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Esoteric CD player to buy, please help

I am about to pull a triger on Esoteric cd player. I decided on the Esoteric becuase of their transport, realabilty and sound quality. I chose two models in their line: new x-05 and x-03se. But I cant decide whcih one to get. I do not have a way to demo them both so I have to count on somebody's opinion. I listen only red book cds. Which one do you think should I get. May be you had an opportunity to demo both. Does anybody out threre had a chance to listent new x-05?
Please advise and help. I am buying for a long time and do not want to make a wrong choice.

My system is

Antique Sound Lab Flora DT tube pre-amp.
Plinius SA-201 solid-state 250 watt amplifier.
Speakers: Usher 8571MK2
Interconnects: Acrolink 2070
Speaker cables: Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun
Power cables: Vh Audio Airsines
System runs from 2 (front end and amplifier) 20amp dedicated lines.
Thank you. Gregory.
denon1
denon1 OP
343 posts
 
I have to bump it up. Is anybody out there who had a chance to hear both or new esoteric x-05? Please share your opinion.
Thanks.
ras422
182 posts
 
I have the xo3se and couldn't be happier--great cdp --just takes time to break in and as I have recently added better ic's pwr cords and new speaker cable the quality of the sound continues to climb --it is easy to blame one componet for something without first realizing that it was the pwr cord or downstream effect that was the root problem --great cdp can't go wrong with it --I believe it is the sweet spot in their line-up --rich
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Denon1, if you do not mind buying 2nd hand, you may spend more or less the same on a used TEAC X-01 Limited. . . more heavy duty than X-03SE or the 05 model. . . and probably still a superior sound. . . should be under $7K on Audiogon. For new TEAC CDp allow 1200 hours of breakin. . . or you will never know how wonderful any of these amazing devices can sound. And they are very sensitive to power chords. . . I had best results with Purist Anniversary and with Shunyata Anaconda Helix Alpha. . . . and stay away from shielded PCs like the VX variants from Shunyata. . . they suck the very Life out of TEAC CDPs. Guido
kiwi_1282001
312 posts
 

If you can stretch for an X-03 do it! Its quite a step up from the X-05 in all areas. The X-05 for me was a disappointment. Not a significant step up from the SA-60; the later actually being better in some respects because of its alround abilities including playback all formats (including DVD-A), support for multichannel and scaling of RB to DSD.
denon1 OP
343 posts
 
Kiwi_1282001, thanks a lot for your advise. Well, based on the specs it seems that the x-05 is expanded sa-60. The same DACs( just in dual mode) and output stage. But could you tell me what disappointed you in x-05? Could you describe its sound characteristics. Couple dealers I spoke with saying that there is a little (10%) difference in playing red book cds between x-05 and x-03se.
Thanks a lot.
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