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Esoteric P03 - D03

Hi all,

I currently own an Esoteric X01-D2. I'v recently been offered a very good! deal from my dealer to trade this for a stock P03-D03 distributor wants to get out. I was no expected as I was really shopping for an analog extension to my system. So I have accepted.

I was very happy with my X01, although I think it was actually better (in relative terms) with red book CDs than with SACDs, contrary to what magazines say. However, given I'm basically buying at second hand price for a new unit, and returning the X01 at a very good price, I decided to go ahead.

AS said I was happy with the X01-D2. Reasons for change, basically 2: Flexibility of a separates, specially allowing me to use DACs digital input with my streaming mod transporter, if desired. It can also handle higher saple downloads than the transporters DAC.

Of course, a gain in overall quality. Specially when it comes to SACDs, but also to CDs, given the D03-P03 working together flexibility and configuration alternatives. I've read a lot about how good this 2 together are, but have not had any direct feedback.

Regarding this last point, a question: I've been told by my dealer that Esoteric importer says the best way to connect these 2 is new Esoteric i-link cable. I don't think I want to go this way, but have no experience. Not only the cable has to be very expensive... but from reading the manual, digital XLR seems the way to go. I-link seems to be more oriented to multichannel, which I don't really care for in this se up. Any suggestions? How are you, other P03-D03 owners doing this connections and what are your experiences on it? Also, any direct experience among these 2 units. What areas of improvement should I expect, in your own experience, compared to the X01-D2?

Thanks
Eli
eelii08
eelii08 OP
169 posts
 
Thanks for feedback. Not familiar with those. I decided not to go with the Mexcel for now. Just too expensive and I have not really a valid element of judgement to compare. I'm going with SR D3 and see how it goes. THey have been great on analog, speaker and PC, so I hope digital are just the same.

Once I'm familiar with them and the gear may compare with the Esoteric ones if still around my dealer... or maybe not. Depends on how happy I'm with sound. At this point, I'm looking forward to end the upgrade process, feel happy with results and fine tuning and relax for a while and enjoy music. This may take a while still though. We'll see.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Eli, I have not tried any of the Esoteric wires yet. SR are not my preference. I have found that the Shunyata CX series King Cobra works wonderfully on my X-01 Limited, my Rowland Criterion and the Rowland Model 312 amp. . . King Cobra is a true generalist. . . in theory, a 5 gage PC should be best on a power amp only, but somehow KC seems to generate a great soundstage without any bloat on every component I have tried this far. . . wonderful and non fatiguing extension, and harmonic exposure to die for. For ICS I have had extremely good results with Furutech Evolution II and custom Furutech wires called High End Performance, assembled from bulk Furutech wires. As my digital front end is a 1-box unit, I have no experience with digital wires. G.
eelii08 OP
169 posts
 
Hi all,

I have now almost 350 hours of plying time in the P03/D03. Finally have it connected with two SR XLR D3 in dual mode, and a D2 for "clocking" both units. Also a SR H.D. as PC.

Sound is great and a significant improvement over D2 in all senses really. I could elavorate more if it is of your interest. Just let me know.

However I do have a question regarding transport noise that is bothering me. I starting doing serious listening not that long ago, once I got the right cables and had some good hours on the units. I have to say the thing is very noisy. Quite more than I recall the D2 being. I can hear the transport when spinning with volume set to 0 or very low from my listening position.... not happy about that. Of course when music plays at normal level or even low, you won't hear the thing, but when there is a silent in the middle of the song, if you "look for it" sometimes you will find it.

Now my question to other P03/D03 owners. Is this something normal that you also have in your units or is it something I should complain against and ask for a replacement? I've read some about this noises and also other esoteric models but seems that some people get a noise and others don't.

Can you please give me your feedback on your experience with the P03? Do you also get the noise but live with it? You never had it, or you had it and got it solved, either replaced or fixed?

Thanks in advance
Eli
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Some Esoteric transports are slightly noisy. . . others in the same models are dead quiet. The mechanical whirring of the transport mechanism appears to have no bearing on the sound. At 350 hrs Esoteric gear barely starts to breathe. . . once you get to 800 hrs you will start have an idea of what your device can do for living. . . at 1200 hours it will have reached adulthood. . . . then you will be really smiling! Keep us posted. G.
eelii08 OP
169 posts
 
Thanks Guidocorona. WOW, that is a long long time. Well, it does sound very impressive already. It's really quite something. I had it totally wrong. Was sure the jump from the X-03 to the X-01D2 would be much bigger than that of the D2 to the P03/D03. Not quite. D2 is good but this combo is really something else, both in CD and SACD. THe level of detail, soundstage reproduction, dynamics and bass is really at another level, far superior. All at least in my system and to my ears...

What I find very strange though is that some units may be dead quiet while others do actually makes the, what is supposed to be, balls bearings sound. I would had assumed that if it is a design issue, all the units would be affected.

I'm very sure right now I will keep my unit regardless if I can get this issue solved or not. Sound is already so good for me with "only" 350 hours and even with the noise present. I would not say it does not affect the sound. At the end of the day, the noise is there, behind all the music and so surely it gets in the middle of some low level details or information. However, even with this, the quality, detail and all the rest attributes are much much better than anything I have listened to before in the digital field. But I just wished I could get rid of it and will try to do it.

One question Guidocorona. Does your P03/D03 have this noise or not? You just live with it or managed to get it solved. Some say it can not get solved, but only mitigated to some extend, which makes sense to me. But others claim they don't have it at all... That's strange and makes me wonder how far I should go to try to find a solution.
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