Esoteric X-01 Limited or new D-03/P-03

Guidocorona,
the noise is caused by the two ball bearings. Meanwhile i am specialist in ball bearings :-)
The history of the ball bearings based Esoteric drives is the following:
After I had the P-01 transport at home, pressed the "on" knob I was near to get a heart attac: a loud noise which becomes more aggressive the faster it runs. I opened the P-01 and all was clear: I had overwiewed that two ball bearings were used to construct the drive. I tried to decrease the noise with felt etc. but nothing helps. The transport mechanism was rigidly screwed with the whole p-01 housing. The whole housing radiates the noise. The Japanese technician told me by mail: Send it back to us, we will update it. The noise will be reduced !!
My P-01 contained normal steel ball bearings without any grease in. Meanwhile they use in the P03 ball bearings made of ceramic and filled with grease. The noise of the p03 is let say 10-20% of the former p01. But i could hear it on my place 2,5m away from the spkrs.
All users should know: All! ball bearings make noise, without exception, otherwise the balls cannot move!
I could sell my P01 back. The whole P01 desaster costs me 6250 $ loss. After I had have the P03´s noise in my room I never will touch an Esoteric drive.

Guidocorona,
there is only one possibility to kill the noise, hearable at our listening chairs:
The Esoteric people have to isolate !! the drive mechanism from the housing. Until now they do the opposite thing: They screw all metallic parts together.
But think into the details about noise: noise is always caused by vibrations. About that it is absolutely clear that the drive mechanism vibrates. And these (very small) amplitudes one can hear in the sound: in some regions the Esoteric sound is always cool digitalistic.

My X01 limited is dead quiet.

David

Thank you Dittersdorf, how many hours of playback did you put on the P01/D01 before sending it back?

Guidocorona,
I know what you mean, but noisy ballbearings are ones from the first day to their dead in 20 or 40 or whatelse years. The noise will be generated by their ball rattling into their steel houses.
Believe me I loved the sound of the P-01. But I could not accept the noise. My former player was a loudless! Accuphase DP 77. The P-01 I got, was not a brand new one. It was some month in action at the dealers show room.

To define "loudless": The Philips drive is specified with:
33 dB; microphone in 10 cm (= 4") distance; angle 90 degrees; room noise less than 20 dB.
I cannot hear anything with my ear in approx. 4" distance to the closed transport (closed by a 5mm thick Plexiglass. That is -for me- loudless.