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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
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
345 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.
kiwi_1282001
312 posts
 

That is correct, the X-05 ups the ante on the SA60 by being a true differential design with a superior transport. Still, the SA60 sounds good on PCM to DSD conversion and thats a trick the X-05 can't do. Neither of course can the X-05 play multi-channel or DVD-A recordings.

I recently replaced my SA-60 and shopped around looking at lots of options both inside and outside of the Esoteric portfolio. Inside the portfolio i auditioned the X-05, X-03 and P5/D5.

What disappointed me about the X-05? It simply did not represent value for money in the sense of being worth the price difference between it and the SA-60. Whilst the price gap between the X-05 and X-03 was greater, so was the audible improvement in sound quality. The X-03 took the resolution of the X-05 up a notch but importantly also added some 'skin to the bones' of the music. The result IMHO was far more rewarding and satisfying.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hi Kiwi, could I ask you to comment on differences you perceived between X-03 and P05-D05 combo? And between same combo and X-01 Limited, if you had the opportunity to do that comparison as well. Thanks, GUido
nolitan
865 posts
 
Hello Kiwi,

I too have been following the Esoteric thread & would be curious to know the difference between the P5/D5 combo vs the X-03 SE ?

Thanks for the insights.
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