MORE Esoteric problems


Hi all, I posted an issue with Esoteric CD players a couple of years ago. I bought a UX-3SE from an eBay seller. It skipped all CD's. I called Esoteric. ALL SACD players with the "U" model numbers need to go to Japan because that's where the alignment jig is. $2500.00 at that time JUST for the shipping back and forth. I returned the player to the seller naturally. An Asian gentleman working at TAP electronics told me at that time that the models with the "X" can all be repaired in California. Great I said. I bought an Esoteric X-01. A great player! Now it doesn't read SACD's. I sent it to TAP last week. A follow up call from TAP gave me the dreaded news that NOW the X-01 needs to go to Japan for the jig alignment procedure. WHAT! They did reduce the transportation cost to $1600.00. And this is for shipping only. I think that the audio community needs to send Esoteric a message and boycott ALL Esoteric products. BTW, it's not just their CD players that are required to make the trip to Japan if repairs are needed. I understand that certain models of preamp and integrated amps fall under this requirement as well. How can a company such as Esoteric not do better for the consumer?
128x128jnovak

jnovak

Thank You for the update. Do you have a repair/service invoice from TAP?  Keep us posted on the whole CD/SACD playback capability.


Happy Listening!

So, did it go back to Japan, or did TAP mysteriously repair it?  I ask because I posted this on the Esoteric forum at Audio 
All Tap charged me was a basic service fee plus shipping. With the shipping that I paid included, I'm out of pocket about $350.00 It did not go back to Japan. I'll keep you all posted. PLEASE keep this thread going here and everywhere else. Esoteric needs to fix an obvious problem. Joe
Perhaps look at it this way. Your older Esoteric player can still be worked on, there are still parts available for it...and there is a US group that does most of this work. That is a whole LOT more than a lot of other folks can say about their experiences with digital gear that offers none of the above...and is now essentially a ‘boat anchor’. 
daveyf, you must have read my mind! I had just picked up a replacement CD player in anticipation of selling my Esoteric. It is a perfect wave transport and a PS Audio NuWave Dac. It pales in comparison to the Esoteric! Thinking about it, does a new buyer of an Esoteric CD player care about servicing the player 15 years down the road? Probably not. Anyone willing to shell out $13,000 for a cd player is going to trade it in at maybe eight years or so. Does Esoteric feel obligated to maintain their players for 2nd or 3rd generation owners? Probably not. So. right now I'm in limbo. Maybe I'll have to bite the bullet and let TAP send it back to Japan one day. Right now it's working great. I was somewhat troubled by the information given to me by TAP. I'm not sure that they did ANYTHING to my player beyond a cleaning by means of a cleaning disc. That's another conversation though and only a gut feeling on my part. Can anyone recommend a CD player they feel equals the Esoteric? Thank you. Joe