have been cable choice for