Esoteric N-01XD

Awesome Mike!

My borrowed Esoteric K01XD should be here tomorrow. I can’t wait. I’m excited to compare it to my memory of the MSB Discrete.

This is going to be fun.

Ritmo said:
I have been using the Esoteric app in addition to the Lumin. Pretty much the same. Easy to navigate.

The N-01XD is an outstanding piece. Very quiet. Detail presentation is remarkable. It is not the analytical and sterile sound of some Esoteric Players-DACs from the past. It’s a very complete player thus far.

More listening this evening...
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joeinid said:
Awesome Mike!

My borrowed Esoteric K01XD should be here tomorrow. I can’t wait. I’m excited to compare it to my memory of the MSB Discrete.

This is going to be fun.
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Hi Joe,

Isn’t the K01XD a lot more money than the MSB Discrete?

Ken
 
Alpinist said:
Hi Joe,

Isn’t the K01XD a lot more money than the MSB Discrete?

Ken
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Hi Ken,

Yes it is more money. A fairly significant increase in fact. My curiosity is extremely high. I was never a fan of early Esoteric players and dacs. Mike says the new XD series is a different ballgame. I still have a bunch of CDs plus it has dac inputs. If it’s as good as everyone says, I’ll spend the extra but the only other piece I’m thinking about besides the Discrete or an Esoteric is the Luxman D10x.

I think the Discrete, at its price point, makes more sense for me. I’m able to use the K01xd for a few months so I’m definitely going to make the most of it.

Exciting times.
 
joeinid said:
Hi Ken,

Yes it is more money. A fairly significant increase in fact. My curiosity is extremely high. I was never a fan of early Esoteric players and dacs. Mike says the new XD series is a different ballgame. I still have a bunch of CDs plus it has dac inputs. If it’s as good as everyone says, I’ll spend the extra but the only other piece I’m thinking about besides the Discrete or an Esoteric is the Luxman D10x.

I think the Discrete, at its price point, makes more sense for me. I’m able to use the K01xd for a few months so I’m definitely going to make the most of it.

Exciting times.
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Hi Joe,

The Esoteric sound really changed starting with the Grandioso K1. Much more musical but some detail was sacrificed. The XD Series appears to have addressed this effectively. The Premier would be the more appropriate comparison. At any rate, enjoy your time with the K01XD!

Ken
 
Thanks Ken. It’s more of an experiment than anything else.

The Premier is out of reach, I’m pretty sure. Once the K01xd settles down and breaks in, I’ll have a better idea of what to do. My Avantgarde are pretty revealing as it is so I’m not looking for more detail, if that makes sense.
 
joeinid said:
Thanks Ken. It’s more of an experiment than anything else.

The Premier is out of reach, I’m pretty sure. Once the K01xd settles down and breaks in, I’ll have a better idea of what to do. My Avantgarde are pretty revealing as it is so I’m not looking for more detail, if that makes sense.
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Any consideration given to the DP-750?
 
dznutz said:
Any consideration given to the DP-750?
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Actually, that could be great too. It’ll be interesting to hear the Esoteric. I’ll probably have that until the end of the year. Then I’ll need to make some decisions.
 
Looks like Esoteric is doing something right. Can’t wait to hear their new player.
 
joeinid said:
Looks like Esoteric is doing something right. Can’t wait to hear their new player.
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I would agree. Much like Magico, Esoteric continually moves forward to improve their sound quality. Next to MSB, Esoteric are my favorite digital source components. Their transports are second to none. Hopefully they will offer an upgrade path going forward.

Ken
 
Question. When Roon Ready gets certified for N01XD, does it mean you can run Roon core on it and control Roon with a tablet or phone? In other words, devices like Nucleus or Innous is no longer needed?

I’ll also be very interested in N01XD vs. MSB Premier.
 
kzhtoo said:
Question. When Roon Ready gets certified for N01XD, does it mean you can run Roon core on it and control Roon with a tablet or phone? In other words, devices like Nucleus or Innous is no longer needed?

I’ll also be very interested in N01XD vs. MSB Premier.
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No, you will still need something to run Roon Core. The N-01XD also features a USB input, so someone could use a Lumin U1/U1 mini and the Lumin software or Aurender with the Aurender software.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
Just said good bye to the Esoteric N-01XD today. Mike was kind enough to let be try this server at home for 6 days.

The N-01XD is one heck of a digital server - DAC. The component is beautiful with a minimalist and symmetrical design. It’s very well built and weights in at 58 lbs - watch your back!

As I mentioned in my first post, I was able to set it up quickly (less than 5 minutes). The N-01XD has tremendous flexibility as it has plenty of digital inputs so not only is it a server it can also be used as a DAC by adding a CD transport (which I didn’t try but would consider if bought one). I was able to use my Lumin L1 NAS without any issues. The Esoteric app is a almost identical to the Lumin - so easy to use!

In terms of sonic performance, it is a sensational component. The stage, the detail, fast, ultra quiet, with a full presentation. It is a special piece.

It’s at the top of my list when the time comes to replace the X1.
 
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