New Esoteric P02 D02

Might analog output voltage be a user selectable seting? Have you tried to poke around the settings menu? G.

Guido is probably right as usual.
I would like to share my experience with my Esoteric K-01 and I believe it applies to the D-03 too. If you go to settings, and toggle through to "Analog Output" you have a choice of 0dB or +6dB. Try the +6dB and see if this improves things. If not, you are better off with a high quality analog preamp. I have found the +6 dB setting changes the sound. Although you get more gain, but strangely enough, as the volume increases, the sound gets congested or constricted, and the soundstage collapses. So, I got a good analog preamp and everything just falls into place very nicely after that.
Cheers! J.

Hey Dr joe, What are you using for cables? Are you using the balanced outputs? Something doesn't sound right, the C-03x should be a perfect match for that combo!

On page 16 of the C-03X manual, there is a section on adjusting the output level from -18 to +18dB in 0.5dB increments.

I don't know which version of the D-03 I have but since it came out in late 2006/early 2007, I think it is the one with higher voltages on the XLR outputs.

Regardless of anything else, as with all Esoteric gear I've owned, the XLR path sounds the best with absolute certainty. Furthermore, dual AES is definitely the way to go versus RCA, digital link or single XLR.

I had my D-03 set to 0db for its output modification level BUT per Mark Gurvey's advice, set my C-03 preamp to +12db which he told me the guys in Japan had found was an optimal setting. This combination worked very well for me and I've still got the C-03 configured this way with my D-02 with great results...