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Esoteric K01: What are the best settings for CD?

The Esoteric K01 has several up-conversion and filter options for CD play-back. Unfortunately, each up-conversion option and each filter option requires approximately 500 hours of 'break-in' to sound it's best. I have owned the Esoteric K01 since it's release. It is a superb SACD and CD player. I have 'broken in' some but not all filter and up-conversion settings. I am still unable to decide which combination I like best. I am currently using S_DLY1 (for digital filter) and 2Fs (for up conversion). I would like to know what settings other Esoteric K01 owners like best. It would be helpful if If you can explain why those settings sound better to you than other combinations. I wonder which settings the experts at Esoteric/Teac would recommend?
matjet
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
401 posts
 
Dgarreston. Use a Harmonic Technology Magic power cord that filters all 3 areas of AC, you won't feel the same. I have 2 of them, thought of selling them, tried several others, pulled my ad and I am keeping the HT cords. There is no equal for front end gear.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Jon2020 has reported significantly enhanced DAC performance on K-01 by installing the new USB drivers... Suspects that fixpack might include updated DAC firmware. See:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1412493000&openusid&zzGuidocorona&4&&
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
401 posts
 
After using my K-01 for a year now. I found the best setting for most music is no up sampling (org). With filter set to Sdyl-2. Sound has so much depth, tone, color, transparent with 3D presence. I was rather shocked at the improvement. I never liked this setting when new, funny my Dealer told me back then this was the best and it was how he showed the unit. Of course room and speakers can have a huge impact, but now my K-01 is in a league of its own in any format. 


aardvarkbark
11 posts
 
I've finally settled on 2X upsampling and FIR 2 filter for the mostly acoustic jazz and classical I listen to on redbook CDs.  Greater upsampling results in a blingy, too forward piano, and SDLY filters seem to add a veil similar to what Dolby did on my cassette deck in the 70s.
phillyb's avatar
phillyb
401 posts
 
You have to let each filter burn in. When I would a/b a setting against the FIR and Org. Setting and i did not like it, like you say a film and bloated. I went to SDYL-2 with Org. As my dealer strongly suggested when I purchased it and gave it a few days and all of a sudden it sounded real good now after a month I cannot go back. Good as any sound system I’ve owned vinyl or digital. Every recordings sounds correct, the artist right in the room 3D. Natural with great color and tone. Does it sound like vinyl, does it sound like stereotypical digital no, it sounds like music and like all forms of reproduction it sounds as good as the recording. My test is to sit in the next room from my system and listen, if I am fooled to thinking I am hearing a session next door, I know it is real good system, only a few times I’ve experienced that in my system or another audiophile system. One was vinyl the other 2 digital CD systems.
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