CD players - Luxman vs. Esoteric?

Luxman makes a good cd player, but Esoteric is a step up. Of course depending on what model. I had some luxman players back in the day. Once I switched to Esoteric, I never looked back. Currently using an Esoteric X01 Limited CD/SACD player. Will probably step up to one of the two piece Esoteric setup soon. But at the present time I am very happy with the sound and enjoying my recent upgrades with power cables and other tweeks which dramatically improved my reference stereo system.

Esoteric players are known as strident and analitic, while Luxman D06 should be more natural; i am going to buy 509u + D06 without any doubt even if I've never heard them, many people who heard that Luxman system made enthusiastic comments.

I am afraid an Esoteric player could make may ears bleed within an hour with my B&W 803D speakers (very revealing) and my actual Audioquest Colorado interconnect and Gibraltar speaker cables (a bit thin and "cold"; after new amp and player arrive, I'll consider replacing them with Cardas Golden Reference).

Maybe Esoteric should best match with "warm" speakers, amps (tube!) and cables

Regards, and sorry for the bad english ;)

Emanuele from Italy

I have the Luxman N-100 tube amp and CD player in my residence in Japan and can highly recommend Luxman products. I think their 50 model is one of the absolute best player in the market place, and if you mate it with their 509 or 550 solid state amps, it is really unbelieveable in sound.

The Luxman D-06 is an outstanding cdp, and I prefer its sound to the more "clinical" sound of Esoteric.

The new Luxman cd players are superbly engineered, exquisitely built, and they sound wonderful. They are a step up!

Hi Toronto416,

My basic Esoteric SA-10 resides in a system that has been discribed by others as musical,revealing,resolving non fatiging etc.When matched with the right components, it is anything but clinical. If the esoteric line sound only sound clinical to you, I would consider other components in the chain including the cables as being the culprit.
I also feel secure in the knowledge that when and if I choose to upgrade, It is an easy sale compared to the Luxman.
I have heard the D-06 but not in a system that did it any service.

Regards,