Metrum Acoustics Pavane or ESOTERIC N-05 or ESOTERIC K-05X?

Hi audioabc,

Yes, the N-05 is indeed a pleasant surprise to me too. I would never have expected that Esoteric has improved the sound and the usb implementation to such an extent as to render the K-01 so deficient in comparison to the N-05. The new generation AK chip, improved power supply and analog output stages certainly all play a part in this improvement.

As to the awards list, you may be right about there being no category for network player/dac but the N-05 is srill very new, being launched after the K-X player series.

If your music collection is mostly cd’s, then the K-05X is the better choice. But if you intend to build up your hires library, then the N-05 with its robust usb implementation is preferred.

As I have now ripped my entire cd library to flac, I find the N-05 via USB beats cd’s spinning in the transport of the K-01.

Rgds. J.

Hi goergelofi & mitch2
Thank you for your recommendation and advice. Dac FORMULA is off course good at everything but the price! Its price is over my budget.

Hi jon0202

I prefer N-05 to K-05X because of my hires library (in 3TB). I am wating for the reply from an authorised seller in Japan.

You use Esoteric K-01 as transport and N-05 as external DAC? Wow! Your combo is too luxurious for me to dream of! Congrats!

Rgds.

Hi audioabc,

I actually sold the K-01 for the N-05 and have stopped spinning discs since ripping all of them to flac. Now I play all my music, both hires and redbook, via usb from a computer.

As you already have a large hires collection, the obvious choice is indeed the N-05. Keep us posted of your experience with the N-05 when you have got it.

I will be happy to share my experience with the various upsampling / filter settings together with the usb set-up for optimal sound quality. :)

Regards. J.

I use the cheaper
 with a Meridan player as a transport and sounds very good.