Any experience with the Esoteric UX-1

Lbsilver:

You seem to enjoy the Ayre player. If SACD and DVD-A interest you, why not just get the new Ayre Universal unit.
You can keep your present unit for video. I have listened to Ayre amps, preamp, and CD player at my local audio shop. I liked what I heard. I am going to speculate here:

The Esoteric unit will have a leaner more analytical sound than the Ayre. The Eosteric is not hard or bright sounding, but probably less warm. This is the type of sound I prefer.

Steve

The Ayre player only has digital audio output. When you say that Ayre is much better than Esoteric, what D/A converter did you run it through? I really doubt it was head and shoulders above the Esoteric X-01.

I did a heads up comparison on SACD and Redbook between the UX-1 and the MF KW SACD Player ($7K) and the MF was much more musical, IMO. THe UX-1 was more detailed-- for example, I listened to a 1960's recording of Stravinsky conducting his own Rite of Spring on SACD. Through the UX-1 I became aware of the sound of the valves on the woodwinds clicking while played. Going back to the MF, I heard the same sounds, but only after the UX-1 pointed them out.

The MF got a better sense of space and scale, while the UX-1 was drier in sound. I definitely preferred the MF, but it only plays redbook and SACD.

Electronics were Pathos tube monoblocks and preamp into Dali Full-Range floorstanders. Sound was breathtaking.

I moved to a UX-1 from a DV-50s (which I enjoyed very much...); the UX-1 is a great player with a video section that blew my ISF engineer away out of the box. I hear the X-01 has better CD/SACD performance (the UX-1 kicks ass on DVD-A) however, Esoteric just announced an upgrade which I'm planning to pay for to the UX-1 Limited Edition modifications...

If you do home theater, DVD-A as well as CD/SACE, I'd suggest the UX-1 Limited Edition.

Good luck!