2. digital
  3. 1141770702

Esoteric X-01 Limited or new D-03/P-03

I’m torn between a new X-01 Limited or the new D-03/P-03 combo. If I went with the D-03/P-03 combo, I would start off with the D-03 and add the P-03 later on. The X-01 uses the tried and true Burr Brown 1704 Dacs and converts DSD to 88.2 kHz PCM. The D-03 on the other hand uses Analog Devices AD1955 Dacs and can do the following: DSD>DSD, PCM>DSD, and PCM>PCM (upsampled) and not sure about DSD>PCM. The P-03 utilizes the latest VRDS-Neo transport although there are probably not many differences to the one used in the X-01 Limited.

Even though the X-01 was just updated to “Limited” status, it is still an older based product, whereas the D-03/P-03 was just released to the U.S. market at CES 2006 where it received some very positive press.

Any thoughts, comments, or more information are welcome.
Thank you.
cdw57
dittersdorf
7 posts
 
Guidocorona,
there is only one possibility to kill the noise, hearable at our listening chairs:
The Esoteric people have to isolate !! the drive mechanism from the housing. Until now they do the opposite thing: They screw all metallic parts together.
But think into the details about noise: noise is always caused by vibrations. About that it is absolutely clear that the drive mechanism vibrates. And these (very small) amplitudes one can hear in the sound: in some regions the Esoteric sound is always cool digitalistic.
deshapiro
177 posts
 
My X01 limited is dead quiet.

David
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Thank you Dittersdorf, how many hours of playback did you put on the P01/D01 before sending it back?
dittersdorf
7 posts
 
Guidocorona,
I know what you mean, but noisy ballbearings are ones from the first day to their dead in 20 or 40 or whatelse years. The noise will be generated by their ball rattling into their steel houses.
Believe me I loved the sound of the P-01. But I could not accept the noise. My former player was a loudless! Accuphase DP 77. The P-01 I got, was not a brand new one. It was some month in action at the dealers show room.

To define "loudless": The Philips drive is specified with:
33 dB; microphone in 10 cm (= 4") distance; angle 90 degrees; room noise less than 20 dB.
I cannot hear anything with my ear in approx. 4" distance to the closed transport (closed by a 5mm thick Plexiglass. That is -for me- loudless.
dittersdorf
7 posts
 
Dear Deshapiro,
be glad about your noiseless X-01 limited.
If my former P-01 were noiseless I would have been a happy Esoteric fan. But the Japanese Esoteric Technical Support Manager told me: Yes we have problems (at the customers) with the ball bearings noise. We work hard to solve the problems. We can reduce (but not kill) the noise by using "filled" ball bearings.
regards Dittersdorf
More to discover