*NEW* Esoteric N-05XD
- Thread starter Mike
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Mr Peabody
Well-known member
I would add if your friend was not using a section of the N05xd the networking and preamp section can be turned off. In my case I just use the DAC section and this is how I configured mine.
Jambo
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- Feb 19, 2016
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Thanks, I’ll let him know, but I’m fairly sure he’s using it as a Streamer, Pre and of course the dac as well.
Cheers
hi, seeking advice here.
Just recently i am not able to play from tidal connect any thing at 24bits. Wonder if any one is having the same issue.
Am using N-05xd, I’m on network 191, I/f2.02, M 11050200, fpga 0209. Tried in vain to update the main unit firmware to 2.15. It keep saying missing DFU. i can't play songs like this from tidal connect https://tidal.com/browse/track/407600702/u
Just recently i am not able to play from tidal connect any thing at 24bits. Wonder if any one is having the same issue.
Am using N-05xd, I’m on network 191, I/f2.02, M 11050200, fpga 0209. Tried in vain to update the main unit firmware to 2.15. It keep saying missing DFU. i can't play songs like this from tidal connect https://tidal.com/browse/track/407600702/u
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
I'm not having that issue but I use an Aurender into the N05xd DAC. There's a thread here on an issue with a recent Esoteric update you might want to read to see if applicable.
Welcome to the site.
Please retest it and see if it can be played now.
schmidtmike76
Member
I have this unit on order upgrading from a Moon 390 into a 760A power amp. Out of curiosity the felt feet that come with has anyone tried carbon fiber feet or racks vs the felt alone.
For those that have heard it or own it what are your thoughts about it with hours on it. I haven’t heard a bad word about it on the net anywhere. I’m curious how the 760 amp will match with it.
For those that have heard it or own it what are your thoughts about it with hours on it. I haven’t heard a bad word about it on the net anywhere. I’m curious how the 760 amp will match with it.
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
I can't remember where I read it, probably the Esoteric website, the feet are specially designed, I'd have to double check memory serves it either says not to or insinuates not to change them. I got the impression they were sufficient. I've never messed with mine.
Hard to say what synergy would be with your amp. The unit has a long break in time. I may have gave an estimate somewhere on this thread I don't remember how many hours.
Once broke in the sound is excellent. The unit doesn't sound bad out of the box the sound does evolve though in a positive manner. IMO the sound is quick and neutral yet easy to listen to. Much of the overall sound will depend on the rest of the system. Using the N05xd as a preamp I found the sound very open and airy. I still prefer having my Levinson as a preamp, however, I'd say the N05xd preamp section is on par or better with other units in its price.
schmidtmike76
Member
Thank you for that extensive reply. It’s greatly appreciated.. I’m purely a metal head and I quite like my system open airy and transparent. I like picking out every detail so I’m thinking I’m gonna be very happy with this set up.. all Siltech for cables except my ethernet cable, which is a wire world starlight 10. The red one.
Yes. No difference at all (for those Esoteric models which I am familiar with - and note, some models don't come with felt pads).
Just spotted this thread about a product I have on a short-list of streamer preamps.
Pity about the grotty front panel screen. Is it realy a monochrome text-only display with no album artwork? If so, can it squirt album artwork artwork or other information onto a connected TV? I don't think so with no HDMI socket. Can one see what music a classical radio station is playing for example?
I think for these reasons alone, I'll continue looking elsewhere - unless the Esoteric has a trick up its sleeve that I've missed. Thanks
Pity about the grotty front panel screen. Is it realy a monochrome text-only display with no album artwork? If so, can it squirt album artwork artwork or other information onto a connected TV? I don't think so with no HDMI socket. Can one see what music a classical radio station is playing for example?
I think for these reasons alone, I'll continue looking elsewhere - unless the Esoteric has a trick up its sleeve that I've missed. Thanks
Artwork and album information etc appears in the Sounstream app interface. You don't need these things on the device display.
ok, go look somewhere else
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
My first priority would be sound quality, the N05xd is so much better than anything NAD has you'd only hurt yourself by not having it on the to buy list. Entirely higher level of performance.
Agree fully about sound quality as first priority but there are now many excellent streamer preamps around and features that the user enjoys is a factor to consider. I've not heard the Esoteric, but it's good to find someone who owns it.
What control app do you use and how user-friendly is it?
Can you operate the Esoteric without an app running - either from a good remote or front panel controls?
How do you know what's playing without an app running?
Have you compared it with the Mark Levinson 519? I note you are a ML user too
The Auralic Vega G2.2, Lumin P1 and maybe the Grimm Audio MU2 that includes a Roon Core for control without extra Roon hardware, are also possibilities.
The NAD M66 has lots of features including Dirac Live and DLBC that none of the others offer, although I'm not a fan of "room correction" DSP as it doesn't ever correct the room! It can only mess with the nice accurate signal in an attempt to compensate for ills that should be corrected by other means in my opinion! Thanks
1. Soundstream App. Spotify Connect App. Qobuz Connect App. Etc.
2. Yes
3. You can't.
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
* I only use the N05xd as a DAC. I use the ACS10to stream with their Conductor ap. I did try the built-in streamer I really can't remember much about the ap. Any ap new to you will have a learning curve. Once familiar you should be good.
FWIW, my take there are preamps with a DAC like my 526, then you have DAC's with preamp capability. I have tried the preamp section of the N05xd and it is surprisingly quite good. I still prefer the 526 for preamp duty. There's a thread here on the P1.
Well wishes on your search.
Wow, so the streamer and preamp sections are not used? A costly DAC.
I would certainly want to use all 3 elements - streamer, DAC and preamp - and would need the package to perform exceptionally well. I am using the NAD M66 at present, but it's not sound quality that's letting it down, but features that were present in my M33 that have mysteriously vanished from the further up-market M66. Why NAD are doing this is annoying to the extent I'm considering jumping ship to another brand.
The problem is finding a very good sound from a unit that offers the features I'm looking for. Perhaps the forthcoming NAD M33 V2 will be an overal improvement over the already exceptional M33 V1 that I still have. The V2 has an even better DAC than the one in V1 or M66 - the ESS Sabre ES9039PRO. I'm familiar and like the BluOS control app, particularly as it's available on all 4 main platforms, so no need for Roon.
Does the Aurender ACS10 also play CDs as well as ripping them? A while ago, I was looking for a single unit that would play or rip CDs and store FLAC files on internal twin 4 TB drives with streamer included too. Rare as hen's teeth, but I found this in the NAD M50.2. Now my collection of 1500 or so CDs are ripped and I have a streamer in the M66 (and M33), the M50.2 is now rather redundent and for sale. My music library is now held on a portable SSD drive connected to the M33 or M66 via USB and it works perfectly.
So what features are you looking for? Just about everything out there now runs at least Spotify Connect and Qobuz Connect and sounds OK. In terms of sound and features N-05XD would be hard to beat for its MSRP. Bladelius ASK Integrated with the optional network module is another that comes to mind as a very good sounding streamer. I have the N1T/D1X combo yet I often run the Bladelius even though I have the option of the far more expensive Esoteric simply because it sounds so good. Although the Bladelius does not support Qobuz Connect.