Esoteric K-03X Runin RCA & XLR Outputs Separately?

I am finding that there is some glare and harshness listening with the XLR cable.

If by any chance you have performed the comparison with the RCA and the XLR cables both connected at the same time, I would re-do it with only one of the two pairs of cables connected at a time. While I suspect that in this particular unit the RCA and XLR outputs are driven from separate and independent output stages (which is often not the case with lesser designs), it is still conceivable that things like ground loop effects could occur with both cables connected simultaneously that could affect the sonics of whichever is being listened to.

Also, of course, be sure that the equipment returns to a full state of warmup after being turned off when the cables are changed.

Finally, keep in mind that the comparison you are making involves not only differences between the cables, but also differences between the balanced and unbalanced receiver circuits in the preamp or other component the K-03X is driving, and between the balanced and unbalanced driver circuits in the K-03X.

Regards,
-- Al

My Esoteric KO3x is fully broken in. i started with RCAs and moved to a higher XLRs and i am not going back

The XLR is the way to go.

Turn on 4X upsampling and S_dly2 filter... Give the player 500 hours of further break-in. You should experience the hardness to disappear, while sound will gain stage, solidity, imaging, frequency extension, and musicality.

If this setting were not warm enough for you, switch to S_dly1.

G.

Guido's feedback is dead-on, those are the best filter settings. More warmth, try S_dly1...