Esoteric K-03: What Experience Have You Had with This SACD/CD Player?

Moose68Bash

Big bucks, but is it worth it?

I'm contemplating giving my daughter one of my CA Azur 840Cs and trying to move up to something much better, if the price is within reach. The Esoteric K-03 seems to be one possibility.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

zingo

Jeff (Bikerboy) has an Esoteric player, but it's a little older and not high dollar like that one; I'm sure he'd be willing to share some opinions.

Would you get one new or used?

Moose68Bash

zingo wrote: »

Jeff (Bikerboy) has an Esoteric player, but it's a little older and not high dollar like that one; I'm sure he'd be willing to share some opinions.

Would you get one new or used?

First, I'll look for the best deal I can get on a new one.
If that doesn't work, I'll look for a demo unit with a good price.
If that doesn't work, I'll look for a recently traded-in unit from a reputable dealer.
If that doesn't work, I'll wait patiently for a used unit that appears to be a safe bet at a good price.

BlueFox

Over on Audio Aficiando the owners love them, and the K-01. Basically, it is three excellent components in one; a CDP, an SACD, and a DAC. That is how you rationalize the price.

dorokusai

I have heard Esoteric gear @ CES when the line came out and it was amazing. The next combination player they introduced stunk but the recent models are solid again. For that kind of money, you have quite a few choices so don't keep out Cary Audio and Wadia, which are my personal reco's. Good luck.

Moose68Bash

dorokusai wrote: »

I have heard Esoteric gear @ CES when the line came out and it was amazing. The next combination player they introduced stunk but the recent models are solid again. For that kind of money, you have quite a few choices so don't keep out Cary Audio and Wadia, which are my personal reco's. Good luck.

Thank you. I'll check them out, too.

BlueFox

As an FYI, Wadia no longer makes CD/SACD players. They are concentrating on digital files.

AsSiMiLaTeD

The Oppo 105 is a great player

Moose68Bash

Guys,

Am I missing something, or have both Cary Audio and Wadia stopped producing SACd/CD players? Neither web site now lists SACD/CD players among current products, as far as I can tell. They both seem to be going to DACs processing data from other forms of digital storage devices, not CD transports.

cstmar01

I own Esoteric and love my CDP. I had originally looked at Wadia and wouldn't mind trying them out however seeing they don't really focus on the players much would just be more concerned if something went wrong.

BlueFox

Moose68Bash wrote: »

Guys,

Am I missing something, or have both Cary Audio and Wadia stopped producing SACd/CD players? Neither web site now lists SACD/CD players among current products, as far as I can tell. They both seem to be going to DACs processing data from other forms of digital storage devices, not CD transports.

I don't know about Cary, but I mentioned in post 7 that Wadia has stopped dealing with physical disk players, and is concentrating on digital files. You can expect this to happen with more and more manufacturers as time goes on.

Moose68Bash

Right, BlueFox, I read that in your post, and I was just noting that Cary Audio seems to have followed Wadia in the same strategy. It seems those of us who want to upgrade our SACD/CD players better find the upgrade path before the players are obsoleted by all manufacturers. Thanks for your input.

It really makes me wonder where this is all going: On the one hand, many folks are turning back to vinyl. On the other, CDs are being obsoleted by "pure" digital transmission.

Moose68Bash

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

The Oppo 105 is a great player

I'm looking into this option seriously, now. I've slowed down on the Esoteric, Wadia and Cary possibilities in part because of the prices, even for used and demo units, but also because it really does seem that we are at or are approaching an inflection point in the technology that will dominate the next generation of digital music reproduction, distribution, and playback.

My question now is whether the Oppo BDP-105 would be an improvement over the CA Azur 840C in sound quality? I appreciate its versatility, but will it give me better sonic rendering? The BDP-105 may be a good "interim" option while we see where the technology moves next. I can either buy the BDP-105 for my daughter or give her one of my Azur 840C units. Or, I can buy a used, demo or whatever 840C for her to use.

I know this is a question of taste, but I would be grateful for any opinions.

Thank you.

Moose68Bash

Currently, there is a K-03 on Audigon for a pretty good discount over new ($6,700 v. $11,650); two years old.

Any thoughts?

F1nut

That would be a major step up.

tonyb

Hmmm....how do you go from the Cambridge to OPPO then to a Esoteric 7 grand cdp ? Imho....7 g's could buy one hell of a set up in digital over a cdp.

Heck, for 7 g's....you could buy the OPPO and still have 6 g's left over for a kick **** digital/streaming set up.

Moose68Bash

tonyb wrote: »

Hmmm....how do you go from the Cambridge to OPPO then to a Esoteric 7 grand cdp ? Imho....7 g's could buy one hell of a set up in digital over a cdp.

Heck, for 7 g's....you could buy the OPPO and still have 6 g's left over for a kick **** digital/streaming set up.

tonyb,

My quandary is one that I suspect a lot of folks are experiencing now: I have, say, 400-500 CDs, many of which I seldom play and several of which I return to time and time again. I've ripped my favorites to my iMac as AIFF files and loaded them on to my iPod Classic, which I use for playback of background music during physical therapy, for example. Over the last year or so, I've learned that SACDs do sound better, even in a standard CD player, like my CA 840Cs. As a result, I've developed a "hankering" for a good SACD player to hear what my SACDs really can do.

On the other hand, I realize that technology is evolving and evolving pretty quickly toward digital storage, distribution and playback. I also understand that high resolution formats for downloading are becoming more readily available. I currently do not have the equipment to download and playback these formats. I know that, sooner or later, I shall have to figure out what equipment I need and how to use it. Meanwhile, I still want to get the best from my CDs and SACDs.

I'm interested in the Esoteric K-03 because I believe it will be the last CD/SACD player I'll ever need, because it is about as good as it gets. But if it is not that much better than the OPPO BDP-105, I don't want to spend $5,000-$6,000 on the K-03. I agree that the money would be much better spent on new digital storage and playback equipment. But what equipment to buy?

As far as I can tell, this equipment is still on the "bleeding edge," and I've been in the computer industry where I developed a healthy avoidance of bleeding edge technology. Sony's entrance into the hi-res arena indicates that the technology is maturing, but is Sony's offering any good? What are the reasonable alternatives in the $5,000 range?

Sorry for the prolonged rumination, but that's where I am -- in a quandary.

Phil

BlueFox

From reading other forums, not actual experience, there are two big advantages to the Esoteric K-03, and K-01. First, it has a rock solid transport. This is both critical for getting the digital file off the CD, and it is rare in most CD players. Generally, "good enough" is what most players use for a transport. Second, the K-03 has an excellent DAC that is accessible with a digital input for use with other sources, such a music server. If the DAC will handle up to 192/24 then it is good for years to come.

Since the K-03 handles excellent,
1. SACD playback
2. CD playback
3. External digital sources to DAC

then 6K appears reasonable. Especially when you consider equal separate components, along with quality power cords and digital interconnects, will easily cost that, or more.

The drawback is you are locked into a single box so you might be reluctant to, for example, add a better DAC at some point in the future.

For me, the key factor would be how often I want to play an SACD.

xsmi

I don't know if you saw this, Says it's new!

http://app.audiogon.com/listings/cd-sacd-players-esoteric-k-07-cd-sacd-player-with-usb-input-new-with-full-warranty-2014-03-21-digital-01060

Moose68Bash

Thanks, xsmi.

I had seen it, and I have had some prior dealings -- very satisfactory -- with spearitsound.com. I was considering it along with the K-03, which now is not listed on Audiogon. Somebody must have purchased it.

So, more time to ruminate! C'est la vie!

BlueFox, thank you for your very helpful explanation. I think you may be wise in suggesting that going with the "single box" at this point may prove to be limiting in the future.

F1nut

Should have bought the 03.

Moose68Bash

F1nut wrote: »

Should have bought the 03.

Yeah.

Rub it in!!!!!!

Moose68Bash

My ruminations have sent me down another path to explore: PS Audio's DirectStream DAC, likely with their transport. With the Wi-fi bridge option, it sounds like this combination may capture the wave of the future.

Has anybody else been looking at this equipment?

F1nut

It doesn't play SACD's or DSD files.

Moose68Bash

F1nut wrote: »

It doesn't play SACD's or DSD files.

The transport doesn't read SACDs, but the new DirectStream DAC is pure DSD -- unless I'm not understanding the marketing information about it. It "unifies all inputs (PCM or DSD) at 10 x DSD, then uses a true single-bit double-rate DSD core engine" to convert to analogue output.

Of course, I don't know what this means for the most part, and I may well be falling for marketing hype.

But this DAC appears to allow input from virtually all sources I would likely use -- transport, iPod, computer, external hard drive, network -- in a wide variety of formats, including DSD.

It seems like the "future" to me.

It's not clear (to me) what it would do to an incoming signal from an SACD.

As usual, I am exposing my ignorance -- or, rather, the shallowness of my understanding of the technical aspects of this hobby!

Moose68Bash

Well, after all my ruminations and the advice I have received -- especially from BlueFox -- I purchased a demo "set" of PS Audio devices, including an MKII DAC, PerfectWave Transport, and WiFi Bridge.

I know, "No, pics, it didn't happen!" Pictures later. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to configure and locate this new equipment.

So far, however, I can say as I'm giving the units a "test drive," I'm hearing a lot better sound, which I'll describe later. For now, let me say my wife just walked through the room where the temporary set up is playing, and she started dancing, rather than just walking. A great sign!!!

This set up gives me a good transport -- physically not the best -- but the "memory" feature strikes me as a very effective approach to ensuring that the signal read off the CD is as near perfect as possible.

It also gives me a first-rate DAC, albeit an prior generation technology vis a vis the DirectStream DAC PS Audio is now introducing, and which I see as a reasonable approach to the future of digital recording,distribution and playback in hi-res formats.

Finally, PS Audio generally offers very good upgrade paths and trade-in allowances.

Oh, and I think I also got a good deal on these units! :-)

Oldfatdogs

Congratulations on the new goods,I hope they work well in your setup.

Dan

Moose68Bash

Thanks, Dan.

Sounding good right now. Bringing out the beauty in remaster/compilation of some classic Itzhak Perlman pieces compiled on the CD "Rhapsody."

The PerfectWave DAC digs out the detail and richness of the recording in a way the Cambridge Audio Azur 840C didn't.

Sumerian

Congrats !!!

Let us know your opinion once you get your hands on it.

I was also looking for the same DAC until i came across Direct Stream.
waiting on some reviews for the new Direct Stream.
Supposedly it will upscale everything to DSD.

BlueFox

Moose68Bash wrote: »

Well, after all my ruminations and the advice I have received -- especially from BlueFox -- I purchased a demo "set" of PS Audio devices, including an MKII DAC, PerfectWave Transport, and WiFi Bridge.

Hey! Don't blame me.

Congratulations.

Moose68Bash

Sumerian wrote: »

Congrats !!!

Let us know your opinion once you get your hands on it.

I was also looking for the same DAC until i came across Direct Stream.
waiting on some reviews for the new Direct Stream.
Supposedly it will upscale everything to DSD.

Thanks.

I'm also aiming for the DirectStream if it proves to be as good as they say it is. I'm counting on the PS Audio trade in program to let me convince myself that by buying these three pieces for what I paid for them, if I trade in the PerfectWave MKII DAC, I'll be getting a significant discount.

Ain'r rationalizing fun when it comes to buying this stuff? :~)